MIO: Memories in Orbit Review – A Beautiful, Melancholic Metroidvania That Values Curiosity Over Combat

Introduction

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a hand-drawn Metroidvania that immediately sets itself apart through mood, restraint, and atmosphere. Developed by Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment, the game places players in a decaying space station drifting endlessly through the void, asking them not to conquer it, but to understand it. From the moment you take control of Mio—a small android with wire-like tendrils trailing from their head—the game makes it clear that this is a slower, more reflective take on the genre. This isn’t a Metroidvania obsessed with constant power spikes or aggressive combat mastery. Instead, MIO is about discovery, patience, and piecing together a broken world one quiet moment at a time.

Narrative

The story of MIO: Memories in Orbit unfolds aboard The Vessel, a massive ark-like space station once inhabited by robots designed to preserve life and knowledge. Now abandoned and crumbling, the station drifts through space on the brink of collapse. Mio awakens near the Spine—the central structure of the ship—and sets off on a journey to restore the Pearls, the robotic caretakers scattered throughout the Vessel, and prevent total annihilation. The narrative is intentionally sparse, conveyed through environmental cues, collectible logs, journals, and brief conversations with supporting characters like Shii and Mel.

Much of the emotional weight comes from how the world tells its story rather than what is explicitly said. Quiet halls filled with discarded machinery, robots speaking in subdued tones, and side activities—like reuniting two robots after one disappears on an expedition—do more to sell the tragedy of this world than any exposition dump ever could. That said, this approach won’t work for everyone. Players who struggle to connect with lore-heavy storytelling delivered through journals and collectibles may find it difficult to fully engage with MIO’s narrative. While the atmosphere is strong, the writing itself never quite delivers a sense of urgency or dramatic tension, leaving the story feeling more contemplative than gripping.

Gameplay

As a Metroidvania, MIO checks many of the expected boxes. Progression follows a semi-linear structure where new zones open as you acquire traversal abilities, reactivate broken elevators, and carve shortcuts through the Vessel’s interconnected regions. While fast travel exists, it must be unlocked by discovering checkpoint overseers—ghostly, almost maternal entities that wrap Mio in a warm embrace. This system encourages backtracking and exploration, making the relatively compact map feel far larger than it actually is.

Traversal is one of the game’s strongest elements. Mio’s tendrils function as both grappling hooks and movement tools, allowing for slingshot jumps, surface crawling, and precision platforming in later areas. These abilities feel excellent to use, particularly in high-risk sections where mastery of movement is essential. Boss encounters, meanwhile, are pattern-based and readable, demanding patience and learning rather than raw reflexes. Early on, limited health—represented by protective coats—makes encounters tense, but repeated deaths teach valuable lessons.

However, difficulty spikes in later boss fights feel at odds with the game’s otherwise meditative tone. While accessibility options allow bosses to weaken after repeated failures, the system doesn’t always feel consistent, and frustration can still creep in. Combat itself is serviceable but disappointingly static. Mio’s primary attack is a three-hit combo using their wire-like hair, and while dodging and grappling add some variety, combat never meaningfully evolves. No new weapons, no expanded combos, and no ranged options limit long-term engagement, especially for players expecting deeper combat systems.

Pros

Visually, MIO: Memories in Orbit is stunning. Each region of the Vessel has a distinct identity, from the Bell Tower’s pink and purple florals to the icy blues and golden architecture of the Metropolis. The hand-drawn art style evokes European sci-fi comics, with textured shading and carefully framed compositions that make it easy to stop and simply admire the scenery. The developers make excellent use of camera pullbacks to emphasize scale, reinforcing just how small Mio is within this massive structure.

The modifier system also adds a welcome layer of strategy. Cores and Nacre collected from defeated enemies allow players to equip upgrades that enhance health, damage, or utility—often with meaningful trade-offs. Mods like Thinner Frame, which increase capacity at the cost of survivability, encourage thoughtful build decisions. Combined with subtle environmental storytelling and strong traversal mechanics, MIO rewards curiosity and experimentation above all else.

Cons

Navigation is easily the most divisive aspect of MIO. The map’s indicators for unexplored areas are often hard to read, sometimes obscured by player-placed icons, and new abilities don’t always clearly communicate how they’re meant to be used. Movement speed is relatively slow, which makes getting lost especially frustrating. For players who value clear direction and constant map access in Metroidvanias, this design choice may seriously dampen enjoyment.

The Souls-like loss of unbanked currency upon death is another sticking point. While there are ways to mitigate this loss, finding the right robot or failing during the retrieval process can make deaths feel overly punishing. Combat’s lack of depth further compounds frustration during repeated runbacks, and occasional camera issues can obscure paths or block visibility during platforming sections.

Overall / Should You Play

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a thoughtful, atmospheric Metroidvania that prioritizes mood, exploration, and visual storytelling over mechanical complexity. Its art direction and sound design are exceptional, creating a quiet, haunting experience that lingers long after the screen fades to black. While combat never reaches exciting heights and navigation can be frustrating, these flaws don’t overshadow the game’s overall achievement.

This is a game for players who enjoy getting lost, uncovering secrets, and piecing together stories through observation rather than exposition. Those seeking fast-paced combat, constant guidance, or aggressive power progression may bounce off it. But for Metroidvania fans craving a reflective, visually striking adventure, MIO is absolutely worth exploring.