Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top titles of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the low achievers? Let's take a moment to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to somewhat forgiving reviews that highlighted the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in almost every category, notably in a year filled with high-quality racing experiences. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left on the shelf.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward title grammar is a silly strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler encountered harsh criticism from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a dearth of features. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some voicing a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, finally released after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers opted to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid series of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster 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 plethora of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a few of fans found fun in the experience, providing a lonely counterpoint.
