At every turn, fans are eagerly sharing their lists of the top titles of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that praised the delightful software itself. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in almost every category, especially in a year packed with high-quality racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing punctuation is a silly point of contention. This anthology of retro mascot platformers revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were not good originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a peculiar anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter faced harsh criticism from both reviewers and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a small fighter lineup and a dearth of features. Fan reaction was particularly negative, with some voicing a hope that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful 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 piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its development was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the character's attire was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of simple minigames that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the sea of negativity, a few of fans found value in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
