The technical state of IO Interactive and Build a Rocket Boy’s action-adventure game, MindsEye, has made it challenging for sponsored streamers to say anything positive about the game.
MindsEye sponsored streamers DarkViperAU (via ethangach) and Sodapoppin (via penguinz0) were seen struggling to play and recommend the game to their audience. Meanwhile, CohhCarnage was about to begin his sponsored stream when he received an email from developer Build a Rocket Boy, asking him to cancel it.
Sodapoppin’s sponsored stream of MindsEye was a particularly amusing example of the game’s technical issues, as it kept crashing repeatedly during his session, leaving him confused and unsure how to proceed. In an attempt to fill the awkward silence while troubleshooting, he resorted to reading out the marketing talking points aloud, saying things like, “Anyways guys, you can check out MindsEye on Steam for $59.99. Great game. Only $59.99 for an unforgettable experience.”
YouTuber penguinz0 described Sodapoppin’s handling of the situation as an “Oscar-worthy performance.” They referenced it to highlight how inauthentic and uncomfortable such sponsored streams are, particularly when streamers are forced to pretend enthusiasm for a game that’s clearly broken and not enjoyable.
According to penguinz0, the only redeeming qualities of MindsEye are the game’s cutscenes, which have solid motion capture and voice acting, and its generally decent visual presentation. Everything else, from gameplay to performance, is described as irredeemable. Frequent crashes plague both PC and console versions, with PS5 performance capped at 30 FPS, and even then, it struggles. Gameplay is criticized for being outdated, repetitive, and devoid of depth. Missions cycle through three dull templates: extended drone surveillance, shallow shootouts, and scripted car chases. There’s minimal weapon variety, no melee or stealth options, and a lack of true open-world exploration, despite marketing suggesting a GTA-like experience. NPC AI is also described as poorly designed, with things like the police failing to react to blatant violence.
