The Most Disappointing Video Games of This Year, Per Aggregate Scores

Everywhere you look, gamers are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the low achievers? We'll take a momentary detour to examine the most panned 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. Welcome Tour for Switch 2

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

Initial reactions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to somewhat forgiving reviews that highlighted the polished software itself. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland garnered largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in nearly every way, particularly in a year packed with stellar racing games. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left on the shelf.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

First things first: the irritating title grammar is a silly annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games features a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score remains a peculiar oddity to the critical reception.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This anime-inspired brawler was met with significant backlash from both reviewers and players. It was lambasted for a limited character selection and a severe lack of content. Fan reaction was particularly harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for the developers.

6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos

Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Critics argued that its effort to channel a unique feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a worthy series entry. Its brief runtime 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, launched after years and years in production delays. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its resurrection was more interesting than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's enjoyment.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5

Arriving as a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Despite the sea of negativity, a few of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a rare vote of confidence.