Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) has temporarily said goodbye to free roam mode, even though it could have been entertaining.

An “open-world game that doesn’t need to be, nor want to be, an open-world game” seems like a niche genre. However, we’ve seen examples of it before; L.A. Noire and several Mafia games fall into this category. MindsEye also fits into this style. This Grand Theft Auto-like shooter was developed by a studio led by a former GTA producer and had a problematic launch. Considering the subsequent layoffs, “disastrous” might be a more appropriate word. BARB released the fifth update after launch. It adds two of the most requested features: the dodge move and the ability to switch shoulders. Players who want melee attacks will still have to wait, though.

Unusually, this update also removes a feature. According to the patch notes, Free Roam mode will be unavailable for a short time but will return soon. Free Roam mode was not popular in MindsEye because it forced players to play as an old man wearing a gas mask and incomprehensible clothing with the words “CAN’T DRINK DUST” written on his stomach. They nicknamed him “Can’t Drink Dust Guy”. In this mode, players could roam freely in an open city and drive a car to perform missions, such as shooting people in parking lots for minimal rewards. Another significant change is the addition of several new single-player modes. These include a horde mode divided into waves with a chaotic Halloween atmosphere, a few drone races, and a mode where you have to protect a VIP, which is also Halloween-themed.

Finally, there’s Arcadia. Play.MindsEye is now Arcadia, and Build.MindsEye is now Build.Arcadia on PC. Arcadia is BARB’s powerful, no-code creation tool. BARB and its talented team of player-creators regularly deliver new content, which makes it sound like Arcadia is a rebranding of Everywhere, the never-ending, user-generated sandbox that the studio originally promised before shifting its focus to MindsEye.

However, there is still room for improvement.

Source: PCGamer, BARB, ResetEra