Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the top games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the low achievers? It's time to take a moment to honor the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that praised the delightful software itself. Regardless of the controversy, 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 driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon received pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in key areas, especially in a year filled with excellent racing experiences. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a silly point of contention. This anthology of SNES and PS1 platforming games revives a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a baffling oddity to the Metascore.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler faced harsh criticism from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Issues included a limited character selection and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was particularly harsh, with some expressing a hope that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its effort to mimic a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in legal limbo. The team behind it made the decision to preserve the game as an authentic artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its resurrection was more compelling than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a dull collection of simple minigames that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major GTA-style title from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its weak action, boring plot, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Among the scathing reviews, a tiny number of fans found value in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.
