Across the internet, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the best games of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience 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. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that noted the delightful software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland was met with largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, notably in a year filled with excellent racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a minor strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers features a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well originally and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score is a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter encountered significant backlash from both critics and players. Issues included a thin character selection and a dearth of content. User reviews was especially negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Critics argued that its attempt to channel a rolling-collection feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, finally released after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate product of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its journey was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a vapid assortment of basic activities that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, boring plot, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, providing a rare contrast.
