Leslie Benzies' MindsEye launches to poor reviews and broken gameplay
Leslie Benzies' big return to games was supposed to be exciting. But MindsEye, the debut title from his studio Build A Rocket Boy, has flopped hard at launch. Released on June 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, the third-person action game has been hit with a wave of criticism on Steam, where it currently holds a 'Mostly Negative' rating based on over 500 reviews.
Many expected a polished experience, especially given Benzies' history with Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. But instead, MindsEye is riddled with bugs, optimisation issues, and strange visual glitches. Civilians fly through the air, cars explode at random, and ragdoll physics turn mission NPCs into limbs-first horror shows. Some fans even say the game feels unfinished, branding it a rushed product at full price.
Bugs, crashes, and confusion lead to refunds
MindsEye is a complete technical DISASTER.Avoid this game right now at ALL COSTS.- Locked to 30FPS across all consoles and suffers from constant stutter issues- Messy performance on PC (Unreal Engine 5)- Very buggy across the board- Crash issues for many people on both PC… pic.twitter.com/9zKlEghXD1
The most common complaint has been the game's optimisation. Even high-end PCs are struggling to run MindsEye without major stuttering. Crashes are frequent, frame rates are capped at 30fps on consoles, and basic controls like driving and shooting feel clunky. Players have shared footage of game-breaking bugs on social media, with one video showing an entire crowd of NPCs floating mid-air.
There is some praise for its story and characters. However, many say MindsEye just isn't ready. One player called it 'a complete technical disaster,' while others have started refunding their purchases within hours of launch. Its low Steam player count, just 3,302 purchases at peak, paints an even bleaker picture, especially when compared to games like The Day Before, which had over 10 times that number.
Price and developer response raise more questions
MindsEye debuts to 2.8k concurrents on Steam. No reviews yet. One player claimed most of the early game is cutscenes to take you past the 2-hour refund mark. The Discord chat is going great. Most streams are paid so far. pic.twitter.com/Y9r2dPqG2S
At $60 in the US and €60 in Europe, players feel the price tag doesn't match the experience. MindsEye is being compared to other 2025 titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, which delivered far more polish and value. The criticism grew louder when Build A Rocket Boy's co-CEO claimed negative previews were caused by "paid actors," a comment that didn't sit well with fans.
Just days before launch, two top executives reportedly left the studio, fuelling more speculation about the game's troubled development. Now, with weak sales and negative press mounting, MindsEye's long-term future looks uncertain. Many believe that even a wave of patches won't be enough to reverse the damage. Some are already comparing it to Cyberpunk 2077's poor launch, but without the hype or the roadmap.
Whether MindsEye can recover depends on how quickly and effectively the developers respond. But for now, the dream return of a GTA legend is looking more like a nightmare.
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