The Worst Games of the Year 2025, Based on Aggregate Scores

At every turn, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the best titles of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to examine the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as disappointing as the ratings suggest? We shall see.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10

Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the polished software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10

Presented as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in almost every category, especially in a year packed with stellar racing games. For many, this sputtering stinker was best left on the shelf.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10

To begin with: the confusing punctuation is a notable point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a sarcastic feline known for non-stop jokes. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a baffling anomaly to the critical reception.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a thin roster of characters and a severe lack of features. User reviews was especially vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for the developers.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. Critics argued that its goal to mimic a rolling-collection experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the past, finally released after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it consciously chose to release the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the game itself.

4. Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on bland enemy design, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of basic activities that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Intended to be a blockbuster open-world action game from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a few of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.