Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best games of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving reviews that praised the polished software itself. Despite 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 "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year featuring stellar racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was advised to be left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating title grammar is a silly annoyance. This collection of retro mascot platformers features a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop quips. Critics observed that these games were mediocre to begin with and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score stands as a baffling contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both reviewers and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a limited roster of characters and a severe lack of features. User reviews was notably vitriolic, with some expressing a desire that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for future projects.
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 rounding up cute monsters. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a unique experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial series entry. Its short length 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 publishers opted to keep the game as an authentic product of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its resurrection was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics 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
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a dull assortment of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the same genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found value in the experience, offering a distinct vote of confidence.
