The Worst Games of This Year, According to Review Aggregator Metacritic

Across the internet, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the low achievers? We'll take a moment to honor the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Here is the list.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10

First impressions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder reviews that highlighted the charming software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10

Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers was met with largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year packed with high-quality racing games. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was best left unplayed.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

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

First things first: the irritating punctuation is a minor strike against it. This compilation of retro Bubsy titles features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well originally and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score remains a peculiar contrast to the Metascore.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighting game was met with significant backlash from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a limited fighter lineup and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. User reviews was particularly negative, with some expressing a desire that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for the developers.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its attempt to channel a unique experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, finally released after nearly two decades in production delays. The developers made the decision to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that contemporary players might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the game itself.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of its subject matter 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 new direction for the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of simple minigames that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Intended to be a blockbuster open-world action game from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the scathing reviews, a few of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a lonely vote of confidence.