Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best games of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous appraisals that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward punctuation is a silly annoyance. This compilation of retro Bubsy titles features a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score remains a baffling oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter encountered widespread disappointment from both critics and players. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a minimal offering of features. Player sentiment was notably harsh, with some stating a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering cute monsters. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial series entry. Its short length combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it opted 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 concluded that the interesting history of its resurrection was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints included bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of repetitive tasks that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, boring plot, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of optimistic players found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.
