Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their selections of the top releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the low achievers? It's time to take a few moments to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder reviews that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon received overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year filled with excellent racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward title grammar is a silly strike against it. This compilation of SNES and PS1 platforming games showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score is a peculiar contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Issues included a small character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was notably vitriolic, with some expressing a desire that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. The assessment was that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The publishers opted to release 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 noted that the tale of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, 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 makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a dull series of basic activities that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, dull missions, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the similar style. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.
