Everywhere you look, gamers are eagerly sharing their selections of the top games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? We'll take a moment to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions 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 competing console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the delightful software itself. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a strong 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 driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland garnered largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, notably in a year packed with stellar racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was advised to be left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating punctuation is a silly annoyance. This anthology of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score remains a baffling anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. Issues included a limited character selection and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. Fan reaction was notably harsh, with some stating a wish that the title's flop would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a substantial series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, finally released after years and years in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to release the game as an authentic product of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might dislike its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues were uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, dull missions, and a host of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a rare contrast.
