At every turn, gamers are quick to share their lists of the best titles of 2025. But what about the flops, the failures? Let's take a few moments to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like some other console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous reviews that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in key areas, particularly in a year packed with high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a minor annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Reviewers noted that these games were not good in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game encountered harsh criticism from both reviewers and players. Issues included a small character selection and a severe lack of features. Fan reaction was notably vitriolic, with some stating a hope that the title's flop would have consequences for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its goal to channel a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, launched after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, accepting that today's audiences might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its resurrection was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms were bland enemy design, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Critics found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a rare vote of confidence.
