Ex-GTA Dev Goes Against the Grain: Did MindsEye Actually Get a Bad Rap?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
A former GTA dev has bucked the trend, saying he actually enjoyed *MindsEye*, the game everyone else panned. Maybe there's hope for this title after all, or maybe he just has a high tolerance for buggy code – the jury's still out!
Right, so *MindsEye*, the game everyone loves to hate? Turns out, someone actually… liked it. I know, I know, hold your horses. According to Game Rant, Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar Games developer with *Grand Theft Auto* credentials, has thrown a spanner in the works with a surprisingly positive review.
*MindsEye*, for those blissfully unaware, is the brainchild of Leslie Benzies, another ex-GTA heavyweight, at his studio Build a Rocket Boy. It launched in June 2025 with the weight of expectation on its shoulders, only to be promptly squashed by a tidal wave of negative reviews. Think buggy launch, unhappy players, and an overall sense of disappointment. It's the kind of launch that makes you wonder if the developers accidentally opened a portal to a dimension where game development is powered by spite and bad coffee.
But Vermeij? He reckons it's got something going for it. He tweeted that he “thoroughly enjoyed” the experience, praising the story, characters, cutscenes, acting, and its “general vibe.” Top notch, apparently! Now, he wasn't completely blind to its flaws. He admitted the missions were “a bit meh” and the code was “glitchy” – which, let's be honest, sounds like a polite way of saying it was held together with duct tape and prayers. He thinks if they'd ironed out the worst bugs and priced it at $40 instead of $60, things might have gone a *lot* better.
He also pointed out that the pre-launch communication wasn't the best, and the focus on Benzies might have unintentionally hyped it up as a “GTA killer.” Sound familiar? It's the age-old tale of a game being set up for a fall by its own marketing.
Now, I'm not saying we should all rush out and buy *MindsEye*. But Vermeij's opinion chimes with some Steam users who, amidst the complaints, saw glimmers of potential. Maybe, just maybe, the game's biggest sin was being a bit… rough around the edges at launch, rather than fundamentally broken.
Build a Rocket Boy is reportedly considering a *Cyberpunk 2077*-style redemption arc. Fair dinkum, that's a hefty task, but if they can pull it off, *MindsEye* might just get a second chance. There are also whispers of a sequel, but I reckon fixing the original is a far better play in the long run. Imagine turning *MindsEye* from a meme into a genuinely enjoyable game – that's the kind of comeback story I'm here for.
Because, at the end of the day, even the buggiest messes can sometimes have a spark of something special. It just takes someone with a keen eye (and maybe a high tolerance for glitches) to see it. Ta to Game Rant for surfacing this little gem of an opinion.
Tags: MindsEye, GTA, Game Review, Indie Games, Gaming News
Original article: Game Rant