The Lowest-Rated Games of the Year 2025, According to Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, fans are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best games of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the low achievers? We'll take a few moments to examine the most panned games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder appraisals that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland was met with largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year packed with excellent racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was best left on the shelf.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

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

Before we start: the irritating title grammar is a minor strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant jokes. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score stands as a curious oddity to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. User reviews was especially harsh, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its goal to recreate a unique feel 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 raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, launched after nearly two decades in production delays. The team behind it opted to release the game as an authentic product of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its resurrection was more compelling than the end product.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and undermined the game's potential charm.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9

Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, 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

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series 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, citing a profound lack of depth.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Positioned as a blockbuster open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found fun in the experience, providing a lonely contrast.