At every turn, gamers are quick to share their selections of the greatest releases of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a few moments to examine the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User 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 competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment varied dramatically, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the charming software itself. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, notably in a year featuring high-quality racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating colon usage is a notable annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant quips. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a curious contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter faced significant backlash from both critics and fans. It was lambasted for a small roster of characters and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to channel a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial addition to the franchise. 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 past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in legal limbo. The team behind it opted to preserve the game as an authentic artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being tone-deaf. 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 shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
