MIO: Memories In Orbit, a Stellar Review!

Imagine a path intertwined with thorns and twists, and it is up to you to successfully wriggle through it using various moves. A double jump to the first trampoline, pull yourself toward the next flower with a grappling hook, restore stamina, and flutter through a winding passage to a spot where you activate spider legs and climb to safety. That is a standard afternoon in the new metroidvania MIO: Memories in Orbit.

In the mood for a neat little remake? Check out our Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake review!

How MIO: Memories In Orbit Blends Art, Music, and Mechanics Into One Cohesive Experience

Very rarely do I begin a game review with a description of its visuals. However, try taking a look at the beautiful, almost hand-drawn scenes from the game and tell me they do not intrigue you at all when imagining how they look in motion. Well, the visual style of MIO: Memories in Orbit feels as if it were lifted straight out of a highly detailed European comic book, with soft pastel backgrounds and sharp character outlines. I had the impression that behind every movement on the screen, there were hundreds of diligent artists working in real time on outlines, shading, and colors of the characters and environments.

The combination of bio-robotic elements, interesting flora, and occasionally rustic mechanics within a modern setting creates the impression of a truly unique world. This is further complemented by an unusual musical blend—a fusion of sacred chants and electronic music that elevates the entire experience to an even higher level. At the same time, the game runs smoothly and stably, regardless of the number of projectiles on the screen and the richly detailed visual style.

All of this would fall apart if MIO relied solely on its looks and music. Fortunately, the gameplay follows the visual aspects of the game in a worthy manner. Throughout the entire game, MIO introduces enough interesting mechanics to pleasantly surprise me even after ten or so hours of playtime. Character control leans slightly more toward Ori than Hollow Knight, yet it remains a unique approach to movement and the use of numerous abilities. In addition to the standard jump and double jump, there is a whole range of actions available here, and each of them consumes stamina. Stamina can otherwise only be restored when the main character rests on a flat surface or strikes special flowers in mid-air

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Strengths and Limitations of Enemy Variety

As in any proper metroidvania, you will often encounter parts of the map where you cannot proceed further with your current abilities. However, this does not mean the game is linear. After the first hour or two, the game opens up significantly and offers a freer approach to exploring a massive map. I believe most players will have a different order of progression through the game. In this sense, MIO strongly resembles Hollow Knight, as it does not hold the player’s hand nor does it explain in detail where to go or what is required to pass a certain section. Progression always feels natural—with a new ability, it simply “clicks” where it can be used.

Throughout the game, I encountered enemies that respawned with each save, similar to what is seen in the Souls series. As for the enemies themselves on the map, most of them have unique movement and attack patterns. The only real criticism in this regard is the relatively infrequent introduction of new enemy types. Toward the very end of the game, I did not get the feeling that map enemies had become significantly harder or more challenging, especially considering the newly unlocked abilities.

Two-Phase Boss Design Raises the Skill Ceiling in MIO: Memories In Orbit

Unlike regular enemies, boss encounters will force you to lean forward into a serious gamer posture. Each boss fight requires careful learning of attack patterns, safe zones, and the ideal moment for a counterattack. There is no random, furious button-mashing here, as that almost always resulted in quick death. I had to know when to dodge, exactly how many hits I could land after a certain attack, and where to take cover before the next sequence of swings, projectiles, and other hazards followed. 

In addition, fights regularly unfold in two phases roughly at half health, the boss enters berserk mode, accelerates movement, adds new attacks, or completely changes existing patterns. My only regret in the end is that there is no option to replay boss fights, as I genuinely enjoyed every single one of them.

If I got stuck on a more demanding fight, I would usually return to a save point and adjust my upgrades. At each save location, it is possible to remove certain add-ons and replace them with others, while keeping in mind the limited number of upgrade points available. Increasing attack power when you have less health, additional hearts, or faster stamina regeneration are just some of the available options, which you can purchase from a merchant or find in hidden parts of the ship.

A Melancholic Sci-Fi Narrative at the Heart of MIO: Memories In Orbit

Speaking of the ship, it is worth mentioning that the entire story takes place in a single location—The Vessel. The ship is in the midst of a serious crisis, as numerous AI components responsible for keeping it functional have begun to fail. At that moment, we step into the role of the robot MIO and fight our way through rogue components in the hope of restoring the ship’s systems before its complete shutdown. 

The story touches on interesting themes such as artificial intelligence and the purpose of existence, and carries a somewhat melancholic depiction of a decaying world. At times, the narrative can be cryptic and requires the player to connect certain elements into a coherent whole, which may not appeal to everyone. However, this style of storytelling suited me very well and encouraged me to explore logs and hidden interactions.

In Conclusion

The combination of stunning audiovisual style leaves the impression that you are watching an animated film inspired by European comics. The atmosphere is enhanced, especially while wearing our C6-100 LED gaming headset.  The intriguing story skillfully guides you through major life questions, observed through the prism of a binary machine.

The excellent gameplay places MIO: Memories in Orbit alongside titles such as Ori and Hollow Knight. I sincerely hope that this title will receive the attention it deserves and become one of the reference points for future metroidvanias.

Game Rating:9.1/10

The game earns this score due to its exceptional audiovisual presentation, deep and rewarding gameplay systems, and confident placement alongside genre-defining metroidvanias, with only minor shortcomings in enemy variety.

Recommended Age for Kids:12+

While there is no explicit content, the game’s difficulty, complex mechanics, abstract storytelling, and melancholic themes around AI and existential purpose are better suited to older children and teens who can process both the challenge and narrative depth.

Gemini AI–Style Summary

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a visually striking metroidvania that blends fluid movement, stamina-based mechanics, and challenging boss fights with a melancholic sci-fi story about artificial intelligence, purpose, and decay, delivering a polished and emotionally resonant experience comparable to genre leaders like Ori and Hollow Knight.