At every turn, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? It's time to take a moment to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder appraisals that highlighted the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland was met with pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in key areas, particularly in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating title grammar is a silly point of contention. This anthology of retro Bubsy titles revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was especially harsh, with some stating a wish that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. The assessment was that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in development hell. The team behind it opted to keep the game as an authentic experience of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues were uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a team featuring experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the action genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a few of positive user reviews found value in the experience, providing a lonely vote of confidence.
