At every turn, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top releases of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to examine the most panned games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, notably in a year filled with high-quality racing experiences. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing title grammar is a silly strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant quips. The consensus was that these games were not good originally and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score remains a curious anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler encountered widespread disappointment from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of features. User reviews was particularly vitriolic, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to preserve the game as an original product of its time, accepting that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its resurrection was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints centered on bland enemy design, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a vapid collection of repetitive tasks that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile open-world action game from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.
