MindsEye, the ambitious debut from Build A Rocket Boy—the studio founded by former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies—officially launched on June 10th. Marketed as a story-driven cyberpunk action game blending cinematic storytelling, third-person shooting, and thriller elements, the title was met with considerable curiosity from gamers and critics alike. However, that curiosity has quickly turned to disappointment.
The game’s troubled state became immediately apparent following its release. With no early review copies provided to media outlets, critics only got access to the game at launch, and the first wave of reviews paints a grim picture. As of now, MindsEye holds a dismal average score of 43 on Metacritic, making it one of the worst-reviewed games of 2024 so far.
A Harsh Start for Build A Rocket Boy
A Game Released Too Early
Across the board, reviewers agree on one point: MindsEye feels painfully unfinished. Critics describe a game riddled with issues at nearly every level—from broken mechanics and unrefined combat to a technically dysfunctional open world. The general consensus is that the game was rushed out the door well before it was ready.
Journalists suggest that MindsEye should have spent at least another six to twelve months in development. The result of its premature release is a game that feels more like a tech demo than a polished product. Its cyberpunk setting, though stylish, does little to mask the flaws that plague the experience from beginning to end.
Reviews Round-Up: What Critics Are Saying
Here’s a snapshot of some of the most notable early reviews:
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GamingBolt (50/100):
“MindsEye is a great example of style over substance, a game that falls apart as soon as you start playing.” -
GameStar (50/100):
“A functional third-person shooter with neat looking story sequences, but nothing more.” -
The Guardian (40/100):
“MindsEye is a weird one… Its ideas, gameplay, and narrative are so thinly conceived that they barely fit together. And yet: I’m kind of glad it exists.” -
IGN (40/100):
“Flashy graphics and cinematic cutscenes can’t disguise its glaring lack of substance… MindsEye’s rigid mission design and weak AI make its open world feel completely unnecessary.” -
Gamereactor UK (40/100):
“It’s easy to see that MindsEye not only shipped about six months too early, but feels like a decade-old copy of GTA with most of its elements unfinished.” -
GamesRadar+ (40/100):
“A resoundingly disappointing action adventure that squanders its sci-fi potential and fails to deliver either innovation or polish.”
Flashy Vision, Flawed Execution
Despite some brief moments of visual flair and a promising premise centered on big tech and AI, critics say MindsEye lacks the design maturity, narrative depth, and gameplay polish necessary to succeed in today’s competitive gaming market. Many of the game’s core features—such as its driving systems, AI behavior, and mission structure—feel underdeveloped or outright broken.
More damning is the performance itself. Sloppy frame rates, frequent bugs, and an overall unstable experience have made MindsEye nearly unplayable for some users. Critics widely agree that even its better moments—such as robot shootouts or driving sequences—are not enough to justify its current state.
A Harsh Start for Build A Rocket Boy
MindsEye was positioned as a bold first outing for Build A Rocket Boy, a studio led by one of the most influential figures behind Grand Theft Auto V. That legacy came with enormous expectations—and perhaps unfairly high hopes. But what should have been a groundbreaking debut has instead become a cautionary tale about ambition unchecked by polish.
Whether the studio can recover with future updates or pivot toward a more refined follow-up remains to be seen. For now, MindsEye stands as one of the most disappointing releases of the year—a cyberpunk dream derailed by technical failure and lackluster design.
