Memories in Orbit review: A stunning, challenging metroidvania
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a hand-drawn Metroidvania with fast, responsive gameplay, tough bosses, and a rich narrative. Available on PS5, Switch, Xbox, and PC, it offers stunning visuals, haptic feedback, and exploration rewards—but high difficulty may frustrate some players.
A distinct hand-drawn visual style, a breathtakingly beautiful background score, and a strong plot are some of the key elements that define Focus Entertainment’s take on the metroidvania genre in MIO: Memories in Orbit.
In a game where you play as the titular MIO, your goal is to restore power and functionality to a world teetering on the brink of collapse.
In terms of gameplay, there are a lot of similarities here to Hollow Knight: Silksong and MIO even comes with its own unique healing mechanics. The gameplay is fast and intuitive and the combat is smooth and responsive. The game makers have put in considerable effort to make gameplay easy to learn, and in my own personal experience, I was double jumping through the opening sequences with reckless abandon about five minutes into MIO.
There are a few nice flourishes that MIO offers players, such as the addition of modifiers that introduce unique gameplay elements. For example, the very first modifier you unlock displays health information for the enemies you face, while the second offers an additional layer of protection.
The level design and puzzle-based elements in MIO are well implemented, with a wide variety of hazards that can hurt you and an even wider range of enemies to fight.
This is a game where you must balance the flow that comes from speed and fast movement with quick reflexes and constant awareness of danger.
Minor imitations aside, there is a lot here to like in MIO, and with the wonderful haptic feedback the developers have baked in, you are likely to keep trying here, probably more times than with the average metroidvania.
On the Switch 2, where I played and reviewed MIO, it worked well in both the docked and undocked modes. Performance is largely smooth and well optimized. However, the difficulty here is significantly greater than that of the average Metroidvania.
Secondly, considering this high degree of difficulty, the game’s save-point mechanics need some improvement; they often respawn far from where you died, leading to a lot of time wasted repeating the same sections.
If you are in the market for a new metroidvania that looks visually stunning and sounds even better, you will be hard-pressed to find a better game than MIO.
It is a fast, responsive experience that rewards players looking for both the satisfaction of beating tough bosses and the joy of unearthing a powerful narrative.
Sneak Peek:
Title: Mio: Memories in Orbit
Developer: Douze Games with Focus Entertainment
Game Type: Action Platformer Metroidvania
Platforms: PS5, Switch and Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Price: INR 1,664 on PS and Xbox, INR 899 on Steam, and USD 19.99 for Switch
Verdict (all scores out of 10):
Innovative Gameplay: 8.5
Game Handling and Quality: 8
Value for Time: 7.5
Value for Money: 8
Overall: 8
What Stands Out:
The game’s stunning hand-drawn visual aesthetic and amazing soundtrack are the main draws of MIO. On the Switch 2’s gorgeous screen, dying many, many times was a lot more bearable because of how MIO looks and sounds.
The narrative and plot are surprisingly nuanced for a Metroidvania. This isn’t just an action platformer where bosses must be beaten, but also one that rewards exploration and curiosity.
Fails to impress
The dying, respawning, and trying again loop is a bit cumbersomely implemented here. There are far fewer respawn points than I would have liked, and this can get frustrating.
The difficulty is very great with this one. If you (like most of us) felt Silksong was hard at launch, then this is at least a couple of notches higher.
