A brutally honest look at the worst games of 2025, ranked from disappointing to absolute disasters. From wasted potential to outright failures, here’s why players were disappointed.
2025. like many years, was a big year for gaming. From the release of Nintendo Switch 2 to an indie game Expedition 33 winning the Game Awards, this year was truly unique. Some titles genuinely pushed storytelling, presentation, and immersion forward, reminding players why gaming still matters and is probably the best forms of entertainment. And then there were games that did the exact opposite. Not because they were unplayable disasters on day one, but because they wasted strong ideas, powerful franchises, or years of hype.
That is what makes disappointment hurt more than outright failure. Some of these games had solid concepts, recognizable names, or interesting narrative setups. But somewhere between development shortcuts, design fatigue, or rushed releases, they fell apart. This list is not about hating games just for the sake of it. It is about honest frustration. Below we list the worst games of 2025, ranked from disappointing to truly painful. Every entry here belongs among the most disappointing games of 2025 that players are upset about, because each one promised something better than what players actually got.
7. Blood of Mehran
The story of Blood of Mehran follows a legendary warrior pulled back into conflict after seeking peace, inspired by Arabian folklore and classic revenge themes. On paper, it sounds dramatic and grounded in myth, but the narrative barely evolves beyond its basic setup.
This is one of the Most disappointing games of 2025 because it promised a game similar to big titles Assassin’s Creed and God of War. However, most players who played the game didn’t really like it as the story exists more as background flavor than a driving force. Characters are thin, motivation is rushed, and emotional weight never lands. It is not awful, but it felt unfinished in spirit. That is why Blood of Mehran opens the worst games of 2025 list as the least bad entry.
6. Lost Soul Aside
Lost Soul Aside tells the story of Kaser, a young warrior fighting to save his sister and humanity from interdimensional invaders known as the Voidrax. The premise is clear and serviceable, but the storytelling never digs deeper than surface-level heroism.
Among the Most disappointing games of 2025, this one suffers because the story is below average and the characters were weak. Players were expecting something like the Devil May Cry franchise. Cutscenes hint at emotional stakes, yet the game rarely builds them properly. Combined with clunky gameplay and poor level design, Lost Soul Aside feels like wasted potential, earning its place among the worst games of 2025.
5. Fire Emblem Shadows
Fire Emblem Shadows is built around a divided conflict between followers of the Goddess of Light and the Goddess of Shadows, with characters caught in a cycle of deception and betrayal. However, the story mostly exists as a setup rather than a fully developed narrative. For a game that was highly priced, it felt quite repetitive.
As one of the Most disappointing games of 2025, the frustration comes from how shallow the storytelling feels compared to the franchise’s standards. Character arcs are minimal, choices lack weight, and emotional beats feel rushed. For a series known for narrative depth, this easily earns a spot among the worst games of 2025.
4. Pokémon Legends
The story of Pokémon Legends focuses on Lumiose City undergoing major redevelopment, with players rising through the Z-A Royale while investigating the appearance of rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon. It is a solid concept that hints at deeper themes of coexistence and control.
Unfortunately, among the most disappointing games of 2025, the story is minimal, despite having potential. The progression feels mechanical, and world-building lacks presence. Combined with technical issues, this lack of narrative frustrated players and this is why the game lands on the worst games of 2025 list.
3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji
Claws of Awaji the DLC to Assassin’s Creed Shadows follows Naoe and Yasuke as they travel to Awaji Island in search of a lost treasure while clashing with an outlaw group. Players had a lot of expectations from this one as they believed it would loosely tie into unresolved threads from the main game
But it turned out to be one of the Most disappointing games of 2025, the issue is not that the story is bad, but that it feels unnecessary. The main game was visually stunning and was somewhat… ok. But the DLC adds little emotional weight, making Claws of Awaji feel more like filler than expansion. That emptiness places it comfortably among the worst games of 2025. On top of that, it also has been criticized for its unnecessary difficulty which was not even justified by the story.
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Set in 2035, Black Ops 7 follows David Mason and his unit as they confront renewed global threats tied to advanced technology and the legacy of Raul Menendez. The campaign leans heavily on familiar Black Ops themes of manipulation and covert warfare.
Among the Most disappointing games of 2025, this one fails due to narrative fatigue. The story feels recycled, predictable, and emotionally flat. Nothing truly escalates or surprises. When a franchise this big feels creatively exhausted, it naturally climbs near the top of the worst games of 2025 list.
1. Mind’s Eye
Mind’s Eye centers on Jacob Diaz, a former soldier struggling with memory loss caused by a neural implant, as he uncovers conspiracies involving rogue AI and corporate control in a near-future city. The concept is genuinely interesting.
Execution, however, is catastrophic. The story is fragmented, poorly paced, and constantly disrupted by bugs and broken systems. Among the Most disappointing games of 2025, this one stands alone. It does not just fail narratively, it collapses on every level. That is why Mind’s Eye earns the number one spot among the worst games of 2025 without much debate.
While many major titles disappointed, some indie games delivered beyond expectation. Check out our list of underrated indie games of 2025.
