Across the internet, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like some other console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to somewhat forgiving reviews that highlighted the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers was met with pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing titles. For many, this underwhelming entry was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating title grammar is a notable annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for non-stop quips. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter was met with harsh criticism from both critics and players. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some stating a hope that the title's poor performance would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, seeing the light of day after years and years in legal limbo. The developers opted to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its resurrection was far richer than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the tense surgery games of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
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 assortment of repetitive tasks that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, boring plot, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.
