The Most Disappointing Games of the Year 2025, Based on Review Aggregator Metacritic

Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the greatest games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? Let's take a few moments to honor the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust 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 Competition Company and Teyon was met with pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in key areas, particularly in a year featuring stellar racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim 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 awkward colon usage is a notable strike against it. This compilation of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighting game was met with harsh criticism from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was particularly negative, with some stating a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for the developers.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after a very long time in development hell. The publishers opted to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, accepting that contemporary players might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the game itself.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-styled third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and undermined the game's potential charm.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Recall the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a dull series of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5

Arriving as a high-profile GTA-style title from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a host of technical problems. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.