The Most Disappointing Games of the Year 2025, According to Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, gamers are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? It's time to take a few moments to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

The early response to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that highlighted the polished software itself. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers received overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, particularly in a year filled with high-quality racing games. For many, this underwhelming entry was better off left unplayed.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a notable annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for non-stop quips. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a baffling contrast to the critical reception.

7. Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighting game encountered widespread disappointment from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Issues included a small character selection and a dearth of features. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would be a warning for similar releases.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection gameplay loop didn't land, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the past, launched after years and years in development hell. The publishers consciously chose to preserve the game as an authentic experience of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's enjoyment.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Think of the strategic surgery games of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, 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 new direction for the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of depth.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Intended to be a major crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a host of technical problems. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.