At every turn, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the greatest games of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a momentary detour to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this showcase title were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that highlighted the charming software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, notably in a year filled with stellar racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating punctuation is a minor strike against it. This collection of retro platforming games features a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well to begin with and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a baffling oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a dearth of gameplay modes. Fan reaction was particularly vitriolic, with some stating a hope that the title's failure would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, finally released after years and years in production delays. The publishers made the decision to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that today's audiences might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its resurrection was more interesting than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. 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 turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major GTA-style title from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the similar style. Amidst the sea of negativity, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a rare counterpoint.
