At every turn, fans are quick to share their lists of the top titles of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to somewhat forgiving takes that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon garnered pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in almost every category, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing games. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the confusing colon usage is a silly point of contention. This anthology of retro platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for incessant quips. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter faced significant backlash from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin fighter lineup and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that today's audiences might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its development was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense surgery games 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 story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of simple minigames that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, boring plot, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a few of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a distinct vote of confidence.
