The Lowest-Rated Video Games of This Year, Based on Metacritic

Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best titles of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? We'll take a few moments to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.

10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour

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

The early response to this tech demo were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to more generous takes that highlighted the charming software itself. Despite the debate, 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

Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon was met with pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in key areas, notably in a year filled with excellent racing titles. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was better off left on the shelf.

8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection

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

To begin with: the awkward title grammar is a notable point of contention. This collection of SNES and PS1 mascot platformers revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop jokes. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the Metascore.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. Issues included a thin character selection and a dearth of features. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for similar releases.

6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game

Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3

A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a rolling-collection feel didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3

This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The publishers made the decision to release the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its journey was far richer than the end product.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues were uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's potential charm.

3. Ambulance Life

Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9

Recall the tense surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying collection of simple minigames that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5

Intended to be a high-profile open-world action game from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of optimistic players found value in the experience, serving as a lonely vote of confidence.