MindsEye Takes ‘The Future is Now’ to a Completely New Level – Game Rant Advance

The concept of the future, whether it’s painted with optimism or pessimism, has always intrigued us. In the 1950s, the American public dreamt of a future filled with towering skyscrapers, airborne cars, robotic helpers, and an end to conflicts. Regardless of when it is, the future has been a subject of thought for every historical era.

What sets MindsEye apart is not only its ability to turn its imagined future into reality during development, but also the foresight of its vision, understanding that these perspectives would shape our future. In this game, developed by Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) and led by Leslie Benzies (known for GTA 3, GTA 4, GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption, among others), players will grapple with their own reality – one conceived a few years back as the future. For Game Rant Advance, we had an exclusive conversation with BARB developers about the original vision, how it gained significance as the world transformed around them, and how it ultimately materializes in the final product.

Game Rant Advance Speakers

Leslie Benzies – Creative Director & Founder, Build A Rocket Boy
Sebastian Livall – Art Director
Felipe Busquets – Cinematic Director & Head of Animation
Craig Conner – Audio Director
Adrian Butchart – Writer
Benjamin Dumaz – Design Directo

The fast-moving nature of trends in popular culture, global events, and technology often poses risks in game development, as what is fresh and exciting today might seem outdated in just a few years. This is one reason behind gaming trends – an innovator emerges, and studios create their own versions of that innovation, such as battle royale games, hero shooter games, roguelike games, Soulslike games, etc. However, be assured, Build a Rocket Boy aims for MindsEye to lead the way in innovation.

Putting the Mind’s Eye in MindsEye

Build a Rocket Boy’s lineage is noteworthy, but having a distinguished background isn’t enough; it must be utilized effectively at the right moments. Fortunately, Benzies’ past work perfectly aligns with Build a Rocket Boy. Previously, Benzies worked as producer or executive producer on GTA 3-5, Manhunt, Red Dead Redemption, and L.A. Noire. Each of these projects envisioned a future, albeit in different ways. The Grand Theft Auto series is renowned for its critique of Americana, but this critique consistently revolved around dreams for the future. By venturing into the past, Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire delve into how the past shaped the future. Manhunt, with its grim narrative, powerfully conveys themes of freedom and corruption.

GTA 3 explores the idea of how it is impossible to build a future without trust, evidenced by the number of betrayals in the game.
GTA 4 satirized and walked the line between the American Dream and the real experiences of immigrants.
GTA 5 took three different views of the past and future, and it forced them to collide with government corruption.
Manhunt took a darker look at the pursuit of freedom, with the promise of it being in the future being undercut by incredible violence and corruption.
Red Dead Redemption saw John trying to escape his past to build a new future, all to still be cut down by the sins of his past.
L.A. Noire explored a then-present mystery that set up a bad, if somewhat localized, future.

In contrast to games like Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, Red Dead, and L.A. Noire which delve into themes of the past, future, or satirical portrayals, MindsEye stands out as a game that has always been centered around futuristic interpretations of our current reality. While it might not be immediately apparent in the game’s trailers due to the rapid pace at which technology advances, when Benzies and Build a Rocket Boy embarked on this project years ago, they were pioneering forward-thinking ideas.

In an earlier interview with director Benzies from MindsEye, he shared that the fundamental ideas behind the game were thought up years ago. The initial vision of MindsEye combined futuristic and sci-fi elements heavily emphasizing the technology at its core. As the team progressed with developing MindsEye, it was discovered that some of these technologies were increasingly becoming mainstream. Today’s world can be seen as a testament to the rapid advancement of AI, for instance, which has significantly grown over the past couple of years and is now a prominent feature in MindsEye. Interestingly, when MindsEye initially started its development, the future it depicted was quite different from today’s reality, but as time passed, the gap between then and now narrowed, creating an intriguing dynamic for both the game’s development and its setting. As Build a Rocket Boy puts it, this unique evolution adds depth to MindsEye that mirrors our own technological journey.

MindsEye mirrors and forecasts the present trajectory of human civilization. Our aim is to create a game and a realm that echoes the contemporary era, stimulating thought, yet avoiding bias.

Putting Players into the Current Course of Humanity

MindsEye is not biased towards the positive or negative aspects of this technology. Instead, it acknowledges its ubiquity in our lives and environment. Players are free to form their own opinions about this technology without being influenced by optimism or pessimism. The game’s events mirror the trajectory of this technology. In the game, players assume the character of Jacob Diaz, a former soldier who has lost his memory. He possesses a neutral implant called MindsEye, which he received for exceptional military service. However, this device turns into a source of distress following an attack on it.

Although its potential drawbacks are yet to be fully understood, this implant endows Diaz with various capabilities, simultaneously enriching the gaming experience by introducing an additional dimension of strategy.

As a gamer, I’m equipped with an implant that grants me control over my drone companion. This partner-in-arms can venture where I can’t, unveiling areas inaccessible to me and diving into perilous situations, thus safeguarding my physical form. The implant is packed with features that aid me in combat, making me a more effective fighter, and infuses an additional layer of tactical depth into my missions.

In Redrock City, a city symbolizing future America, set amidst a sprawling desert, our protagonist frequently finds himself. This desert isn’t just a backdrop; it plays a crucial role too. The stark contrast between the desolate, unstable landscape and the bustling, high-tech urban center adds depth to gameplay. The city offers structured environments with vertical movement and dense combat zones, while the desert grants players freedom for off-road adventures with vehicles and aerial explorations, free from the constraints of the city.

This divide between the Wild West and Civilization is significant because it mirrors ideological differences, which are also manifested in terms of technology and governance within the game. This tension, as described by BARB, is inherent to the world itself.

In his quest to recover his lost memories and navigate the turmoil caused by his neural implant, Diaz finds himself entangled in the conflict between Marco Silva and Shiva Vega. Silva, a tech billionaire known for his sharp intellect and binary thinking, believes he knows what’s best for the world and aspires to alter the path of human evolution. On the other hand, Vega is a populist politician whose policies, though seemingly diverse, are primarily aimed at enriching herself personally. Her ambition is to make Redrock the safest city in the world and exert more control over its inhabitants.

The citizens reside in a city where robots perform manual labor, leading to debates about the future of employment and consumerism. The algorithm that links everyone through omniscient devices places their creativity, passions, and even their lives under the control of an unseen mathematical formula. As BARB puts it, “The city itself serves as a living testament to the existential potential of man and machine.” Furthermore, BARB notes, “the city is a constant experiment on the boundaries between humanity and technology.

The tumultuous dynamic between Silva (representing Big Tech) and Vega (the Government) could significantly shape Redrock’s destiny and its citizens, as their escalating conflict over the control of the robots’ back-end systems intensifies. This power struggle may ultimately jeopardize the city itself.

Big Tech and Big Government are Everywhere

In the forthcoming American landscape of Redrock City, the influence of Big Tech and Government is inescapable. They seem to have a firm grip on every aspect of life, believing they know what’s best for you, and any form of resistance is met with resistance. To make this all-encompassing presence feel authentic rather than just expository, it was essential to integrate it into the very fabric of the city. This is exactly what BARB aimed to achieve. The idea of being a self-reliant wanderer living in a desolate desert becomes tempting when players have the MindsEye implanted in their minds, when Goldfield Lenz technology guides them through their environment, when drones and autonomous vehicles communicate directly with them, when holographic advertisements light up the streets and track them, when robots replace human workers, when deliveries are handled by drones and robots instead of services like Uber or Doordash, and when the entire infrastructure of Redrock City screams for your data.

Redrock’s design is also remarkably lifelike, thereby strengthening its link to the actual world.

In MindsEye, we aimed to create an authentic experience, avoiding the sense that environments are designed strictly for gaming. Unlike many games where you can tell the environment has been tailored for play, MindsEye is different because it’s based on real-world locations first, and then missions and objectives are added later. This approach is challenging, as you’ll find if you try to take cover in a real-life setting and transform it into a battlefield for enjoyment!

In the meantime, Vega and Powerful Government are working towards maintaining public safety, accumulating wealth for themselves, and exerting control over various aspects of life. The concerning aspect? Technology is omnipresent and intrusive, yet BARB has been relatively silent regarding the political turmoil within the Government. While Big Tech presents an illusion of freedom and innovation, Powerful Government operates covertly to monitor and manipulate Diaz and its citizens. Be aware that both parties have extensive surveillance capabilities, and their ongoing conflict centers around controlling the population.

Robots Are at the Heart of the Conflict

In anticipation for the launch of MindsEye, it’s not yet clear the entire narrative, but what we do know is that the struggle between Big Tech and Big Government centers on who will govern the underlying systems for robots. These are the robots responsible for displacing jobs, monitoring our activities, and posing as formidable adversaries—the question remains: who should wield control over them? Both Vega and Silva assert their supremacy in this domain.

It might seem to you that the concept of sentient robots is still a distant idea. However, it’s not as far-off as it may appear. In fact, we’re already living in a time where humanoid robots, such as Tesla’s Optimus Gen 2, Boston Dynamics’ Electric Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and H2, UBTech’s Walker S1, and Stardust Intelligence’s Astrobot S1, are becoming more commonplace. Redrock, in this context, symbolizes a not-so-distant future America.

In the realm of robotics, as envisioned by MindsEye, could serve as a precursor for numerous industries’ robotic endeavors in the near future. However, integrating these robots into their in-game environment proved to be no walk in the park. “We’ve gone through numerous revisions to ensure our robots are enjoyable and captivating, and this process was far from straightforward.” While the basics were crucial, they needed to be integral to both the narrative and gameplay experience within MindsEye.

In our game, our robots are meticulously designed, with each shot causing a specific damage. For instance, on the Silva SM-01 model, you can shoot virtually any part individually. Additionally, we’ve added numerous new functionalities such as self-destruct and shield modes. Towards the end of development, we introduced an exciting drone ability that interacts with robots, which we believe will greatly enhance player enjoyment. However, it’s essential to remember that our focus remains on the basics: if shooting feels satisfying, then the gameplay will be enjoyable. No amount of advanced features can replicate the pleasure derived from physically interacting with an object when you shoot it.

To ensure that these robots weren’t merely mechanical replicas of humans, it was crucial to make them feel authentic and formidable, both human-like yet distinctly non-human. The project, Rocket Boy, prioritized the robots’ interactions with humans for this purpose. In combat situations, the robots would act as decoy for humans, synchronize actions with them, and overall, emphasize their ominous presence in a fight to create an unsettling experience.

In this conflict, Jacob Diaz finds himself significantly outmatched against the combined might of Big Tech, Big Government, their human forces, and even the robots on both sides, who are engaged in a constant struggle among themselves.

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone

Is there a possibility for large tech companies, governments, or artificial intelligence to dominate or supersede humanity? This question lies at the core of many discussions today, and it is also central to the narrative of MindsEye. It’s worth mentioning that according to Build a Rocket Boy’s philosophy, AI can assist but not replace human creativity. This principle is deeply ingrained in the company’s design approach.

Our approach is centered around enjoying the process of making and sharing, and we’re incorporating AI into our design principles to enhance creativity, not supplant it. Essentially, we focus on the joy of creating: we want our users to have access to numerous intentional, thoughtfully designed experiences, not automated ones. So, we’ll persist in designing our products with this philosophy: we advocate for AI that complements human ingenuity, not AI that replaces it. Consider this: wouldn’t children derive more satisfaction from constructing their own Lego creations rather than having an AI do it for them? Aren’t they missing out on the tactile experience of building? Or would they be served better by an AI that provides construction plans but allows them to be the architects of their own masterpiece?

In essence, while their response could be valid, it doesn’t align with Silva, Vega, or Diaz’s perspective. Interestingly, players assume the character of an amnesiac military figure who might not hold the solution at all. It’s important to note that Diaz is the central character in this narrative, but his decisions are not straightforward. The game BARB intends to create aims to encompass these complexities without passing judgment, and it’s Diaz who serves as the catalyst for this intricate design.

Absolutely, we delve into Jacob’s mind, exploring his past experiences that molded him, raising intriguing questions about his actions and thoughts. We intentionally leave these queries unanswered, fostering an atmosphere where our characters seem incredibly human. They are flawed, self-centered at times, yet their humanity shines through in every frame, every word spoken. In essence, experimentation doesn’t always lead to growth, and it doesn’t require a failed experiment for a person to fracture.

In the game “MindsEye,” Diaz is a crucial character similar to a single resident amidst the cityscape. Players will meet other characters who each possess unique viewpoints on Big Tech and Big Government. Notably, Diaz significantly influences the storyline and the player’s interactions within Redrock City. In essence, despite his underdog status, Diaz has allies if nothing else.

On Seb

In a friendly and caring manner, Sebastian, who was younger than Jacob during their childhood, lived nearby. A fervent admirer of Marco Silva, Seb relocated to Redrock specifically to work for Silva Corp, eventually rising through the ranks to become a facilities manager. Being ambitious and somewhat inexperienced, these qualities make Seb susceptible to manipulation by Jacob, as he extends him a place to stay and even secures him a job at Silva Corp – a more significant advantage for Jacob.

On Charlie

Taylor Carter’s portrayal of Charlie made the character seem friendly and likable. This made her appear sympathetic and her friendship with Jacob seemed genuine. She managed to convey both confidence and vulnerability, which made us care for her when she was in danger.

On Burt

Elias Toufexis portrays the character Burt. Known for his expertise in military roles from video games such as Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Splinter Cell: Conviction, Elias skillfully took on a complex character with significant flaws and high danger levels. Yet, he added a touch of nuance and humor to the role, making Burt one of the most captivating characters in the game.

MindsEye Continues to Envision the Future

From the inception of MindsEye, Build a Rocket Boy, they’ve been imagining a future – predictable paths for major tech and government entities, as well as the trajectory they sensed for the gaming sector. MindsEye is just one aspect of this vision, constituting one of three “smoothly interconnected experiences.” Starting June 10, players will immerse themselves in the thrilling action-adventure campaign offered by MindsEye. However, on the same day, we’ll also be releasing Play.MindsEye and Build.MindsEye.

In the realm of MindsEye, players will persistently receive fresh, professionally crafted content set within Redrock City, while simultaneously having the freedom to create their unique content through Build.MindsEye. This means that MindsEye is not a simple sandbox confined to a single narrative; it’s an expansive, ever-evolving sandbox brimming with both premium and user-generated content. Players are given the opportunity to weave their own tales within this cosmos. To illustrate this universe, BARB stated,

Using MindsEye, we’re creating an unprecedented aspect in AAA games, where our city is a versatile stage for various gameplay experiences, similar to a movie set where diverse films are shot. In this initial chapter, the storylines do not branch out, but instead establish the foundation for a long-term, interconnected narrative universe across multiple titles. As we progress, future installments will explore different timelines, dimensions, and story arcs, leading to increased narrative depth and intersection in the coming years.

Without a doubt, Build a Rocket Boy’s creation, MindsEye, exudes ambition and foresight. While its accuracy as a glimpse into our imminent future is yet to be confirmed, it certainly provides a clear window into the innovative mind behind it.

2025-06-04 16:08