Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best titles of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the failures? We'll take a few moments to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Reviewer sentiment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, 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 "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon garnered pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in nearly every way, especially in a year packed with stellar racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating colon usage is a notable annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for constant jokes. The consensus was that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a curious oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game encountered significant backlash from both professionals and players. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a dearth of gameplay modes. User reviews was particularly negative, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. Critics argued that its attempt to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a lonely counterpoint.
