The Worst-Rated Games of 2025 That You Might Actually Want To Play

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2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year for gamers, with a huge number of highly anticipated titles. Games like Clair Obscur, Silksong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Battlefield 6, Hades 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Split Fiction, Death Stranding 2, Blue Prince, Ninja Gaiden 4, Monster Train 2, Arc Raiders, Ghost of Yotei, Dispatch, Europa Universalis 5, Sword of the Sea, Mario Kart World, and Dark Deity 2 are just a few of the games that could keep players entertained all year long – and that’s not even a complete list!

2025 wasn’t perfect – like any year, it had some games that just didn’t live up to expectations. Some ended up with very low scores and are often listed among the worst of the year. But does that mean you should avoid them completely? A few might still be worth checking out, depending on your tastes.

Well, you read this article’s title, so you know the answer already.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Open-Critic has not scored every 2025 game, and only titles with aggregates will be considered.
  • The following games were selected from the lowest-rated 65 titles of the year. They are not the 7 absolute worst-rated releases of the year, since they need to be worth playing to an extent. The highest-rated one ranks as the 498th best game of 2025 according to Open-Critic. So, you know, pretty low.
  • I’m not saying the reviews are wrong or that you MUST go out and play these games. For the most part, these games deserve (or deserved) their scores. However, they could be worth playing on a deep sale or if you are craving something really specific.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (OpenCritic Score: 65)

Campaign Is Bad, But Multiplayer Can Be A Lot Of Fun

Over the past few years, people have become increasingly critical of the Call of Duty series, and this reached its peak with Black Ops 7. After a couple of disappointing games and with Battlefield 6 proving popular, the 2025 installment felt unnecessary to many, and that feeling was reflected in its sales. While BO7 still sold well in 2025, it wasn’t the massive success that previous games had been.

Let’s be real, the single-player campaign in BO7 is pretty weak and doesn’t really deliver. A score of 65 feels about right, and honestly, it might even be generous. But Call of Duty is mostly about multiplayer these days, and that’s where BO7 really excels. The maps are well-designed, and the shooting mechanics are as reliable as always. You can even play the campaign with friends online, which definitely improves the experience. Plus, the Zombies mode is as fun as ever. If you only consider the multiplayer, BO7 is a clear improvement over both BO6 and MW3.

I definitely understand the desire for another amazing story-driven Call of Duty game, but the series hasn’t focused on those types of campaigns for about ten years, and it doesn’t look like that will change.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour (OpenCritic Score: 61)

Should Have Been The Switch 2’s Pack-In Game

Although it’s much cheaper than the initial mistake with 1-2-Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour really should have come bundled with the console. The game is built around showcasing the system’s features, using mini-games and trivia to help new owners learn what their Switch can do. It’s a great little time-killer for those waiting for Mario Kart World to download. The game isn’t long, but it’s enjoyable if you’re into this kind of introductory experience.

As a long-time Nintendo fan, I always loved when they included a fun little game with the console itself. It feels like they’ve stopped doing that with the Switch, and this Welcome Tour thing is kind of a throwback to that idea, but you have to buy it separately. Honestly, it’s pretty straightforward – it’s exactly what it says it is. Basically, you play short demos of games and then answer some trivia about the Switch 2’s hardware. If that sounds like a good time to you, then it’s probably worth the ten bucks. It’s super easy to know if you’ll like it or not!

Kiborg (OpenCritic Score: 60)

Satisfy Combat Framed By A Frustrating Roguelike System

Sobaka’s first game, Redeemer, was a hit with many players, including me, and helped establish the studio. Their latest release, Kiborg, is a bit of a mixed bag – whether you love it or hate it will likely depend on how much you enjoy roguelike games. You play as a prisoner trying to earn freedom by participating in a deadly TV show where the only way to win is to eliminate all opponents. While the concept isn’t groundbreaking, Kiborg’s classic sci-fi premise is a definite strength.

Like the developer’s previous game, Kiborg features fast-paced, brutal combat. Both you and your enemies deal significant damage, so staying alert is crucial – a few errors can lead to a quick defeat. The controls are smooth and easy to learn, and the game keeps things interesting by forcing you to constantly switch weapons. While the combat is the main draw, be prepared for a tough start; it takes patience to get through the first few hours. Kiborg largely sticks to the classic roguelike formula, but it has a particularly difficult learning curve. You’ll need to play through many unsuccessful attempts to gather enough upgrades to improve your base and unlock the game’s diverse build options.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact (OpenCritic Score: 58)

Impressive Fighting Mechanics Buried By Terrible Online Performance (And A Weird Name)

Interestingly, if you search for “Hunter x Hunter Nen” on Steam, the game doesn’t show up. You actually have to search for it without the “x” to find it – a strange oversight. I initially worried the game had been removed from the store altogether.

Fighting games based on anime often disappoint and feel like quick attempts to make money, particularly when the anime isn’t consistently releasing new games. I have One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows in my Steam library as a reminder that even strong affection for the source material can’t save a subpar game. Similarly, despite the popularity of the Hunter x Hunter manga and anime, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact struggled to find an audience, launching at full price but only ever reaching a peak of 181 players on Steam. It’s hard to justify buying a multiplayer fighting game that’s already practically deserted.

Let’s be clear: don’t buy Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact if you’re expecting a competitive online fighting game. The online connection quality isn’t good, and finding opponents will likely be difficult even in the future. However, if you’re looking for a fun tag fighter with decent single-player content, it’s worth considering when it’s heavily discounted. The gameplay is surprisingly solid, striking a good balance between being easy to pick up and having strategic depth. If you just want to enjoy the story with your favorite Hunter x Hunter characters, you can rely on simple auto-combos. But for players who want to master the game’s systems, there’s a well-designed tutorial to help them learn.

Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos (OpenCritic Score: 54)

With A Steep Discount, Neptunia Fans Might Want To Give This Spin-Off A Try

Let me be clear: I’m only recommending Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos to fans of the Neptunia series. In fact, I’d say you really need to love Neptunia to enjoy this one.

The Neptunia series is known for trying out different types of games, often moving away from traditional role-playing. While many spin-offs are action-packed, Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos is different – it’s truly unique, even compared to other games. In this alternate story, Uzume rides a motorcycle to defeat enemies and rescue her goddess friends. The gameplay involves driving around an arena and running over collectible Dogoos. You win by collecting the right Dogoos and avoiding the wrong ones before your opponent does. It’s simple to pick up and fun for quick play sessions.

Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos is a very short game – most players will finish it in around five hours. Considering that Neptunia games are usually quite long, this one is surprisingly brief. While enjoyable, the gameplay isn’t very deep. Because of this, it’s hard to recommend buying the game at full price. However, Neptunia titles often go on sale, so waiting for a discount is a good option.

Captain Blood (OpenCritic Score: 48)

If You Miss Low-Budget PS3 Games, Then This Game Might Be For You

Just so you know, I have a soft spot for older, flawed games from around 2010 – I even wrote an article about why I like them! Since not everyone feels the same way, you might want to consider that when reading my thoughts on Captain Blood. I might be enjoying it more than most.

As a long-time fan, I was really excited for Captain Blood, but honestly, it feels like a game that got stuck in development for way too long. It looks and plays like an older, low-budget PS3 title – something you’d find on clearance shelves after a few months. The graphics would have been pretty basic even back in 2012, and the combat tries to be like God of War, but it just doesn’t have the same complexity or polish. It just feels… unfinished.

Playing Captain Blood feels like stepping back in time, and that’s part of its appeal. More importantly, action games focused on direct character control are rare these days, particularly those reminiscent of the original God of War. While Captain Blood isn’t a perfect game, it’s still a welcome entry in a genre that needs more titles.

MindsEye (OpenCritic Score: 33)

2025’s Worst-Rated Game Has Improved Quite A Lot Since Its Debut

Everyone was incredibly excited for 2025’s MindsEye before it came out, but the launch was a disaster. The game was full of technical problems, and unfortunately, it wasn’t very enjoyable even when it did work. Many players found the bugs were actually the most noticeable thing about the game.

Build A Rocket Boy and IOI Partners rightfully received a lot of criticism for the rocky launch of the game. However, the developers deserve credit for consistently supporting MindsEye. Throughout the latter half of 2025, they released updates that significantly improved the game. Today, MindsEye is a decent third-person shooter with a surprisingly good story and enjoyable driving.

Based on its initial condition, the game likely would have received a score in the 60s on Open-Critic – not great, but passable. However, it ended up being considered one of the worst games of all time, alongside titles like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, Alekhine’s Gun, and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, according to Open-Critic.

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2025-12-26 23:36