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Metacritic’s year-end list of the lowest-scoring games released in North America during 2024 offers one evidence-based way to look at the year’s gaming disappointments. The ten titles below are ranked by the Metascores reported in that December 2024 list, from lowest to highest—not by an official measure of how disappointed every player felt.
How this ranking works
“Worst-reviewed” and “most disappointing” are not identical. Metacritic’s December 17, 2024 list ranks games by critic Metascore. It covers releases in North America during 2024, requires at least four professional critic reviews, and includes mobile and VR games, downloadable content, and compilations. When a game would otherwise appear more than once, Metacritic keeps the lowest-scoring platform version.
The ranking below follows that score order. Scores are out of 100, are the Metascores reported in the 2024 list, and are tied to the platform shown; they are not user scores. The accompanying reasons reflect reported criticism where the cited sources provide it. A low aggregate score cannot establish that every player disliked a game, and a game can disappoint through thin content or unmet expectations without being among the year’s lowest-scoring releases.
The 10 most disappointing games of 2024
1. Utopia City (PC) — 23/100
The lowest-scoring entry on Metacritic’s list. MeriStation’s 2024 roundup describes its presentation as dated and its story and execution as unoriginal. The release context matters: the game formally launched on Steam in 2024, but its origins go back much further. The score reflects its 2024 listing context, not a claim that it was a newly conceived game.
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2. Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat (mobile) — 41/100
This mobile entry received a 41/100 Metascore in Metacritic’s 2024 list. MeriStation characterizes it as a major letdown, but the available retrospective coverage does not establish a detailed, platform-by-platform case for why. The score is evidence of low critic reception, not a substitute for specific criticism.
3. HappyFunland (PSVR2) — 41/100
HappyFunland’s PSVR2 version also received 41/100. The cross-format list shows that Metacritic’s ranking reaches beyond conventional console and PC releases, but the cited coverage does not provide enough specific criticism to identify a particular gameplay failure with confidence.
Rank #2
4. Food Truck Simulator (Xbox One) — 43/100
The Xbox One version scored 43/100. The score places it among the year’s lowest-scoring releases in Metacritic’s comparison, while the cited coverage does not provide detailed, attributable criticism of its mechanics. It is best read here as a low-rated entry rather than assigned a more specific fault without supporting evidence.
5. Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash (PS5) — 44/100
This arena fighter scored 44/100 on PS5. MeriStation points to a limited roster and the absence of local multiplayer as factors that can make matches feel repetitive. The game also carries the expectation attached to a popular anime property, which can sharpen the gap between a recognizable premise and what the finished game offers.
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In this VR story tied to the series, players take the role of Henry Creel, also known as Vecna. Metacritic’s criticism focuses on repetitive or boring gameplay, limited interactivity, and a weak narrative. Those complaints speak to the fit between the show’s material and the experience of inhabiting it in VR, rather than simply to the presence of a familiar license.
7. Transformers: Galactic Trials (PS5) — 45/100
Metacritic describes this PS5 game as a racing and robot-combat hybrid, with critics judging that it handled neither side of the concept well. That makes it a clear example of a premise whose two appealing ingredients did not, according to the reported reviews, add up to convincing execution.
Rank #4
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8. PO’ed: Definitive Edition (PC) — 46/100
The PC remaster scored 46/100. Metacritic recognizes the remaster work while noting that the underlying 1995 game was not well received. Improved presentation can make an older game more accessible, but it does not necessarily change design that may feel dated to newcomers.
9. Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports (PS5) — 47/100
Metacritic cites shallow gameplay, poor controls, and sluggish movement. MeriStation adds that the selection of playable characters and sports is limited. Those are direct criticisms of both the moment-to-moment feel and the variety that might otherwise help a collection of cartoon sports events stay engaging.
10. Metal Slug Attack Reloaded (Switch) — 48/100
The Switch version scored 48/100. Metacritic notes that it removed monetization from an earlier mobile gacha game, but steep difficulty spikes and grinding remained. Removing one source of friction did not, in the reported criticism, resolve the progression demands that shape the play experience.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the list says—and what it does not
The entries do not share one failure mode. The reported criticisms range from dated presentation and weak controls to repetitive play, restricted variety, a concept that did not come together, and demanding progression. In some cases, the cited coverage supports a concrete explanation; in others, it establishes the score and platform but not a detailed diagnosis.
Metacritic’s ranking is a useful critic-score snapshot, not a definitive inventory of every game that disappointed players in 2024. It can omit games that reviewed better but fell short of particular players’ expectations, and a low score does not mean nobody will enjoy a game. Kotaku’s discussion of the list’s caveats makes the same broader point: numbered rankings cannot replace individual taste.
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