At every turn, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their lists of the best games of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the failures? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience 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 complimentary title like some other console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous reviews that highlighted the delightful software itself. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable 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 simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in key areas, especially in a year filled with stellar racing experiences. For many, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the confusing punctuation is a notable annoyance. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers features a sarcastic feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were mediocre in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler encountered harsh criticism from both critics and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was particularly harsh, with some stating a wish that the title's failure would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it opted to keep the game as an authentic experience of its time, accepting that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was far richer than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was universally disliked and detracted from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying collection of simple minigames that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Among the scathing reviews, a small handful of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.
