The Worst Video Games of This Year, Based on Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, gamers are eagerly sharing their rankings of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the failures? It's time to take a few moments to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

The early response to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like some other console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that praised the delightful software itself. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

Aggregate Score: 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 pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in nearly every way, notably in a year featuring stellar racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was best left unplayed.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

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

First things first: the confusing title grammar is a minor annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant quips. The consensus was that these games were not good to begin with and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a curious anomaly to the critical reception.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighter was met with significant backlash from both reviewers and players. Issues included a thin roster of characters and a dearth of features. User reviews was especially negative, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would be a warning for the developers.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its effort to mimic a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful 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 curious artifact from the Xbox era, launched after a very long time in production delays. The publishers made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was far richer than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life

Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9

Think of the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This departure from the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid collection of simple minigames that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5

Arriving as a major open-world action game from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its weak action, dull missions, and a host of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a few of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a distinct counterpoint.