MindsEye launched on June 10, 2025 with big ambitions, but it quickly became one of the year’s most talked-about disappointments. With a Metacritic score of 37 and a 2.4 user rating, the game struggled to meet expectations and sparked a wave of backlash from players and critics alike.
Caught in the middle of that fallout was Alex Hernandez, the actor behind protagonist Jacob Diaz. Speaking on the FRVR podcast, he admitted the rough reception shook his confidence and even made him worry about his future in games. As he put it, “I’m not a superstitious man… Do I have, like, the opposite of the golden touch? Like the shit-brown touch? Everything I touch turns to poop?”
Hernandez explained that being the face of a game can be a double-edged sword. When a project misses the mark, audiences often connect their frustrations to the most visible person involved—the lead actor. “I was like, ‘I might never work in a game again.’ One of the caveats of being the face on the box is that people rightly or wrongly will associate all of their opinions and, more importantly, their emotions, about this game with my face.”
It’s not the first time Hernandez has weathered a turbulent release. He previously portrayed Lincoln Clay in Mafia III, another high-profile title that drew criticism at launch due to bugs and technical issues. Despite that, his performance was widely noticed, and his career continued—proof that a rocky debut doesn’t have to define an actor’s trajectory.
Video game production is complex, and a game’s critical reception doesn’t always reflect the quality of individual performances. Casting directors and developers increasingly recognize the difference between a flawed product and strong acting or performance capture. That perspective could work in Hernandez’s favor as he looks ahead.
For now, MindsEye stands as a cautionary tale about the pressures placed on front-facing talent when a major release falters. But careers in entertainment are built over time, not defined by a single project. As Hernandez hinted, the next role could be the one that reminds audiences why he keeps landing leading parts—delivering characters with depth, presence, and heart, regardless of the game around them.
