The Most Disappointing Video Games of the Year 2025, Based on Review Aggregator Metacritic

Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their selections of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to examine the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.

10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

Aggregate Score: 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 free pack-in like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous appraisals that highlighted the polished software itself. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year filled with stellar racing games. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left unplayed.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

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

Before we start: the awkward title grammar is a notable annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles showcases a rude feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre originally and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a curious anomaly to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler encountered harsh criticism from both professionals and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of features. User reviews was especially negative, with some voicing a hope that the title's failure would have consequences for similar releases.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers opted to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the end product.

4. Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and undermined the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9

Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This departure from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of repetitive tasks that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, dull missions, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to decades-old games in the similar style. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.