2 hours ago
Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their selections of the greatest games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? It's time to take a momentary detour to honor the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that highlighted the charming software itself. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon was met with pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring stellar racing experiences. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward punctuation is a minor annoyance. This anthology of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant quips. Reviewers noted that these games were not good to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game was met with significant backlash from both professionals and players. Issues included a limited character selection and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. User reviews was particularly harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a rolling-collection experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The team behind it consciously chose to release the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, accepting that contemporary players might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints included uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. 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 town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its weak action, boring plot, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a significant step back compared to decades-old games in the similar style. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of positive user reviews found value in the experience, providing a rare vote of confidence.
