2025 was a huge year with tons of fantastic games to try, but unfortunately, not all were winners. Where some games triumphed, others fell, resulting in a handful of truly disappointing titles. Whether due to shoddy launches, unfinished code, or missing the mark altogether, I had to highlight the most disappointing games of 2025. Keep in mind that “disappointing” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad,” but generally speaking, these games failed to live up to expectations plain and simple. Also, some just sucked. Listed in no particular order, these are the most disappointing games of 2025.
The Most Disappointing Games of 2025
1. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Sid Meier’s Civilization is a franchise that has seemingly perfected the strategy formula, with sprawling options, tons of personality, and an addictive gameplay loop that’s incredibly hard to put down. However, this was not the case for Civilization VII. Despite the lofty hopes of all strategy fans, Civilization VII fell flat on its face, with confusing design choices that left the experience feeling hollow. It’s not just one issue either, fans point to a growing list of grievances: tons of glitches from launch that still haven’t been fixed, a dumbed-down user interface, a complete lack of rules customization, no cohesion between the three “eras” of a match, and much more. In almost every way, Civilization VII made changes for the worse, and with a dwindling player count, it’s clear that most fans have simply gone back to Civ VI.
2. REMATCH
On paper, REMATCH sounds like a sure bet. It’s a 5v5 soccer game that emphasizes ball control and shot accuracy, with the ability to do some fancy footwork, provided you have the skills. REMATCH was lots of fun to learn and the early weeks of online competition were also enjoyable, but to be blunt, the game died pretty quickly. With no real career mode or interesting offline options to enjoy, the entire weight of the experience rested in online matchmaking. While fun at first, REMATCH got old fast, and with no meaningful content updates, players got bored and moved on. It’s not that REMATCH was a bad game; it just felt unfinished in terms of content and barely changed from its beta version, making for a full-price package that probably should’ve been free-to-play.
3. Painkiller
While Painkiller might not be the most beloved FPS series out there, many fans (myself included) were intrigued when a new version was announced. Unfortunately, what we got was a game that, while decently playable, was nothing like its predecessors. Instead of an intense, solo affair, 2025’s Painkiller was an uninspired cooperative squad shooter, complete with a paid Battle Pass full of mediocre cosmetics. Perhaps if the game were named something else, expectations wouldn’t have been so high. There was no subtitle, and no mention of a complete revamp of the gameplay formula in the marketing, just the bold claim of “Painkiller,” with not much to back it up. At the very least, we were expecting an average boomer shooter that called back to 2000s-era gameplay. It’s safe to say that Painkiller deserves its spot on this list of the most disappointing games of 2025.
4. FBC: Firebreak
Speaking of cooperative FPS games that failed miserably, FBC: Firebreak slides onto this list with ease, disappointing everyone in the process. There wasn’t much hype around this first-person squad shooter, but for fans of Control, the universe on which FBC: Firebreak is based, there was still hope that it could be fun. Yet, FBC: Firebreak does a whole lot of nothing, squandering its potential through mediocre missions, grind-heavy unlockables, and a severe lack of replayability. For a game designed around multiple runs through its several missions, everything is far too bland to replay, and there’s no real endgame to look forward to. Apart from one boss that I liked, FBC: Firebreak boiled down to a quick jaunt of joyless shooting and a true letdown from Remedy Entertainment.
5. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Through all the hype, developmental drama, and lead-up to release, Nintendo fans held out hope that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond would do the impossible and resurrect this beloved franchise after several console generations of silence. While the sci-fi FPS was decently entertaining, many aspects felt underbaked, confusing, or downright annoying. For a game that’s all about exploration, it was notably linear, with the exception of the open desert hub, which felt painfully void of interesting content. Tack on some blabbermouth side characters who killed the vibe and a campaign that loses steam in the second half, and you’ve got a game that doesn’t match the quality of the rest of the franchise. It wasn’t a complete disaster, but for many, Metroid Prime 4 was definitely up there as one of the most disappointing games of 2025.
6. MindsEye
Most of the other games on this list are here because, while still somewhat fun, they failed to deliver in full. That is to say, not all games on this list are bad. MindsEye, however, is very bad. It was marketed as an open-world action game, like Grand Theft Auto with a futuristic twist, but the reality is much worse. MindsEye is excruciatingly mid, with linear and unimpressive mission structure, boring third-person shooting, and lackluster driving mechanics. Worst of all, the entire “open-world” part of the game is a complete sham. The world of MindsEye is so ridiculously barren and unfinished that it makes the initial release of Cyberpunk 2077 look like a masterpiece by comparison. Pedestrians and police show no reaction as you careen wrecklessly through the streets, eager for any sort of entertainment to make up for the bland campaign. Combine this with plenty of glitches, an unstable framerate, and brain-dead AI enemies, and you’ve got one of the most disappointing games of 2025, and perhaps one of the worst of this console generation.
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
With its yearly release schedule and tendency to repeat content between games, Call of Duty has earned a reputation as the FIFA Soccer/NBA 2K of the FPS genre. As hype boiled over for Battlefield 6, many ignored Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 entirely, citing its similarities to Black Ops 6 and a general lack of interest. However, I played through the entire campaign, a good chunk of Zombies, and prestiged in competitive multiplayer, and I can safely say that while enjoyable for a few weekends, it was pretty damn underwhelming.
While I had a fun time playing online, the same can not be said for the campaign, which felt like an imitation of Destiny combined with a truly confusing plot. Zombies was decent, but I couldn’t be bothered, growing bored after several hours of repetitive battles with the undead. What’s most disappointing though, is the game’s blatant use of generative AI, clearly visible among cosmetic unlockables and loading screens. Even if Black Ops 7 wasn’t as bad as the internet made it out to be, it’s utterly shameless in its gross use of AI, and the overall gameplay is more of the same. It’s no wonder Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was one of the most disappointing games of 2025. Maybe instead of letting ChatGPT make the game for them, Activision should’ve hired some artists and refined the gameplay, but that’s asking a lot, it seems.
Like this list? Check out our other gaming lists, like The Best Games of 2025, The Best Boss Fights of 2025, and more.
