At every turn, fans are eagerly sharing their rankings of the greatest releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the low achievers? It's time to take a moment to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving takes that praised the charming software itself. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, particularly in a year featuring high-quality racing games. For many, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward colon usage is a notable annoyance. This compilation of retro mascot platformers features a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop jokes. The consensus was that these games were not good in their time and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score remains a peculiar oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a small roster of characters and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some stating a hope that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime 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 past, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The team behind it opted to preserve the game as an original product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was universally disliked and undermined the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying collection of basic activities that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a rare contrast.
