Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the greatest titles of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the failures? We'll take a few moments to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was advised to be left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing punctuation is a minor strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were not good to begin with and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a baffling contrast to the critical reception.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a small fighter lineup and a dearth of features. Fan reaction was particularly negative, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The developers made the decision to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might dislike its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a dull assortment of simple minigames that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a distinct vote of confidence.
