Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their rankings of the greatest titles of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous appraisals that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from European developers was met with largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year featuring stellar racing games. For many, this sputtering stinker was best left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating punctuation is a minor annoyance. This collection of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score stands as a curious contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. Complaints centered on a small roster of characters and a minimal offering of features. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some stating a hope that the title's poor performance would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its goal to channel a rolling-collection feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, launched after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to release the game as an original product of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was more interesting than the end product.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a dull collection of basic activities 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 complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Despite the sea of negativity, a small handful of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.
