The Lowest-Rated Video Games of the Year 2025, Per Aggregate Scores

At every turn, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top releases of 2025. But what about the disasters, the failures? It's time to take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? Here is the list.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

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

The early response to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that highlighted the delightful software itself. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in nearly every way, especially in a year packed with excellent racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was advised to be left on the shelf.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

Before we start: the irritating colon usage is a silly annoyance. This collection of retro Bubsy titles features a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. The consensus was that these games were not good to begin with and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a baffling anomaly to the Metascore.

7. Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired fighter was met with significant backlash from both critics and players. It was lambasted for a thin fighter lineup and a severe lack of gameplay modes. User reviews was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for the developers.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.

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 a very long time in legal limbo. The publishers opted to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its resurrection was more compelling than the game itself.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the character's attire was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9

Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. 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 transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of repetitive tasks that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Arriving as a major crime saga from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of technical problems. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found value in the experience, offering a rare contrast.