The Most Disappointing Games of the Year 2025, Per Review Aggregator Metacritic

At every turn, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the greatest releases of 2025. However, what of the flops, the failures? We'll take a moment to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? We shall see.

10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

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

Initial reactions to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that praised the polished 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

Marketed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in almost every category, notably in a year packed with stellar racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was best left on the shelf.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

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

Before we start: the confusing punctuation is a minor strike against it. This anthology of SNES and PS1 platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.

7. Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based brawler was met with significant backlash from both reviewers and players. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a minimal offering of content. Fan reaction was notably vitriolic, with some stating a desire that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its goal to channel a rolling-collection feel didn't land, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful series entry. Its short length combined with a full retail cost was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The publishers opted to keep the game as an authentic product of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was more compelling than the game itself.

4. Salvation

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and undermined the game's enjoyment.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Think of the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of repetitive tasks that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Arriving as a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, boring plot, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found value in the experience, serving as a distinct contrast.