But we couldn’t help but feel that some games this year could have been so much more in terms of the value they brought to their players but ultimately let us down. It’s time to dive into 2025’s most disappointing games – and why they made us feel that way.

Let’s get started. 

Deliver At All Costs

Developed by Far Out Games and published by Konami, Deliver At All Costs had all the makings of a fun experience made engaging via a very unique premise. Winston Green’s determination to be the ultimate courier, letting nothing get between his cargo and his destination ultimately fell flat thanks to an uninspired gameplay loop.

While the isometric graphics and unique mechanics could entertain you for a brief time once you get started, the game quickly gets repetitive, with little to no narrative context other than a few fetch and carry requests.

Limited upgrades to the We Deliver pickup truck and a lack of actual consequences for your destructive actions other than some bland police pursuits make this an unfortunately forgettable experience that is sure to lie forgotten in many of its players’ libraries once the initial thrills wear off. 

Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game

Despite an excellent visual makeover courtesy of Unreal Engine 5, a wide selection of tracks, and the legendary Ricky Carmichael taking up the in-game commentator’s mic, Monster Energy Supercross 25 wasted away its advantages with a learning curve that a significant portion of players would find daunting.

Its tutorials are ineffective at getting you into the ebb and flow of a race, a lapse that is sure to throw you face-first into the dirt in front of a crowded stadium. Milestone S.r.l. probably assumed that anybody picking up the game was already a fan of dirt-bike racing and tailored the experience accordingly.

We’re sure that fans of the sport will swear by this one but for the rest of us, this is a title that is a very ironic uphill climb.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master

This indie title from the stables (or garages?) of Warsaw-based developer Gaming Factory seemed like it would be a great drifting simulator for racing fans who like a bit of style when they turn a corner. While its in-game physics and story-based open world are certainly highlights, the overall experience was ultimately marred by several inconsistencies in the Guntama Prefecture’s streets and winding mountain roads.

Obstacles that a fast-moving car could plow through quite easily in the real world could bring you to a complete stop while irregular lighting ruins the dynamic day and night cycle, sending you tearing right into unsuspecting NPCs who just want to get home and unwind after a long day.

Its delivery missions are nothing to write home about either while errors in the kind of vehicle you will need for its many events are a constant annoyance, requiring you to reload at the last garage you were in and drive a new car all the way back to the starting point.

We recommend rewatching Tokyo Drift a couple of times while you wait for a sale on this one.

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Remastered

We’ll be the first to admit that getting to revisit the origin story of Anakin Skywalker (or Darth Vader as you know him) had us pretty excited for this remake of the 2000 title from LucasArts. Getting all of its original content in one place while Aspyr’s additions like the ability to play as a bunch of enemies you beat down in your first playthrough during New Game+ was quite the attractive package.

However, an excellent visual makeover aside, all of the problems that players had with the original continue to plague the remaster, and are annoying enough to drive you towards the Dark Side of the force. It’s a baffling lack of polish that is sure to ruin what could have been a very entertaining return to Star Wars’ glory days.

Perhaps Qui Gon would be happy to let Darth Maul stab him to death if he were to try this one out.

TRON Catalyst

Bithell Games had the opportunity to bring the magic and complex political discourse of the original TRON films to a new generation of gamers in its take on the sci-fi franchise. However, Exo’s adventures and the subsequent conflict between the Automata and Core ultimately failed to impress thanks to a lackluster story and a distinct lack of utility to its many inventive mechanics.

From the Glitch system that lets you reset your state on a server to an earlier, safer time, or the lore that fails to flesh out the various factions you encounter in any satisfactory way, this is a game that could have, and should have been a whole lot better than it ultimately was – and that’s a real shame considering that it does so many things right.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Although Arlo’s quest for revenge and his adventures as the Warden of the West are quite well-written and given a lot of gravitas and weight thanks to Doug Cockle’s narration, this attempt to create a side-scrolling Soulslike was ultimately let down by its tonal inconsistencies.

It was quite jarring to see a boss brutally murder innocent NPCs only for a character to make a very droll quip a few moments later. While the combat on display is certainly top notch, the healing mechanic proved to me more annoying than innovative, especially towards the story’s final sections and boss fights.

Hardcore Soulslike fans might find a lot to like in this game but for the most part, it does feel like it could be more fleshed-out both narratively and from a technical standpoint. Its world-building does deserve credit, though.

La Quimera

What could go wrong with an FPS title that puts you in the heart of a conflict between warring states in a world gone mad? A lot, apparently. Reburn’s take on a co-op experience that lets you team up with your buddies to take on a world of threats with an AI companion in tow failed to impress on any level.

It didn’t help that the game was delayed on the day of its release, a misstep that is sure to be a sore spot for the studio and anyone who was excited for the game alike. But its distinct lack of a clear and engaging narrative coupled with its lackluster combat is sure to make this one a game that the gaming world would be happy to leave behind.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Remaster

We’ve certainly been seeing a lot of Oda Nobunaga and his exploits in recent times. But younger games might have not known that the Japanese warlord was the main antagonist of a very popular action franchise from Capcom back in the day.

The studio’s remaster of 2002’s Onimusha 2 does include everything that made the original title so memorable, but fails to bring anything new to the table other than a new weapon swapping quality-of-life improvement and a couple of difficulty modes to accompany its visual upgrade.

Jubei Yagyu certainly deserved better despite his stoic and occasionally sassy demeanour making him less popular than Dante or Leon.

The Precinct

Fallen Tree’s police-sim brought a very promising start to Mick Cordell Jr’s first day at the Avernus City PD’s headquarters. However, his career soon took a very boring turn, devolving into mindless prowling along the city’s streets with only a hint of the promise he brought to table ever showing up during its runtime.

Terrible driving controls aside, The Precinct was a pretty interesting title that failed to deliver on the action-packed chases and gunfights it seemed to offer, instead focusing on the boring and dreary parts of police work. While it does shine on occasion and its main story could be interesting to some, this is a game we quickly moved on from thanks to its sloppy writing and average gameplay loop.

Splitgate 2

Its controversial marketing aside, Splitgate 2 never really reached the heights that its predecessor did thanks to being held back by a limited selection of playable classes and a gameplay loop that many players found derivative despite its intention to innovate.

Although credit must be given to its wide selection of weapons, maps, and modes, they were ultimately let down by its gameplay, which was hamstrung by the presence of only three playable classes with fixed functionalities. That’s especially saddening when one considers how many people worked on it as opposed to the original game.

Atomfall: Wicked Isle DLC

Although Wicked Isle did bring meaningful additions to Atomfall’s main story, they weren’t enough to make up for its lack of new enemy types and glaring omissions that made its runtime more tedious than it should have been.

That’s especially egregious considering how the main game always found a way to keep us on our toes, and the DLC’s new weapons, skills, and characters could not justify its lack of enough content to justify its price tag. Wicked Isle is another presence on this list that could have been so much more but ultimately failed to live up to the expectations it generated.

Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest

While getting to dive back into the main game’s story and learning more about the tragic events that brought about the Beira D’s destruction was certainly exciting, Mhairi’s search for its data logger was a disappointment thanks to its shorter runtime and technical issues that actively made it far less appealing than the main game.

Although it did bring a fairly interesting narrative to the table, it was not enough to deserve the same praise that the main game earned, mostly in part due to The Chinese Room’s attempts to address the linear nature of the main game only to get caught up in pathing and other technical issues that were obstacles to obtaining the full experience on offer in the DLC.

That’s a paradox many studios would rather avoid. 

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

After 26 years of silence, Fatal Fury fans were all “REV”ved up to receive a new title in the popular  SNK franchise. Bringing innovative new mechanics and excellent visuals to the table, it’s quite surprising that KOF Studios failed to do more with a franchise that had many gamers very excited about returning to the 2D fighting experience it offered.

That was unfortunately the extent of its traction, as an uninspired RPG mode and a distinct lack of heavy hitters on its playable roster brought disappointment to its fans despite the presence of excellent fighting systems that would challenge newcomers and veterans alike.

FBC Firebreak

A co-op multiplayer shooter set in the world of Control had us immediately invested in what we assumed would be another banger from Remedy Entertainment. However, FBC Firebreak failed to live up to that hype with a gameplay loop that quickly became repetitive while its inspirations were largely relegated to the background with a few notable exceptions.

A limited selection of weapons and little to no variety in locations and enemy types marred a gameplay loop that was frantic and action-packed until it revealed a slew of unlockables that required way too much grinding for the average player.

All is not lost, however, as Remedy could bring changes that puts this exciting yet flawed shooter back on track.

MindsEye

Oh, MindsEye. We really wish Build a Rocket Boy could have made this game live up to the high expectations that we and the rest of the gaming world had for it. We once expected it to be the perfect title to ease our sorrow at the delay of GTA 6. On paper, MindsEye has everything a modern hit should bring to the table. An interesting narrative backed up by a gorgeous open-world that blurs the line between man, machine, and AI.

But Redrock’s empty streets and non-responsive NPCs worked in tandem with its uninspired mission design, lackluster story and buggy execution to rob us of what could have been one of this year’s finest titles. We wish we could say this was a bittersweet experience but we have to lean more towards the former than the latter.

Were there any games that you believe failed to live up to your expectations? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!

But before we get to its misfires, let’s first see what Aspyr has improved and added to this remaster. While Jedi Power Battles originally released on the PlayStation, its Dreamcast version is considered superior; this remaster is based on the Dreamcast version’s source code. Aspyr has combined elements of both versions, notably preserving the UI elements from the PlayStation version as well as several graphical details in the levels.

"Jedi also have the advantage of deflecting blaster shots, something that is really satisfying to pull off due to the tight timing required."

The graphics have improved resolution and razor-sharp texture, as is expected in any remaster, but the lack of a classic graphic toggle is somewhat unfortunate. Also, unfortunate is the lack of save states coupled with a single save file per account. As far as brand-new content, we get 13 new playable characters in addition to the original Dreamcast roster, adding to 22 characters total. Lightsaber colors can now be toggled to represent their ‘canon’ version, which is great for fans of Mace Windu and his purple saber.

Speaking of lightsabers, this game does a fairly good job putting you in the shoes of a jedi (or sith) with the simple yet satisfying combo system. Each jedi has three distinct attacks that can be combined with each other so long as you unlock said combo. Some players would prefer if all combos were available from the start, but I respect the sense of progression that unlocking them adds to the game. You also get an upgrade to either health or force power each time you complete a stage with a character.

Jedi are further differentiated by their unique Force abilities. While some attacks can feel similar across the characters, their force abilities change the playstyle up in a more noticeable way. Obi-Wan’s lightning-speed Force Saber Dash cuts groups of droids in one swift motion – making it great for aggressive AOE style of play. Meanwhile, Ki-Adi-Mundi employs mind control which stuns enemies for a brief period, representing his methodical and patient demeanor.

Jedi also have the advantage of deflecting blaster shots, something that is really satisfying to pull off due to the tight timing required. My only real issue with the progression system in Jedi Power Battles is that each account only gets one total save for all progression within the game. This means that if you select ‘new game’ and confirm, it’ll completely overwrite all progress with your save file. This is something that I mistakenly did after leveling up Qui-Gon three times; it’s just far too easy to overwrite and erase all your progress by accident. The single save file limitation is certainly something the remaster could’ve remedied.

But hey, at least all the secret characters from the Dreamcast version are available right from the beginning in this remaster, right? Yeah, that is nice, especially since I enjoy Ki-Adi-Mundi’s mind tricks, however a majority of the secret characters you unlock later don’t feel as varied and worthwhile as the jedi do. The droids and Tusken Raider have similar blaster and melee attacks, while others like the Droideka thankfully feature unique abilities. It’s also a cool novelty to play as Jar-Jar and hear his infamous howling while falling off a Coruscant skyscraper. Besides different attacks, each character has their own attack power, speed, and health, making them feel distinct enough from one another.

"All the secret characters from the Dreamcast version are available right from the beginning"

Unlocking all those secret characters can be a bit of a pain, though, considering how janky and rough the controls and level design are. Oh, no, I’m not speaking of the classic control scheme, that is borderline unplayable (even if I appreciate its inclusion). The modernized controls still feel rigid and unresponsive. The perfect example of this is the infuriating dash skid that every character does when stopping after a run. The skid animation locks out the ability to jump or attack until it is finished, something that resulted in many early game deaths. Of course, one can just get used to it after a while, but it exemplifies an archaic rigidness in movement that is difficult to overlook considering the amount of precision platforming the game demands of the player.

To the game’s credit, each of the 10 levels vary in their platforming and enemy challenges, and all can be played right from the start. One stage you’re atop the highest skyscrapers of Coruscant where any misstep spells instant death, and the next you’re simply shimmying over rotundas and balconies. Driving around an AAT was such a power trip back when this came out, and I’ve got to say, it still feels great today even though it’s brief. Running over droids and blowing up enemy AATs is a blast thanks to the great swivel gun and vehicle movement, if only regular character movement was as fun. If there’s one thing Phantom Menace haters can agree on, it’s the well-realized setting and environments, and Jedi Power Battles does its best to translate this to its action-platformer beat-em-up DNA.

But even as an unapologetic Episode 1 fan who can’t help but grin while journeying through the film’s scenarios and locations, I just couldn’t enjoy the experience as much as I wanted to. For one, the lack of a discernable character shadow while jumping makes it difficult to judge distance. Characters also descend like a brick, rendering last-second adjustments next to impossible.

Oh, and there’s fall damage on top of that. While the game mostly sticks to a side-scrolling perspective, it often requires three-dimensional movement within that space. This would be fine if many ledges and balconies weren’t gated off by invisible walls. The game doesn’t do a good job telling the player what area is off-limits or can’t be interacted with, causing many invisible wall deaths and the like. Helping to ease the platforming irritants are the remaster’s improvements to jump height and distance. It’s nice that Aspyr has tried to smooth out the experience where they could, but only so much can be done to elevate the core controls and level design.

An example of rough level design is the counter-intuitive guidance of where to go next. Take the changing camera perspective when entering the bridge area of the Trade Federation Ship. The level has been progressing from left to right up until that point, with no indication you’re suddenly expected to go left after a complete perspective change. I can’t be the only one who wasted time and lives continuing on to the right only to loop back to previous zones fighting respawned droids over and over. In a similar vein, scripted events sometimes occur during gameplay, causing changes to the stage such as an exploding platform or basted entryway.

Coruscant has one such event while balancing atop a car. Despite my best attempts to avoid a plumet to my death, the car platform I’m on gets hit by another vehicle out of absolutely nowhere. These instances are pure trial and error and next to impossible to prepare for if you haven’t played before, resulting in an annoying trial and error experience.

Some other annoyances that compound the rough level design are unskippable scenes, limited lives per level, and the occasional poorly paced checkpoint. The ability to use save states anywhere in a level could’ve helped alleviate the irritating design elements a bit, but I guess if Mega Man X Legacy Collection didn’t add that, I shouldn’t expect Aspyr to add it for Jedi Power Battles.

"Jedi Power Battles can be a fun time if you’re a fan of action-platforming beat-em-ups or have a co-op partner to play with."

Finally, I have to mention the boss fights. Minibosses and level bosses comprise the real difficulty cliff in Jedi Power Battles. There’s typically a med pack or two in any boss arena to aid in your stun-locking struggle. The two flamethrower droids really gave me headache with their incessant stun-locking and obscure hurt box. It’s difficult to judge the distance between the flames and your character and the imprecise control movement doesn’t help matters. Oh, and that Tatooine escort level with Anakin? Oof, the close rubber banding that Anakin has with your character combined with friendly fire makes for a dreadful combo in escort mission design.

I could go on about little issues that I’ve had here and there, but you probably get the idea. While Aspyr did a pretty good job eliminating bugs and glitches that plagued the original game, Jedi Power Battles still suffers from its intrinsic level design failures. Jedi Power Battles can be a fun time if you’re a fan of action-platforming beat-em-ups or have a co-op partner to play with, but its irritants outweigh the nostalgic charm and novelty pretty fast.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

Just when it seemed like Nintendo wrapped up all its big releases ahead of its next console reveal, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD launches on January 16th for the Switch. Featuring the return of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, the classic campaign supports revamped visuals, JoyCon support, and new levels from the 3DS port. There’s even New Mode, which provides an easier on-boarding difficulty for newcomers.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

“No more open world” is already a massive selling point for Dynasty Warriors: Origins. However, Omega Force is cooking up even more with the prequel ahead of its launch on January 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. A new protagonist, tactics, and combat improvements alongside multiple weapons and famous warriors as teammates (who you can control for limited periods) are just a few notable features. If the demo is any indication, Dynasty Warriors: Origins should restore the series ‘ glory.

Tales of Graces f Remastered

It’s still remaster season for Tales fans, with Tales of Graces f the latest title to get said treatment. Unlike Symphonia, the next remaster is handled by Tose instead of Bandai Namco, ensuring 60 FPS on all platforms (except Nintendo Switch, sadly). Tales of Graces f Remastered also features quality-of-life additions like auto-save, English and Japanese audio, a destination marker for quests on the world map, and more. It launches on January 17th for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Switch.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (PC)

The critically acclaimed sequel finally arrives on PC after remaining on PS5 for the better part of 2024. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth offers numerous improvements to Remake’s combat while heavily expanding on the mini-games, characters, exploration, and story. PC players can look forward to more extensive graphical settings, support for upscalers like DLSS, and improved lighting rendering. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth arrives for PC players on January 23rd.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PC)

If another 100-hour RPG isn’t what you’re after on PC, then Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may be the solution. Featuring not one but two Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Mile Morales, it offers new locations, combat abilities, and activities to go with the darker narrative and addition of the infamous Symbiote, Venom. It’s out on January 30th for PC.

Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles

Aspyr has been working overtime to bring various Star Wars classics to modern platforms, with Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles being the latest. It arrives on January 23rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. While the prospect of higher resolutions and better performance is tempting, fans can also look forward to playing unlocked characters from the beginning and using a new modern control scheme.

Hyper Light Breaker Early Access

Hyper Light Breaker is an open-world rogue-lite for PC that features intense boss battles, weapons and hoverboards. After facing several delays, Heart Machine is releasing Hyper Light Breaker in early access on January 14.  It will feature three player co-op along with a variety of skins and weapons.

Eternal Strands

Action adventure title Eternal Strands, which sees players relying on the elements and environments to battle massively imposing threats, launches on January 28th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Besides intriguing us with its visuals and overall combat, the premise and journey of Brynn, a Weaver on a mission of redemption, is intriguing. If that’s not enough, post-launch content developed alongside the Final Fantasy 16 development team is also in the works.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Franchises come and go, and yet somehow, Orcs Must Die! still showcases the appeal of constructing elaborate defenses and slaying hordes of Orcs. Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is the latest iteration of the series, out on January 28th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It offers co-op for up to four players, but you can still go it alone, choosing from six new War Mages and partaking in new rogue-lite runs. Offering more extensive customization, random modifiers in each run, and more, Deathtrap retains the series’ signature chaos and charm.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Odd Bug’s long-awaited sequel to its brutal 2D side-scrolling action RPG finally arrives on January 28th for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. On top of a new violent story, players will once again engage in settlement building, slaying enemies (this time with new elemental effects), and even embarking on hunts against massive beasts for greater rewards. And yes, Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt from The Witcher 3, returns to provide the same impeccable narration.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Long-range snipes into body parts with explosive results, carefully showcased with an X-Ray Killcam? You’ve come to the right place with Rebellion’s Sniper Elite: Resistance, a spin-off that runs parallel to Sniper Elite 5 and stars Harry Hawker of the SOE. Between sniping, sneaking, and assassinating Nazis across large maps, you’ll also take out Kill List targets and embody Resistance fighters in new Propaganda Missions. All this and more await on January 30th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

A new Sleeper, a new Belt in the Helios System, and many of the same problems (with a few new ones thrown in for good measure). Jump Over the Age’s mix of sci-fi narrative, tabletop dice mechanics, and role-playing gives you a ship and various jobs to complete amid an ongoing conflict between corporations. Making new friends, temporary and permanent, and bringing them along to complete jobs is key, as is managing stress and your slowly deteriorating body. If you even mildly enjoyed the original’s characters and stories, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector launches on January 31st for PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana

Trying to unravel the origins of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana can be a headache (especially since it’s a remaster of a remake). All you need to know is that it’s one of the better titles in the series, now presented with sharper visuals, a new voiceover for protagonist Adol, new character illustrations, and every iteration of the excellent soundtrack. It’s available on January 7th for PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Freedom Wars Remastered

The underrated dystopian action RPG first released in 2014 by Sony for the PlayStation Vita makes its long-awaited return on January 10th for PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. As a prisoner in the Panopticons, players must effectively work off their sentence, battling Abductors and competing against other cities for valuable resources. Offering 4K/60 FPS on PlayStation and PC, improved controls, visual improvements, and more to go with eight-player co-op, Freedom Wars Remastered is a long time coming.

Blade Chimera

From the team behind Touhou Luna Nights comes another immensely sleek platformer. As the amnesiac Shin, players work alongside Lux and fight against various monsters to unravel the mysteries of his life. Alongside shapeshifting and time manipulation, players will unlock new abilities and weapons in their quest. Launching on January 16th for PC and Nintendo Switch, Blade Chimera is shaping up into an excellent side-scroller.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

The follow-up to Ender Lilies, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist travels to the Land of Fumes and stars a new hero – Lilac, an Attuner who can control the Homunculi, each with different abilities. While there are no signs of the Rain of Death from decades prior, the world has fallen into ruin after mysterious Fumes infect the Homunculi. Survival is paramount, but Lilac must also recover her memories. While offering more excellent 2D art and animation and a new soundtrack by Mili, Ender Magnolia also provides new skills, difficulty levels, and combat changes. It exits early access on January 22nd for PC while also launching for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.