At every turn, fans are quick to share their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the failures? Let's take a few moments to honor 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. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland received pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring excellent racing titles. For many, this underwhelming entry was advised to be left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a minor strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era Bubsy titles features a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop jokes. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game was met with significant backlash from both critics and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a small character selection and a minimal offering of features. Fan reaction was notably negative, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its attempt to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User 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 developers opted to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, accepting that today's audiences might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its development was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues centered on bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile GTA-style title from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a few of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, providing a rare contrast.
