The Lowest-Rated Titles of This Year, According to Review Aggregator Metacritic

Everywhere you look, fans are quick to share their rankings of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the failures? It's time to take a few moments to examine the most panned games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one 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

Initial reactions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that highlighted the delightful software itself. Despite 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

Billed as "more than a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon garnered largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in key areas, notably in a year packed with stellar racing games. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

Before we start: the confusing punctuation is a silly annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games revives a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were not good in their time and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score stands as a curious contrast to the critical reception.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with significant backlash from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some expressing a desire that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3

A part of the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its effort to mimic a rolling-collection experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, launched after nearly two decades in production delays. The developers consciously chose to release the game as an original product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its resurrection was more interesting than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead

Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Think of the strategic medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that rapidly 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 depth.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Intended to be a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Amidst the scathing reviews, a small handful of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.