The MindsEye comeback has begun, with developer Construct a Rocket Boy seemingly hoping for a Cyberpunk 2077-level redemption story.
Since MindsEye’s disastrous launch final 12 months, BARB has laid off workers and blamed inner saboteurs for its failure. CEO Mark Gerhard has issued claims of company sabotage for a while now, however has but to offer any proof to the general public.
As a substitute, he had teased an replace to MindsEye that might shine extra of a light-weight on the matter and identify/depict the alleged conspirators in-game. Now, that content material is right here within the type of the Blacklisted replace, which launched at present alongside a everlasting value reduce for MindsEye. Beginning at present, MindsEye prices $34.99 for the Commonplace Version and $47.99 for the Deluxe Version.
Immediately’s replace incorporates a new mission the place you play as a world-class murderer often known as Julia Black. She’s tasked with taking down a community of criminals who’re tearing aside an organization each internally and externally. Evidently, the subtext right here is on the nostril. The mission is kind of transient and was initially designed as a crossover with Hitman, earlier than MindsEye writer IO Interactive pulled out. So, you’ll discover numerous similarities in how the mission is designed. It’s pretty open-ended, has totally different targets to take down, and will be accomplished in below an hour.
Saying the discharge of the replace, Gerhard famous Blacklist is just the start of the way forward for MindsEye, and insisted BARB plans to “develop” the sport down the street.
“Blacklisted marks the primary new story marketing campaign for MindsEye since launch, and we’re excited to welcome gamers again to Redrock Metropolis to expertise it in a brand new means,” mentioned Gerhard. “Moderately than conventional DLC, Blacklisted is delivered by means of our user-generated content material platform Arcadia, which is constructed into MindsEye.
“Now’s the proper time to expertise MindsEye, with over a 12 months of enhancements, new content material, and a extra accessible value of entry. We sit up for persevering with to develop MindsEye and Arcadia, and seeing what gamers and creators will accomplish subsequent.”
Arcadia is a secondary mode in MindsEye that gives further non-story content material comparable to new missions, races, and challenges. Arcadia can be residence to the sport’s user-generated content material instruments, permitting gamers to make their very own content material inside the world of MindsEye.
Thus far, the Blacklisted replace doesn’t seem to have moved the needle a lot, as MindsEye solely has 26 concurrent gamers on Steam, based on SteamDB. MindsEye is out there on console, however neither Sony nor Microsoft make participant numbers public.
For many who haven’t saved up, MindsEye is a 2025 motion/journey crime recreation set within the close to future with heavy influences from the likes of Grand Theft Auto. A giant purpose behind that affect is as a result of MindsEye was shepherded by Leslie Benzies, former boss of Rockstar North who oversaw the Grand Theft Auto sequence and the unique Pink Lifeless Redemption. Following a sabbatical after the discharge of Grand Theft Auto V, Benzies claimed Rockstar Video games pushed him out of the corporate and took authorized motion in opposition to the studio.
Finally, Benzies and Rockstar agreed to a confidential settlement, main Benzies to open a brand new recreation studio often known as Construct a Rocket Boy. After years of growth and a considerably muted advertising and marketing marketing campaign, MindsEye launched final summer time and was seen as one of many 12 months’s largest fumbles. The sport launched in a horrendous state with comical bugs, mediocre gameplay, and a forgettable story. IGN gave MindsEye a 4/10 in our overview, stating it was “excessive on ambition however low on authentic concepts.”
Earlier this month, MindsEye workers sued BARB after firm bosses reportedly admitted putting in secret surveillance software program onto worker units.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s information crew. He covers all issues leisure, together with gaming, movie, and extra. You will discover him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.