Published on: 06/01/2022

What Are The Worst Rated Games of All Time?

Let’s face it – not every game that launches is a source of entertainment and enjoyment. For some, a new release spells a rocky performance, awful stability, and sub-par graphics, all of which provide a miserable experience. Over the last twenty-something years, gaming has seen many ups and downs, and we’ve been treated to thousands of new games. We’re here to look at some of the worst-rated games of all time, working with Metacritic to provide a definitive list.

The Worst Rated Games of All Time

Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing – 8%

(Racing, 2003)

Does that title fill you with excitement? Are you eager to play it? It’s no Euro Truck Simulator, but Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing was something of a gem in the heavy haulage racing simulator genre. Well, in actual fact, it’s one of the worst-rated games of all time, sitting on Metacritic with a Metascore of just 8%. It’s the lowest score on the platform, as no other game in existence boasts a single-digit average.

Rugby 15 – 19%

(Sports, 2015)

We understand that rugby is something of a niche sport, particularly when it comes to video games. There really haven’t been too many rugby-specific titles, and those that have been released haven’t been a commercial success. However, Rugby 15 transcends that fact, being labeled one of the worst rated games of all time. In fact, it’s almost the flat-bottom worst-rated sports game of all time, boasting a score of just 19% on Metacritic.

Citadels – 20%

(RTS, 2013)

This real-time strategy title was a thing of nightmares when it was released exclusively on PC in 2013. It was a shambolic title, boasting awkward, complex mechanics, and a flat-out inexistence of anything enjoyable. The woefully low rating of 20% is joined by a user score of just 1.2 – otherwise known as ‘Overwhelmingly Disliked’. In the words of Eurogamer: “Citadels is a sorry mess that should be avoided.”

Read also: Games that got better

Rambo: The Video Game – 23%

(Action, 2014)

John Rambo’s 2014 outing was an absolute failure. It’s easily one of the worst rated games of all time, coming in on Metacritic with an underwhelming score of just 23%. This on-rails shooter was a broken, unenjoyable experience throughout, offering very little playability to gamers. It was released in tandem with yet another Rambo movie, and as we know all too well, games based on movies rarely – if ever – do well.

Postal III – 24%

(Action, 2011)

If you haven’t heard of the Postal franchise, you might be living a wonderful life. This bizarre, zany, controversial action title boasts some of the most unbelievable scenes in gaming. In some cases, Postal is downright obscene, and it’s certainly not a title for the faint-hearted. It has been slammed by critics with every single iteration, and at 24%, Postal III is the worst-rated game in the franchise, for very good reason.

Hulk Hogan’s Main Event – 26%

(Fighting, 2011)

As one of the lowest-rated fighting games of all time, Hulk Hogan’s Main Event carries with it a strange twist. It was the first-ever ‘motion-based- wrestling game, utilising the ever-poor Kinect for Xbox 360. Bizarrely, it required users to quite literally wrestle thin air, throwing out taunts and acts of showmanship to ‘win over the crowd’. As you can probably imagine, it was a complete failure, and it besmirched the… Good name of Hulk Hogan.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct – 32%

(FPS, 2013)

It seems bizarre that such an epic, enormous franchise as The Walking Dead could fail so miserably, but here we are. When The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct launched in 2013, fans thought they’d be receiving the zombie game of a lifetime. However, what was delivered was a repetitive, empty, and completely unimaginative experience that was leagues behind the top-tier television show.

Although, on the other side of the fence, Telltale’s The Walking Dead franchise was remarkably well received. Ultimately, The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct was abandoned just as soon as it was released.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified – 33%

(FPS, 2012)

This is the lowest-rated Call of Duty title on Metacritic, coming complete with horrific reviews and terrible user stories. While it was a Vita exclusive, that wasn’t enough of an excuse to explain the awful delivery of Black Ops Declassified. It was such a far cry from the core Black Ops franchise that it may as well have been another title altogether. Unfortunately, it was the only Call of Duty title to launch on the PlayStation Vita, so fans of the franchise on that platform were left sour.

Read more: Which games deserve a sequel?