The Lowest-Rated Games of This Year, According to Review Aggregator Metacritic

Across the internet, gamers are eagerly sharing their selections of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the low achievers? We'll take a moment to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? Here is the list.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "not just a racing game," this simulation from European developers was met with largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a notable annoyance. This anthology of retro mascot platformers revives a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well originally and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score remains a curious anomaly to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. Complaints centered on a thin roster of characters and a dearth of gameplay modes. User reviews was notably negative, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for the developers.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a rolling-collection gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after years and years in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to preserve the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the fascinating story of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints were uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal 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 new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a dull collection of repetitive tasks that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Intended to be a major crime saga from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the scathing reviews, a small handful of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.