The Lowest-Rated Video Games of the Year 2025, Based on Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the greatest titles of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? We'll take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions to this showcase title were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder reviews that highlighted the charming software itself. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "more than a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon garnered largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in key areas, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing games. For many, this disappointing sim was advised to be left unplayed.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

First things first: the irritating colon usage is a notable strike against it. This anthology of retro platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a peculiar contrast to the critical reception.

7. Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter was met with harsh criticism from both professionals and players. Complaints centered on a thin fighter lineup and a minimal offering of features. Fan reaction was especially negative, with some stating a desire that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for similar releases.

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 Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its attempt to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the past, finally released after nearly two decades in production delays. The publishers consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the actual gameplay.

4. Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and undermined the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9

Imagine the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players 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 not very compelling.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of simple minigames that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of depth.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Intended to be a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the similar style. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a distinct contrast.