The Worst Games of the Year 2025, Based on Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the failures? Let's take a momentary detour to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.

10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10

Initial reactions 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. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that praised the delightful software itself. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10

Marketed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in almost every category, especially in a year packed with excellent racing games. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10

First things first: the irritating punctuation is a silly annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant jokes. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar contrast to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both critics and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a limited roster of characters and a severe lack of features. Fan reaction was particularly negative, with some stating a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for future projects.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its goal to channel a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, finally released after a very long time in production delays. The developers opted to preserve the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its journey was more interesting than the game itself.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and took away from the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid collection of simple minigames that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Arriving as a major crime saga from a team featuring experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a multitude of technical problems. Many found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the same genre. Despite the scathing reviews, a few of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.