Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their selections of the top games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a few moments to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to more generous reviews that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in almost every category, notably in a year filled with excellent racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was best left on the shelf.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing colon usage is a minor strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score is a peculiar contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter faced harsh criticism from both reviewers and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a limited character selection and a minimal offering of content. Fan reaction was particularly vitriolic, with some expressing a desire that the title's flop would be a warning for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in development hell. The developers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might dislike its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its development was more interesting than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms were uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a dull collection of basic activities that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a high-profile crime saga from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews universally panned its weak action, boring plot, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a small handful of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a rare vote of confidence.
