MindsEye, New Game From Team Behind GTA Series

Benzies’ new studio, Build a Rocket Boy, is known for his work on genre-defining open-world games and the cult classic, Space Station Silicon Valley, which has led to sky-high expectations. Furthermore, a blend of GTA’s urban chaos and Cyberpunk’s neon dystopia was showcased in MindsEye‘s early trailers, though the relentless explosions evoke Michael Bay’s maximalist style. However, the game will need more than bombastic visuals to be successful, but it must perfectly balance nostalgic design sensibilities with fresh innovation. Whether the former Rockstar president’s pedigree will translate into another groundbreaking title remains to be seen.

For now, the game’s ambition offers players both open-world storytelling and cyberpunk spectacle for a fun experience. Arriving June 10, 2025, MindsEye will be released on Steam and the Epic Games Store, barring unforeseen delays—a nod to its Grand Theft Auto-adjacent roots. Additionally, the game will drop Build a Rocket Boy’s Everywhere platform, which is similar to Roblox but less restrained, though its release timeline remains unclear. Priced at $60/£55, the title avoids the industry trend of multiple tiers with early access perks or cosmetic extras, adopting a single-edition model.

MindsEye Trailers Provide Glimpses of Epic Gaming

So far, MindsEye trailers emphasize a blend of various factors, including techno-conspiracy thrills, explosive action, and character-driven vignettes. However, glimpses into the gameplay remain limited, offering little information on what to expect. Still, some brief clips have showcased third-person cover shooting in generic corridors, alongside a more dynamic firefight in a trailer park littered with improvised cover and winding paths. These snippets hint at environmental variety, while the combat mechanics appear conventional, lacking the drone deployment or tech-driven chaos teased in cinematic sequences.

Meanwhile, MindsEye‘s driving segments took inspiration from Cyberpunk 2077‘s neon-drenched streets instead of Grand Theft Auto’s grounded realism. Although tight drifts and sleek vehicular maneuvers suggest arcade-inspired handling, fans enjoying the game’s physics will be determined through hands-on impressions. The little information revealed hasn’t done much to take away the skepticism lingering about whether the game can transcend its familiar influence, or if it will simply exist as a stylish addition to the open-world canon.

Players Resonate with Futuristic Themes

Portrayed by Mafia 3 actor Alex Hernandez, Jacob Diaz plays the main character, who receives a neural implant dubbed The MindsEye, a device tormenting him with cryptic memories of a classified mission. When Diaz unravels the implant’s origins, he confronts corporate overlords and rogue AI, antagonists that blur the line between sci-fi speculation and contemporary fears. In an era where corporate overreach and AI dominance already loom large, players may resonate with these futuristic themes.

Although MindsEye merges both third-person shooting and GTA-inspired driving mechanics. Moreover, developers frame the game’s structure as a “fake open world” akin to Mafia or LA Noire, focusing on curated missions over boundless exploration. Meanwhile, high-tech gadgets, like drones and a barrage of explosions, are teased in the promotional material. Whether these elements reflect gameplay depth or mere trailer spectacle remains unclear.

The integration of Build a Rocket Boy’s Everywhere platform with MindsEye promises tools for players to remix its assets into custom experiences. Consequently, this approach potentially transforms its 15-hour single-player story into modular components for community-driven projects. With Everywhere being a development platform, this integration will be a gamble for its overall success, given its untested ecosystem. The game, banking on Hernandez’s performance and cyberpunk aesthetics to distinguish itself in a crowded genre, currently positions itself as a cinematic, story-driven experience.