The Worst Games of This Year, According to Aggregate Scores

Across the internet, gamers are quick to share their selections of the greatest releases of 2025. But what about the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a few moments to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

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

Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like some other console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving appraisals that highlighted the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "not just a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in nearly every way, notably in a year packed with stellar racing games. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left on the shelf.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

To begin with: the awkward title grammar is a silly annoyance. This compilation of SNES and PS1 mascot platformers revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. The consensus was that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a baffling anomaly to the Metascore.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighter encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. Issues included a limited roster of characters and a minimal offering of features. Player sentiment was especially harsh, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for similar releases.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its effort to recreate a unique experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful series entry. Its short length 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, launched after nearly two decades in development hell. The team behind it made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was more compelling than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9

Recall the engaging medical sims of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying collection of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Intended to be a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a multitude of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.