The Most Disappointing Video Games of This Year, Per Review Aggregator Metacritic

Everywhere you look, gamers are quick to share their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.

10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

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

The early response to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced 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 takes that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland received overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in key areas, particularly in a year packed with high-quality racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was best left in the garage.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

Before we start: the irritating colon usage is a notable point of contention. This compilation of 1990s-era mascot platformers showcases a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a baffling oddity to the Metascore.

7. Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based brawler encountered significant backlash from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some voicing a hope that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for future projects.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The publishers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate product of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its development was more interesting than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues centered on repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's potential charm.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9

Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of serious themes 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 town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid collection of repetitive tasks that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Intended to be a blockbuster open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews savaged its weak action, boring plot, and a multitude of technical problems. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the sea of negativity, a small handful of optimistic players found fun in the experience, offering a distinct counterpoint.