Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the low achievers? It's time to take a momentary detour to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, notably in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating punctuation is a minor strike against it. This compilation of retro platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant quips. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score remains a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler faced significant backlash from both reviewers and players. It was lambasted for a small character selection and a severe lack of features. User reviews was especially negative, with some voicing a hope that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its goal to mimic a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to preserve the game as an original product of its time, accepting that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its development was far richer than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter 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 turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a dull collection of repetitive tasks that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the similar style. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
