Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience 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 complimentary title like competing console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year filled with excellent racing games. 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
Before we start: the confusing title grammar is a minor annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre to begin with and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a peculiar oddity to the critical reception.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter encountered harsh criticism from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a limited roster of characters and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was especially harsh, with some voicing a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, finally released after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The team behind it consciously chose to release the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its resurrection was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's potential charm.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid collection of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its weak action, boring plot, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare vote of confidence.
