MindsEye is an unusual game that centers around a soldier named Jacob Diaz, whose memory is fragmented due to the enigmatic MindsEye implant. The initial scenes could lead you to believe it’s a high-budget production, boasting impressive cutscenes with top-notch character models and convincing facial expressions.
The game has a nearly attractive quality to it, and occasionally, when you slightly squint your eyes, you might catch a glimpse of its potential. However, due to frustratingly blurry backdrops and limited to 30 frames per second (often falling even below that on the PS5 Pro), it generally feels unrefined or not fully developed. You can assess it for yourself by visiting our footage on the Push Square YouTube channel.
In the footage of our gameplay, it’s clear that things don’t improve when the intensity increases. The shooting feels very fundamental, with awkward controls, an inflexible cover system, and AI that’s downright dim-witted – there’s no option for dodging or melee combat either. These encounters unfold in streets reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto V, but unfortunately, we don’t mean this as a compliment.
Incidentally, let me share that the game doesn’t follow the open-world format, but it does offer an immersive introduction to Red Rock City, a vibrant Las Vegas-like environment meticulously crafted in an open layout – even though the game MindsEye is not an open-world game.
The campaign’s structure is strictly sequential, but this isn’t problematic in itself. However, what can be challenging is that missions and cinematic scenes are separated by extended drives across its map. For instance, one mission required us to track a car using a drone for more than five minutes, followed immediately by making us drive the same five-minute route ourselves.
In this game, there aren’t any typical side quests or activities found in open-world games that you can stumble upon freely. Instead, as the story progresses, you’ll be guided towards portals, which transport you to various moments from Jacob’s past, gunfights involving other characters, or even mini-games at random. These experiences can be accessed and replayed from the ‘Play’ menu, where you can compete against your own times or scores.
As a fan, I can’t say I’m outright hating on MindsEye after just a few hours of gameplay. The visuals of the cutscenes are appealing, the driving mechanics have some merit, and while the story might not be revolutionary, it’s far from being downright terrible.
Despite this, the game is packed with disjointed and technically rough elements that definitely do not give off the vibe of being a “Grand Theft Auto” rival.
It seems that Build A Rocket Boy initially had or has many plans to complete the game, but at launch, it appears incomplete and fragmented. For now, we’re focusing on the game itself, and we’ll return with our comprehensive review on Push Square soon.
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2025-06-11 15:06