Entering a frozen metropolis, I became unsure of where to go next. I could see a potential path going upwards, but my current abilities appeared to make traversal impossible. However, with some precise execution, I was able to scale the wall much earlier than likely intended. MIO: Memories in Orbit is a game keen on rewarding the player with clever application of its mechanics.
Developed by Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment, MIO looks to stand out among other metroidvanias with its exceptional presentation. However, whether it can compete with other juggernauts in the genre, such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, is another question altogether.
A Beautiful First Impression
Upon booting the game, players are greeted by minimalistic visuals and a soothing melody. The surrounding environment appears to be of a digital nature. This introduction may be cryptic, but the overall atmosphere is more relaxing than one might expect of a metroidvania.
Soon, the player finds themselves awakened in the actual game world, the Vessel, revealing MIO‘s breathtaking art style. The game is rendered in 3D, but manages to emulate a hand-drawn look with cross-hatched shading and a striking color palette. Visually, MIO is guaranteed to stand the test of time with its heavily stylized approach.
The player starts with a limited tool set, only having access to double jumps and attacks. Of course, these won’t be the only moves available throughout the entire game. Soon, the player will obtain the Hairpin, which acts as the game’s grappling hook of sorts.
Additionally, the Hairpin can be used as a dodge early on before obtaining an actual dodge ability later. Despite this, positioning will be key to surviving combat encounters throughout much of the earlier game. This is less difficult than it may sound, although the game finds ways to challenge the player.
A Sometimes Questionable Challenge
MIO: Memories in Orbit goes with peculiar design choices regarding its difficulty. I’m sure some of these quirks will be divisive among some players. It can be a challenging game at times, but not necessarily in ways I find particularly interesting.
Take games such as the classic Resident Evil titles, for example. Ink ribbons provide tension for the player, making the act of saving the game a strategic one. However, losing progress in those games always seems like a reasonable punishment and appears to be within the player’s control.
Outside of healing basins, checkpoints can be sparse, and the player isn’t even provided a map at the beginning of the game. This leads to a sometimes frustrating gameplay loop that can come across as overly punishing. Combining this with a rather slow movement speed, the pacing can be sluggish at times.
Of course, there is plenty of challenge to be found in the platforming and boss fights themselves. Players need to analyze attack animations, and some obstacles require razor-sharp precision. The platforming is perhaps where the game shines the most.
MIO is a Platforming Paradise
When MIO is firing on all cylinders, it earns its spot among the best metroidvanias. Platforming can be nail-bitingly tense, but it is always fair. Like a puzzle game, there are plenty of moments that can elicit an “aha!” out of the player.
The game’s movement mechanics are simple enough to understand, yet provide enough depth. Mastery of these mechanics should be within the grasp of most players, but it’s still satisfying. There is an undeniable state of flow to it all.
Using Hairpins, double jumps, strikes, and hovers to get through narrow corridors of death never gets old. Players need to anticipate the next input the moment before they execute the current one. Without this caution, health could be lost.
Combat and Progression
Combat is quite basic, but it’s not to the game’s detriment, mostly. The player can perform a 3-hit combo, which can also be used as a movement tech to extend jumps. Most enemies require several hits to take down, so it’s advisable to get in the full combo when possible.
Unfortunately, individual hits being weak can sometimes carry over to the bosses. Some of them are damage sponges with repetitive move sets. This doesn’t inherently make them terrible to fight against, but they certainly weren’t my favorite aspect of the game.
However, despite the combat’s simplicity, players can spice things up with Modifiers. These are found hidden throughout the map and take up space on an allocation matrix when used. Some are used for basic functions, such as seeing enemy health bars, but others have more specific use cases.
More health is gained through the collection of Coating Components. Every time the player picks up 4, health increases. That being said, it’s worth keeping in mind that health can be permanently lost.
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a Worthy Metroidvania
While I may not entirely agree with every design choice in MIO, it’s overall a great experience. With spectacular art direction, clever level design, and a beautiful soundtrack, it’s a game that gets far more right than it gets wrong. There is a great deal of passion on display here.
MIO charmed me with its atmosphere, platforming, and exploration, even if backtracking with the game’s movement speed could prove to be a little tedious. There are still plenty of rewarding moments regardless, so it balances out.
I’m not sure if I enjoyed this as much as 2024’s Nine Sols, which I also reviewed. However, if more titles of this quality are on the way, this title is a promising sign of things to come. 2026 has started with a bang.
MIO: Memories in Orbit is currently available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and PC via Steam.
Disclaimer: Focus Entertainment provided Final Weapon with a PC copy of MIO: Memories in Orbit for review purposes.
