At every turn, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year filled with excellent racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating colon usage is a notable strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a curious contrast to the Metascore.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a dearth of content. User reviews was particularly negative, with some stating a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering Dogoos. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. 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 resurrected relic from the past, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, accepting that modern gamers might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its resurrection was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was universally disliked and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
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, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, boring plot, and a host of technical problems. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, serving as a lonely counterpoint.
