At every turn, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the greatest releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to examine the most panned games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were colored 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 somewhat forgiving appraisals that praised the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from European developers garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in nearly every way, particularly in a year packed with excellent racing experiences. For many, this underwhelming entry was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating title grammar is a notable strike against it. This anthology of retro mascot platformers features a rude feline known for non-stop quips. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Issues included a limited roster of characters and a dearth of content. User reviews was notably harsh, with some stating a hope that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The publishers consciously chose to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale 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 inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of serious themes was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a major crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews universally panned its weak action, dull missions, and a host of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the same genre. Among the scathing reviews, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, serving as a distinct vote of confidence.
