Metacritic Reveals Worst Games of 2023 List

2023 was a fantastic year for the video game industry, with several great games releasing on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. While games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were hugely successful from a critical perspective, there were also some less impressive releases. Metacritic has assembled a list of the 10 worst games of 2023, based on critical reception. The list contains some pretty well-known franchises, and some games that were anticipated ahead of their release. The games and their accompanying Metascores can be found below:

1. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (Metascore 34)
2. Flashback 2 (Metascore 35)
3. Greyhill Incident (Metascore 38)
4. Quantum Error (Metascore 40)
5. Testament: The Order of High-Human (Metascore 41)
6. Crime Boss: Rockay City (Metascore 43)
7. Hellboy: Web of Wyrd (Metascore 47)
8. Gangs of Sherwood (Metascore 48)
9. Loop8: Summer of Gods (Metascore 49)
10. Gargoyles Remastered (Metascore 49)

ComicBook.com Reviews The Year’s Worst Games

In many cases, the staff of ComicBook.com agreed with the quality of the games listed as the worst by Metacritic. In his 2.5 star review for Crime Boss: Rockay City, reviewer Cade Onder called the game “a star-studded disappointment.” However, Onder did find the game more enjoyable than Greyhill Incident, which he awarded a score of 1.5, calling it “a flavorless game that feels like a concept for something much better.” Reviewer Spencer Perry gave Hellboy: Web of Wyrd a score of 3 out of 5, taking issue with “the repetitive and slow gameplay that sits at the heart of the entire thing.” 

Turning Things Around

Whenever lists of the worst games are compiled, readers should keep in mind that all reviews are subjective, and just because most reviewers did not seem to care for these games, it doesn’t mean that others might not get some enjoyment out of them. Many classic games, movies, and albums were all critically panned when they launched, and public opinion didn’t start to shift until years later. It seems unlikely that will be the case for any of the games on this list, but time will tell! 

A lot of effort goes into video game development, including years of work and a lot of money spent. At the end of the day, no developer sets out to make a bad game. Some games have even managed to turn around public opinion through updates. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum developer Daedalic Entertainment publicly acknowledged the game’s issues, and even talked about their desire to improve on the current game. We haven’t seen any such improvements since the game’s release back in May, but it can only improve from its current standing!

What do you think of this list of the worst games of 2023? Did you play any of the games that made the cut? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!