Across the internet, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the failures? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that praised the delightful software itself. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland garnered largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in key areas, especially in a year featuring excellent racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward title grammar is a silly annoyance. This compilation of retro platforming games features a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre in their time and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score stands as a baffling oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both reviewers and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. User reviews was especially harsh, with some expressing a hope that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to mimic a unique feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, finally released after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The developers opted to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its development was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a dull series of simple minigames that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a high-profile crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, dull missions, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the scathing reviews, a few of optimistic players found fun in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.
