MindsEye has made an unfortunate mark in gaming history by becoming the lowest-rated title of 2025. This action-adventure game represents the first release from Build a Rocket Boy, a studio co-founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies. Despite its promising pedigree, the game's launch has been marred by technical problems, poor performance, and overwhelmingly negative feedback from players and critics alike.

With Grand Theft Auto 6's release pushed back to 2026, many fans had hoped MindsEye would fill the void. The game shares noticeable similarities with Rockstar's iconic series, blending elements of urban crime gameplay with futuristic cyberpunk aesthetics. However, early previews warned of a "fundamentally broken" experience, and these concerns proved accurate upon release.

The controversy surrounding MindsEye reached new heights when Sony began offering refunds to PlayStation players - a rare move that previously only occurred with Cyberpunk 2077's disastrous 2020 launch. While Build a Rocket Boy's leadership initially suggested negative reactions might be orchestrated, the overwhelming volume of complaints and poor review scores confirmed genuine problems with the game.

Critical reception has been particularly brutal, with MindsEye currently holding a Metacritic score of 43 - the lowest of any 2025 release. For comparison, the second-worst reviewed game this year, Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator, scores slightly higher at 44. The game's issues range from performance problems and crashes to fundamental gameplay bugs that frequently disrupt the experience.

Build a Rocket Boy has responded quickly to the criticism, releasing the first post-launch patch within a week. This update addressed CPU and GPU performance, memory optimization, and several crash-causing issues. However, many players report that significant problems remain, and it's unclear whether the studio can rehabilitate the game's reputation following its disastrous debut.

The situation raises questions about the challenges facing new studios in the AAA gaming space, even when led by industry veterans. MindsEye's troubled launch serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of thorough quality assurance and realistic release timelines, particularly for ambitious open-world projects.