At every turn, gamers are eagerly sharing their lists of the top games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this tech demo were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving appraisals that highlighted the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in almost every category, particularly in a year packed with high-quality racing titles. For many, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing punctuation is a minor strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for constant jokes. The consensus was that these games were not good originally and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a baffling anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter faced significant backlash from both critics and fans. Complaints centered on a small character selection and a minimal offering of content. Fan reaction was especially negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. The assessment was that its goal to channel a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate product of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the tense surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a major GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a few of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.
