At every turn, gamers are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best titles of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the failures? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, particularly in a year featuring stellar racing titles. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating colon usage is a notable strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant jokes. The consensus was that these games were mediocre in their time and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score is a baffling anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter was met with significant backlash from both professionals and fans. Issues included a small fighter lineup and a dearth of content. User reviews was notably vitriolic, with some stating a wish that the title's failure would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its goal to mimic a rolling-collection experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying series of simple minigames that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major crime saga from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a host of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a few of positive user reviews found value in the experience, providing a rare counterpoint.
