The Lowest-Rated Video Games of 2025, According to Review Aggregator Metacritic

Across the internet, gamers are eagerly sharing their selections of the top games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? It's time to take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

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

First impressions to this tech demo were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous reviews that highlighted the delightful software itself. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring high-quality racing games. For many, this underwhelming entry was best left unplayed.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

First things first: the confusing punctuation is a silly annoyance. This collection of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant quips. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a peculiar oddity to the professional reviews.

7. Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired brawler encountered widespread disappointment from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a limited fighter lineup and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was particularly harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after a very long time in production delays. The team behind it consciously chose to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was far richer than the actual gameplay.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4

This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues included bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was universally disliked and detracted from the game's overall experience.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Imagine the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This departure from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying series of repetitive tasks that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5

Positioned as a high-profile crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a host of technical problems. Many found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the similar style. Among the scathing reviews, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.