The Most Disappointing Games of 2025, Per Metacritic

Across the internet, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? We shall see.

10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

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

First impressions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous appraisals that noted the charming software underneath the controversy. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

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

Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, particularly in a year packed with stellar racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.

8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection

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

First things first: the awkward title grammar is a minor strike against it. This collection of SNES and PS1 platforming games showcases a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score stands as a peculiar oddity to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game

Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighter faced significant backlash from both critics and fans. Complaints centered on a small fighter lineup and a dearth of content. User reviews was particularly harsh, with some voicing a wish that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its goal to channel a unique gameplay loop didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, accepting that today's audiences might dislike its retro feel. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the game itself.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-art action game drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's overall experience.

3. Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9

Recall the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of satisfying gameplay.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Positioned as a major GTA-style title from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, boring plot, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of optimistic players found value in the experience, providing a rare contrast.