Is There Any Hope Left for MindsEye?

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To an inexperienced observer, MindsEye might appear as an impressive creation by Build a Rocket Boy. However, upon closer examination by gamers delving into Jacob Diaz’s futuristic adventure set within Redrock’s AI-enhanced terrain, it becomes apparent that the city’s gleaming structures, vehicles, and industrial facilities conceal substantial performance flaws and a gameplay design that has not captivated the broader gaming community.

As a passionate fan, I can’t help but express my disappointment in the launch of MindsEye for Build a Rocket Boy. Since its release earlier this month, it’s been met with a storm of criticism, reminding me of other games that, despite their promising potential, didn’t resonate well with players. Regardless of the damage control efforts from the developers, the game has left a sour taste in the gaming community.

When considering potential comparisons, Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky swiftly come to mind. Yet, it’s important to note that both these games have evolved significantly, incorporating substantial updates that have struck a chord with players and critics alike. This demonstrates that there’s indeed potential for Build a Rocket Boy to transform its standing as well.

But can it manage to make MindsEye rise from the ashes it currently languishes in?

A Very Long Road To Redemption

Multiple reviews, including ours, and comments from players across popular platforms share similar concerns about MindsEye. To begin with, a jerky frame rate affecting both gameplay and cutscenes, as well as a repetitive gameplay structure that discourages exploration of Redrock’s breathtaking landscapes, are the main problems that have arisen since its release. Sadly, this is rather disheartening for a game that had the potential to offer an unforgettable open-world adventure.

Despite Redrock offering plenty of areas to explore beyond its underwhelming main missions, the vacant streets and unresponsive NPC AI swiftly extinguish the urge to further appreciate the city’s beauty. It’s disconcerting to witness a police officer stroll past as Jacob slays an enemy in broad daylight – maybe they were taking a break?

The game Build a Rocket Boy has some problems that detract from the player’s experience, such as bugs, crashes, and scenes where characters appear to lose their faces. This is unfortunate because at the moment, the game has received a low score of 38 on Metacritic, with mostly negative reviews from critics. This is disappointing since MindsEye’s narrative does well in building tension throughout its approximately 10-hour long campaign.

Action, Not Reaction

Instead, it appears that Build a Rocket Boy is making efforts to improve the situation for MindsEye. A patch for the game has been released to handle memory optimization problems that were causing crashes, as well as addressing other concerns like enhanced performance and a rebalance of difficulty in one of the campaign’s scarce minigames.

In the coming days this month, there are two further updates planned for release, which may signal the end of numerous technical issues plaguing the game. These fixes encompass efforts to enhance AI behavior, fine-tune the challenging Hard Mode, eradicate game-breaking bugs, and additional improvements. It’s evident that Build a Rocket Boy is putting in great effort to regain the favor of its player base by addressing these issues.

Since then, the studio has released statements, conveying their disappointment over the underwhelming experience that numerous players have encountered with what was intended as the initial phase of its groundbreaking project called Everywhere. Clearly, they are making every possible effort to regain trust from both players and critics.

But will those efforts be enough? 

Making Favorites Out Of Flops

In their quest to restore the reputation of MindsEye, Build a Rocket Boy might draw inspiration from CD Projekt Red and Hello Games, who experienced comparable situations with their games, particularly No Man’s Sky upon its initial release. Both titles were groundbreaking attempts to revolutionize modern gaming, but they initially failed to meet expectations.

If the approach taken by Hello Games in response to criticism of their main game is any guide, Build a Rocket Boy might benefit from learning some lessons. Placing blame on external parties for a game that had so many issues might not have been the most effective damage control strategy. Instead, acknowledging and taking responsibility for the game’s shortcomings could be more beneficial. After the launch of No Man’s Sky, Hello Games largely avoided discussing the problems that arose until they were ready to address them effectively.

Initially, the founder Sean Murray admitted that No Man’s Sky fell short in delivering the promised experience. However, he guaranteed gamers that missing features such as multiplayer would eventually be incorporated into the game. After multiple updates and a substantial amount of free content, No Man’s Sky has become one of modern gaming’s most distinctive experiences and an inspiring comeback for Hello Games.

It’s possible that CD Projekt Red can relate to Build a Rocket Boy’s situation, given that their game Cyberpunk 2077 has faced similar challenges. Similar to how Sony granted refunds for MindsEye, they did so for Cyberpunk 2077 due to game-breaking bugs, poor performance, and an underwhelming portrayal of Night City that left players and critics unimpressed. In striving to construct a dystopian world brimming with possibilities, CDPR’s attempt fell short, drawing the disapproval of both gamers and critics alike.

Despite facing numerous challenges, the studio responsible for the Witcher series remained determined to produce an enduring title. Swiftly addressing its problems, Cyberpunk 2887 not only won back fans who immersed themselves in its compelling narrative and engaging side content, but also received acclaim for the innovative storylines introduced in its Phantom Liberty expansion pack.

Can Build a Rocket Boy Turn the Tables?

As a gamer, I’ve been able to troubleshoot the technical glitches in MindsEye, but enticing players to return for another round at Redrock seems like a tall order. The narrative of the game is solid, but it pales in comparison to the epic journey I embarked on with V in Cyberpunk. Jacob Diaz’s adventures haven’t quite reached the same mind-blowing peaks, and his supporting characters don’t seem to measure up to Keanu Reeves’ portrayal of Johnny Silverhand.

Although it might seem plausible that MindsEye could regain its players by enhancing its gameplay mechanics, it would require considerable work from Build a Rocket Boy. The rigidly structured missions in MindsEye lack versatility, making it challenging to believe that the game can generate more excitement from its primary gameplay loop. For example, introducing the option to seize control of other vehicles within a mission might not address the underlying issue that the mission was initially dull and repetitive.

To add on, CD Projekt Red benefited from a dedicated player base who trusted the studio to produce a fulfilling experience with Cyberpunk, following the triumph of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. In contrast, Build a Rocket Boy, being a new studio, lacks a loyal fanbase, as MindsEye is their inaugural project. Essentially, this disparity in fan support means that Build a Rocket Boy has fewer chances and less time to polish MindsEye up to the same level of success that CDPR achieved.

What Do MindsEye’s Players Have To Say?

A quick glance at the Steam reviews suggests that MindsEye’s redemption attempt faces significant challenges. Players express concerns that it “requires more development time,” and many describe it as one of the most frustrating gaming experiences in recent memory, which implies that they feel it is not worth their time.

On the game’s Reddit forum, things are just as bad, if not worse. Players of MindsEye are outraged about the rough experience it currently provides, and one user even questions its high price tag – a sentiment that carries more weight when you consider that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 delivers a superior experience at a significantly lower cost.

In evaluating Build a Rocket Boy’s praiseworthy ambition and efforts to rectify mistakes, one must ponder if they could have postponed the release of MindsEye, as Assassin’s Creed Shadows demonstrated earlier this year that a delayed launch could enhance the quality of the game before its release.

Instead of helping matters, it seems that MindsEye was primarily designed as a demonstration for the Everywhere platform, with its level creation tools and endgame free-run mode being underutilized by players. This lack of player engagement is also evident in the introduction of a character without a clear backstory or motives within the free-run mode, which excludes Jacob from the equation. This ambiguity and lack of focus are issues that persist within the Everywhere platform, and Build a Rocket Boy should aim to address these concerns promptly rather than delaying the solution.

Does MindsEye Have A Future?

Ultimately, MindsEye stands at a critical juncture, facing either total collapse or remarkable recovery. With dedication from Build a Rocket Boy, it could certainly be improved to meet acceptable levels. However, this transformation would require a significant investment of time and resources, which the studio must weigh carefully before making a decision.

If MindsEye were to make a return, it would require a total revamp of its gameplay mechanics and a complete reworking of its missions. Given the current negative reception towards the game, achieving success in the near future appears unlikely.

It appears that MindsEye will require more than just a few quick fixes and minor updates to be saved. Although remarkable events have occurred in the past, it’s uncertain whether MindsEye will join their number.

As a passionate gamer, I want to clarify that the opinions shared in this piece are my own and don’t reflect the collective viewpoint of me or any other individual associated with the gaming community. It’s essential to remember that our personal perspectives may differ from time to time, but our love for gaming remains unwavering!

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2025-06-18 17:14