The Most Disappointing Games of This Year, Based on Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to examine the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions 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 similar console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder reviews that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "more than a racing game," this driving sim from European developers was met with pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in almost every category, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

First things first: the confusing punctuation is a minor point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers showcases a sarcastic feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were not good originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a baffling anomaly to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based brawler faced harsh criticism from both critics and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a dearth of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some stating a wish that the title's failure would serve as a lesson 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 gathering cute monsters. Critics argued that its effort to channel a rolling-collection gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to preserve the game as an original product of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the actual gameplay.

4. Scar-Lead

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the same genre. Among the scathing reviews, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, providing a rare counterpoint.