The worst video games of 2024, according to Metacritic

This zombie survival first-person shooter is one where the fan opinion is noticeably different from that of the critics. Despite averaging 55 from the critics, this game has a “Very Positive” rating on Steam and a 7.1 in user score. Critics mostly panned it for being a worse version of Call of Duty Zombies, using the same gameplay formula but suffering from technical issues and a lackluster story. It clearly found a fanbase though.

Die by the Blade – 54

Die by the Blade is a case of wasted potential. Even the harshest of critics who reviewed this game had nice things to say about the concept, working as a 3D fighting game based around using weapons instead of fists, and one strike is all it takes to end a fight. However, the scope was too much for the game’s smaller budget, which resulted in an uninteresting roster of characters that made it offputting to casual fighting game fans and didn’t have enough depth for veterans.

Funko Fusion – 54

This game didn’t inspire much confidence upon its reveal, and it’s an unfortunate case where cynical marketing got ahead of anything else, and the result was a predictably soulless game. Most critics game away from it simply feeling bored by the experience, with a combat system that got old fast and puzzles that failed to provide any challenge.

Silent Hill: The Short Message – 53

A small handful of people found nice things to say about this game, getting a couple of 8/10 ratings, but they are massively outweighed by the number of critics that rated it 5 or lower. The gameplay was incredibly bland, and many people were annoyed or offended by the terrible and disrespectful way in which it tackled some serious issues.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown – 53

This latest game in the Test Drive Unlimited series came out way too late to make an impact. Several critics noted how it felt like an open-world racer from a couple of generations ago, rather than anything that would make the modern kings of the genre sweat. On top of that, it suffered from a lot of technical issues that made the game feel unfinished as well as outdated.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants – 53

First note, that title’s too long. Even shortening it to “TMNT” doesn’t help the word salad this game greets you with. This is a game where those making it decided to play it safe and it led to mostly middling reviews, as while there was enjoyment to be had in a new arcade game that aped the style of the classic titles, it didn’t make a big enough splash for anyone to feel passionate about it either way.

Pneumata – 52

Every year since Amnesia came out there’s been at least one underwhelming survival horror game that simply fails to understand what makes the genre work, and 2024’s example is Pneumata. The horror comes across as more goofy than scary, and the maze-like level design led to a lot of frustration.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator – 51

Another staple of the “worst games” list every year is the poorly-made simulator. They’ve died down a lot from their heyday in the mid-to-late 2010s, but we still get to dump on one every now and then. Taxi Life does reach the broken heights of other games but instead is simply an unrelentingly dull experience, failing to nail the little details that make other driving sims like Euro Truck fun.

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports – 47

A Looney Tunes sports game was a weird decision to release in 2024, but it had the potential to work as the characters are still beloved. Unfortunately, the result was a bland sports game that uses the most basic arcade simulations of each sport in question, performed by 3D renderings of the Looney Tunes characters that feel like they’re straight out of a late 2000s movie tie-in game.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash – 44

In hindsight, perhaps this game calling itself “cursed” should’ve been a red flag. JJK Cursed Clash failed at the most fundamental level of a fighting game, which is that the combat didn’t feel fluid or fun. On top of that, the visual style was underwhelming and many fans felt it didn’t do the roster of beloved characters justice. A lack of worthwhile content prevented it from being worth anyone’s time and earned it the dishonorable distinction of 2024’s worst-reviewed game.