At every turn, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the best releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the low achievers? It's time to take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the polished software itself. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in key areas, notably in a year packed with stellar racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating punctuation is a notable annoyance. This anthology of SNES and PS1 mascot platformers revives a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a curious anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a dearth of features. User reviews was notably negative, with some expressing a desire that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its goal to mimic a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after a very long time in development hell. The team behind it made the decision to release the game as an original product of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues included bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a dull collection of repetitive tasks that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, dull missions, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the action genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of fans found value in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
