It’s always great to start off the new year in style. Not only is MIO: Memories in Orbit easy on the eyes, it’s such a freeing gameplay experience. Not always the clearest in terms of where to go or what to do, it still manages to offer a gripping loop of fighting off the corrupted machines and uncovering the mysteries of the Vessel. Upgrade, fight back, and do it all in style.
Often ambivalent and unknowing, your journey is shrouded in secrecy. As a small yet swift little robot, you explore the huge Vessel with no clear purpose at first. Part of its charm is slowly but surely uncovering new abilities, upgrades, and areas without actually meaning to. It gives a sense of wonder that works alongside the story of what happened to the Pearls – the AI caretakers of the Vessel – all while making the most of every new discovery.
In the beginning you can double jump and attack. That’s kind of it until new moves and abilities open themself up to you. When attacking enemies in the air, connecting with a strike allows you to hit another jump and keep you aerial. There’s a satisfying pattern in the dance of combat. When you begin to learn new skills like the welcoming hook jump, movement and combat become fun to engage in.
MIO: Memories in Orbit keeps traversal interesting. Metroidvanias need movement to be swift and responsive. Thankfully this is a constant. You’re always finding new ways to interact with your surroundings, reaching new areas previously undiscoverable. You’re also given new ways new make things easier for you. At save points, you can assign abilities into your storage.
There’s a limit to the amount that can be equipped at any one time. This can be improved by spending Nacre, the game’s currency, and there’s a real shot at offering a unique experience depending on each player’s preferences. Extra health, stronger combos, and improvements to base abilities can be improved by these. The more you play, the more you’ll find and it opens the game up massively.
I found myself re-treading old ground quite a lot in MIO: Memories in Orbit. While freedom is something you get a lot of, some direction, especially in the first few hours, would have helped. By connecting with the Spire, the map becomes available. However, icons are given no description. It’s fine if you know what they are, but it’s not obvious until later into your journey.
Still, that sense of wonder is a blessing as it is a curse. I stumbled into new areas quite often. I found they weren’t just short excursions into new territory either. Some are huge labyrinthian areas that hold plenty of secrets. They often house bosses. Oh, the boss fights. Some are quite difficult, but like any challenging game, defeating them gives you such pleasure.
If you do struggle, there are options to make fights easier. One such option that can be toggles is making bosses easier every time you fall to them. This makes the next time that little bit less frustrating. These boss fights make use of your skill set and pushes you to be quick in your actions, and it helps that gameplay is so responsive when it comes to these intense battles.
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a stunning game to look at. The hand-drawn sci-fi aesthetic gives great depth to every area. From the details at the forefront to the various machinery and details in the distance, the use of colour is exceptional. The Vessel is a huge mysterious structure, but the level of detail in each artistic choice makes it feel so alive.
Despite it being a tricky game to master, part of the joy comes from uncovering things through hard work and luck. You never quite know what you’ll find. Traversal is such fun and combat is both challenging and satisfying. Better direction, especially early on, would have been appreciated, but once you get into the flow of where you’re going, there’s a lot to love. MIO: Memories in Orbit is a great metroidvania and kicks off 2026 in style.
