After celebrating the likes of Hades 2 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Metacritic has shared its 10 worst reviewed video games of 2025.
If you’re going purely by Metacritic scores, 2025’s best game was The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom on Nintendo Switch 2. But since that wasn’t an entirely new release, the honour really goes to Hades 2, which scored an average of 95, the same as Tears Of The Kingdom.
You already know that our pick for Game of the Year is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (which has a Metacritic score of 92), but that’s not why you’re here. You want to know about the lowest of the low – the worst games of 2025.
In reality, the literal worst games are likely to be ones no one has ever heard of; utter dreck buried somewhere in the recesses of the Steam store. But as for games people have actually played, the top (or rather bottom) pick should come as no surprise.
What is the worst video game of 2025?
With a paltry average score of just 28, MindsEye is safely the ‘winner’ of Metacritic’s worst games of 2025. And unlike the Hades 2 situation, we’re on the same page with this one.
It was very much a shoo-in considering this was already being labelled the worst game of the year when it launched in June. No doubt developer Build A Rocket Boy and publisher IO Interactive quietly prayed a bigger embarrassment would drop in the following months, but unfortunately for them it didn’t.
For what it’s worth, if MindsEye had received more reviews than the 12 it got, its score may have averaged a bit higher if some people ended up liking it. But that’s the creators’ fault for refusing to send out review copies – which tells its own story.
For as few reviews as it got, MindsEye was a fairly prominent launch since it was directed by former GTA producer Leslie Benzies and promoted as an introduction to a new Roblox-esque platform called Everywhere, which is still in development)
Every other game on the list was far less noteworthy and was never going to be as closely scrutinised. But it’s not like regular players were any kinder to MindsEye, with its user score standing at an even worse 2.5 out of 10.
The second worst game is fairly shocking though as it’s a first party Nintendo game… the risible mobile app Fire Emblem Shadows, an awful hybrid of tactics gameplay and social deduction that was randomly dropped in the middle of the night with zero warning.
Not even the most ardent of Fire Emblem fans showed up to defend it, as it has a user score of 4.1 based on only 12 ratings.
The only other noteworthy additions on the list are Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator, which was our original pick for worst game of the year until MindsEye dethroned it, and Tamagotchi Plaza for Switch 2, which at first glance seems like a harmless kids game but was harshly criticised for its barebones content and boring minigames.
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The worst video games of 2025 according to Metacritic
- MindsEye (25)
- Fire Emblem Shadows (37)
- Blood Of Mehran (38)
- Spy Drops (39)
- Gore Doctor (40)
- Tamagotchi Plaza – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (43)
- Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator (44)
- QUByte Classics: Glover (44)
- Scar-Lead Salvation (44)
- Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition (45)
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Interesting list! It’s always surprising to see which games end up on the worst rankings. It’s a reminder that not every title can hit the mark, even with high expectations.
You’re right! It’s fascinating how expectations can differ so much from reality. I wonder if some of these games had high hopes due to their developers’ previous successes. It’s a reminder that even big names can miss the mark sometimes.
the games on that list had ambitious concepts that just didn’t translate well into gameplay. It’s interesting to think about how player feedback during development might have changed the final product.
You’re right; ambitious ideas can sometimes lead to disappointing execution. It’s interesting to see how some developers take risks, but they often need to balance creativity with solid mechanics. Hopefully, we’ll see them learn from these experiences in future titles!
how expectations can shape our perception of a game. Sometimes, a unique concept just doesn’t translate well into gameplay, which can be frustrating for players. It’s a reminder that innovation doesn’t always guarantee a positive experience!
Absolutely, expectations can play a huge role in how we experience games. It’s interesting to see how innovative ideas might not always align with player preferences, leading to mixed reviews. Sometimes, a game that pushes boundaries can end up feeling unpolished, which can affect its reception significantly.
Absolutely, expectations can play a huge role in how we experience games. It’s interesting to see how hype can sometimes overshadow the actual gameplay, leading to disappointment. The contrast between critically panned games and player enjoyment can be quite surprising—sometimes a game’s charm shines through despite its flaws.