Mind’s Eye Faces Disastrous Launch: Bug-Filled GTA-Clone Under Fire
The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto-styled third-person game, Mind’s Eye, has been met with a disastrous launch, characterized by significant technical failures, widespread bugs, and an overwhelmingly negative reception from players. Despite being directed by Leslie Benzies, the former president of Rockstar North and lead developer on Grand Theft Auto games from GTA 3 to GTA 5, the game is widely considered a complete technical disaster.
Technical Woes and Performance Issues
Mind’s Eye is plagued by severe technical issues that render gameplay frustrating and often unplayable. The game is locked at 30 frames per second across all platforms, including even the PS5 Pro, and suffers from constant stuttering problems. PC performance, despite utilizing Unreal Engine 5, is described as horrible and messy. Players report frequent crash issues on both PC and console, alongside numerous other bugs. Some of the more notorious visual glitches include terrifying face bugs and ragdoll physics that contribute to the game’s meme-worthy status. Even basic environmental interactions, like running over a fire hydrant, exhibit strange clipping issues.
Goofy Bugs and Underwhelming Gameplay
Beyond the technical performance, the core gameplay experience of Mind’s Eye has been heavily criticized. While presented as a narrative-driven single-player action-adventure thriller set in the near future, the game feels as though elements were “shoved together without any finesse or cohesion”. The game’s non-player characters (NPCs), despite the game’s futuristic tech and AI theme, are considered some of the worst ever seen, exhibiting hilarious yet broken behavior, such as being stuck or failing to properly chase players during missions. Notably, the game lacks a police presence, which can lead to players exploiting mechanics without consequence.
Low Player Count and Negative Reviews
The game’s launch has been met with a minimal player base, peaking at just 3,300 concurrent players, with trend lines suggesting it may never surpass this number. Priced at $60 for the standard edition and $80 for a deluxe edition, players are questioning the value proposition. Mind’s Eye currently holds mixed reviews on Steam, with only 40% positive feedback, equating to a 60% negative rating. A significant point of concern is that no early review copies were distributed to critics, which often signals an attempt to hide a game’s anticipated poor performance. The only positive comments seem to emanate from sponsored content creators.
Developer Blames “Paid Haters”
In the lead-up to the game’s release, Mind’s Eye co-CEO Mark Ghard controversially stated his 100% belief that negative feedback was a result of people being paid to provide it. He later doubled down on this belief, suggesting that Grand Theft Auto may have tried to tank his game. However, given the unfolding issues post-launch, many observers find this claim difficult to reconcile with the game’s evident problems.
Insane System Requirements and Refund Reliance
Adding to player frustration are the “insane and extremely restricting” system requirements for Mind’s Eye. The recommended minimum is an RTX 4070 graphics card, with a 70 gigabyte SSD also required, leading many to question how accessible the game is to a wider audience. Players with high-end setups, such as an RTX 3080, report being unable to achieve 60 frames per second even at lower resolutions.
In the wake of this calamitous launch, Steam’s refund policy has emerged as a crucial safeguard for disappointed consumers. Many are advising against purchasing the game until significant fixes are implemented. It is widely speculated that Mind’s Eye will quickly fade from public discourse, becoming another cautionary tale in the gaming industry.
