MindsEye Should Be the Spark that Starts a GTA Wildfire

MindsEye is the debut release from Build a Rocket Boy, a new studio founded by former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies. As one might expect, a lot of the hype surrounding MindsEye relates to this prestigious leadership, with many hoping that the game will feature the same level of quality as other Benzies-produced games, like GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption.

Naturally, audiences will have to wait and see how much Rockstar DNA has seeped into MindsEye, but it does seem to have at least a bit in common with GTA. Certainly, its cyberpunk premise is radically different from that of the grounded but satirical Grand Theft Auto, and the game’s futuristic, speculative fiction aspects will influence gameplay as well. Then there’s MindsEye’s integration into Everywhere, an ambitious metaverse project that Build a Rocket Boy is conceptualizing, which has the potential to totally transform MindsEye and its relationship with audiences. And yet, the game’s emphasis on driving, shooting, and open-world exploration, not to mention its ostensible cultural critiques, may put it in conversation with Grand Theft Auto, which should have broader industry ramifications.

MindsEye’s Namesake May Be Taking a Cue From Star Wars Jedi

Like Cal in Star Wars Jedi, Jacob may unlock new abilities through MindsEye-triggered memories, blending flashbacks with gameplay progression.

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By Josh Cotts

If MindsEye Turns Out Well, It Could Mean the Return of GTA-Likes

There Used To Be More GTA-Influenced Video Games

The sixth and seventh console generations saw the rise of the GTA series through heavy hitters like San Andreas, GTA 4, and ultimately, GTA 5. Perhaps it was this burgeoning, ever-shifting identity, combined with general critical acclaim, that spawned so many clear imitators, with some of the most prominent including:

Crackdown
Mafia 2
Saints Row
Saints Row 2
Saints Row: The Third
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Sleeping Dogs
The Getaway
The Saboteur
Watch Dogs

While some games released in recent years draw inspiration from GTA, most of them can’t be called “GTA-likes” in the same way as the above titles. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 takes clear cues from GTA 5’s world design and driving mechanics, but it ultimately has a lot more in common with other western RPGs than it does with Rockstar’s open-world crime franchise. It would appear that AAA developers have largely receded from the trend of imitating Rockstar, surrendering the open-world crime contest to GTA, despite its lackadaisical release schedule.

What MindsEye’s Success Could Mean for Future GTA-Likes

As previously mentioned, MindsEye will most likely be both remarkably similar and meaningfully different from GTA. This is a description that can be applied to the best GTA-influenced games, as they too strike the right balance between being influenced by Rockstar’s flagship series while still doing their own thing. Take, for instance, Sleeping Dogs, a game many consider to be the best GTA alternative: Sleeping Dogs retains GTA’s mature tone, urban open-world design, and driving systems, but mixes in a more sober narrative, deeper combat mechanics, and a more realistic setting. The result is a game that is unapologetically GTA-inspired, but isn’t afraid to experiment in other ways.

Assuming that MindsEye achieves success and visibility as a GTA-esque game, there might be a resurgence in games that borrow from the GTA formula. After all, there are countless modern games that attempt to emulate seminal franchises like Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Minecraft, so there shouldn’t be such hesitation to iterate upon the template of gaming’s most popular single-player series. Of course, most developers won’t want to directly compete with GTA 6, but in a few years, there could be a real incentive for offering alternatives to the GTA experience. Such alternatives could benefit from playing with Rockstar’s staple ideas in an interesting way, just like MindsEye seems to be doing.