The Worst Video Games of the Year 2025, According to Metacritic

At every turn, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the top games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

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

Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like some other console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to more generous appraisals that praised the charming software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Marketed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon was met with largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year filled with stellar racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

To begin with: the confusing title grammar is a silly annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era Bubsy titles features a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score is a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired fighting game encountered harsh criticism from both critics and players. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a dearth of features. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's flop would be a warning for the developers.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its goal to channel a unique experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, launched after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers opted to release the game as an original product of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Think of the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. 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 shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid collection of repetitive tasks that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Positioned as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Several 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 positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a distinct counterpoint.