Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the greatest titles of 2025. But what about the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a moment to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous reviews that praised the charming software itself. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "more than a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland garnered largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in almost every category, notably in a year filled with high-quality racing games. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was advised to be left on the shelf.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward title grammar is a silly annoyance. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games revives a sarcastic feline known for non-stop quips. The consensus was that these games were mediocre to begin with and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a curious contrast to the critical reception.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Issues included a limited fighter lineup and a severe lack of features. User reviews was particularly negative, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a unique experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it consciously chose to preserve the game as an original product of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its resurrection was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues centered on uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid collection of basic activities that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a distinct counterpoint.
