The Lowest-Rated Games of This Year, Based on Metacritic

Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the greatest titles of 2025. But what about the disasters, the low achievers? It's time to take a few moments to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Let's find out.

10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

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 feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Reviewer sentiment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder reviews that highlighted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in nearly every way, especially in a year filled with excellent racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

To begin with: the awkward title grammar is a notable strike against it. This compilation of retro platforming games features a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant quips. Critics observed that these games were not good in their time and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score remains a baffling oddity to the Metascore.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighter encountered significant backlash from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of features. User reviews was notably negative, with some voicing a wish that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for similar releases.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3

Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the past, seeing the light of day after years and years in legal limbo. The developers made the decision to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its resurrection was far richer than the actual gameplay.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9

Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of depth.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Positioned as a high-profile GTA-style title from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews universally panned its weak action, dull missions, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of optimistic players found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.