MindsEye – All the Key Details on the Ex-Rockstar Dev’s Ambitious New Title

Setting aside its questionable marketing, MindsEye resembles a delightful prelude to your return to Rockstar’s contemporary take on Vice City next year, reminiscent of the Grand Theft Auto series. Although it shares many similarities with GTA, MindsEye offers much more than meets the eye in this intricately themed sci-fi narrative. Here are fifteen essential facts to consider before purchasing MindsEye.

Developed by Build a Rocket Boy

Leslie Benzies, a name not commonly associated with building rockets, is in fact well-known to many gamers worldwide due to his extraordinary work at Rockstar Games. The iconic games he produced during his tenure there, such as Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto V, are widely recognized and carry the distinctive mark of Benzies. After parting ways with Rockstar, Benzies, along with several other former colleagues, moved to Edinburgh and established a new studio under his guidance. Their debut game is called MindsEye.

What is MindsEye?

It’s likely not surprising that MindsEye bears a strong resemblance to Grand Theft Auto, considering Benzies’ background. They share similarities such as sunlit streets depicting a caricatured American city, morally ambiguous protagonists who engage in violent acts, and themes of crime, greed, and corruption. However, MindsEye is not simply a copy of Rockstar’s design. Instead, it offers an action-adventure thriller experience with stunning cinematic sequences, a linear mission structure, and a tightly controlled narrative flow. Additionally, MindsEye presents a sci-fi, Cyberpunk twist that Grand Theft Auto has yet to explore.

What’s the story?

The narrative in MindsEye revolves around Jacob Diaz, a skilled ex-military operative who’s grappling with an age-old conundrum – amnesia. Equipped with a cutting-edge neural device called the MindsEye, he ventures into the enigmatic city of Redrock, where he encounters ghostly reminders of his past: covert operations, pivotal moments, and events he believes significantly altered his life’s course. His pursuit for answers unearths corruption, power hunger, military manipulation, and the unchecked influence of a duplicitous government.

Who is Jacob Diaz?

The source of Jacob’s brain implant is a puzzle for the player to solve. This head-mounted device is causing his memories to shatter, with disturbing recollections of a harrowing mission haunting him constantly. Driven by the desire to correct corporate misdeeds, Diaz remains unidentified regarding the origin of his implant. Utilizing abilities from his former life as a soldier – his proficiency with weapons, combat strategies, stealth capabilities, tactical thinking, and driving skills – he boldly ventures into the city of Redrock, uncertain of the extent of the opposition that lies ahead. However, there’s been word that the vehicle handling might feel rigid, so it’s something to be mindful of.

What kind of city is Redrock?

In simpler terms, Redrock appears as a bustling tech hub filled with optimism and wealth in the near future, but it’s more like a mirage in the desert. The people living there are subject to corporate control and artificial intelligence in their daily lives, with the city’s aggressive robotic police force being a prime example of this. The political leaders of Redrock are also connected to the powerful AI-driven tech company that controls the police force, and together they seem to be guiding Redrock – and potentially the world – towards a new era of human development, which may not be positive. However, recent reports suggest that the game set in this city is experiencing technical issues, so let’s hope these will be fixed before its release.

NPCs influence the story

Within the bustling city of Redrock, a multitude of diverse characters reside, each with their unique purposes and hidden mysteries. As Jacob interacts with these secondary characters during his journey, trust becomes a crucial element. The question arises: who are Jacob’s allies, and who should he be wary of? In essence, the connections Jacob forges with the people he meets serve as a symbolic representation of the complexities within Redrock itself; can any entity, even an AI, truly be trusted? This game also explores the delicate balance between societal improvement and totalitarian rule – where does the line between progress and control lie?

Combat overview

In the combat of MindsEye, there’s definitely a hint of Grand Theft Auto influence, but it goes deeper than what Rockstar has previously attempted. For instance, Jacob’s strategies greatly depend on the environment, such as using it to gain advantageous positions, locating high ground, and discovering environmental advantages. This environmental interaction is key to winning battles effectively. The enemies exhibit a variety of tactics and learned behaviors, so players must constantly think on their feet and be ready to adapt their strategy.

As for weapons, Jacob has access to the standard array of pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and so forth. However, since this is set in a near-future timeline where neural implant technology is commonplace, expect to see some Cyberpunk-style modifications in his arsenal too.

Unfortunately, recent reports suggest that enemy encounters might lack depth, with enemies simply charging at the player instead of displaying more complex behaviors.

High-tech gadgets and neural-related abilities

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MindsEye’s themes

Benzies emphasizes that the narrative in MindsEye is rich with thematic elements, and we’ve discussed several of these themes throughout this article: the powerful influence of corporations, the anxiety surrounding AI overuse; the consequences of technological dependence on personal freedom and excessive surveillance. Additionally, themes like corruption, power, greed, dishonesty, morality are prevalent in MindsEye’s world, which is characterized by repression, a false sense of security tainted by political excess. These themes resonate with current real-life issues but are taken to an extreme level. It will be intriguing to see how convincingly these themes are portrayed in the story.

Faux Open World

Redrock is a vast, multifaceted urban landscape, divided into distinct neighborhoods where players can roam freely with Jacob. Numerous groups coexist within this city, some pushing for technological advancement, while others are secretly resisting corporate misconduct and greed. The mission sequence is said to be linear, yet the storytelling is expected to be concise. It remains unclear how these elements blend with Redrock’s semi-open world, which will incorporate interactive features and a changing environment. An intriguing aspect is Arcadia, a tool for creating content that can be accessed through a portal and utilized to develop encounters across the map. At launch, this mode will only be available on PC.

Cutting-edge cinematography

Build a Rocket Boy strives to create an exceptional cinematic journey, filled with authentic character animations that resonate deeply with viewers and a captivating narrative rich in emotion. While realistic camera angles play a crucial role in immersing the audience within the story, it’s not just about replicating real-life perspectives; rather, it’s about conveying intricate human emotions and character growth effectively.

15-hour runtime

You might be amazed to discover that playing through MindsEye’s primary campaign requires around fifteen hours of your time. This relatively short playtime reflects the studio’s commitment to creating a tightly constructed story, as opposed to offering players the flexibility to impact the tempo or plot structure via branching or non-linear narratives. Consequently, the team aims to strike a balance between creating suspenseful scenes and spectacular action sequences.

Release date, platforms, and price

On June 10th, 2025, MindsEye will be available for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The price point is set at $59.99 USD or £54.99 GBP. As of now, specifics about post-launch content are unclear, but there are whispers that DLC expansions, possibly even a multiplayer mode, might be in the works.

Pre-order for deluxe content

The pre-orders are currently active, and if you decide to purchase before the launch of MindsEye, you’ll receive a wealth of deluxe content. This includes special weapon skins, as well as future skins for Jacob’s vest, his Sedan, and drone companion. Additionally, a premium pass is included which offers an “exotic” pack containing “exotic” variations of the previously mentioned skins, along with a captivating horde mode mission, access to seasonal content throughout the remainder of this year and into 2026.

PC requirements

To run MindsEye effectively on your system, at the very least, you’ll need:
– An Intel Core i5-12400F or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU
– A graphics card such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT with a minimum of 6GB VRAM
– 16 GB of RAM
– At least 70 GB of storage space

For an optimal experience, it is suggested that you upgrade to:
– An Intel Core i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU
– A graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT with a minimum of 8GB VRAM
– Still requiring 16 GB of RAM.

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2025-05-27 16:42