MIO: Memories In Orbit Review – Prevailing Over Adversity (PS5)

Perseverance is the key word for me which would describe my time with MIO: Memories In Orbit. Exploration with The Vessel is a very intricate place to navigate, and I will admit for this review I have completed the main story and found some extra areas – but I haven’t seen everything. It’s a big world.

What Douze Dixiemes have created here is a fascinatingly absorbing world to traverse through which I appreciated more through patience as a player. This world can be unforgiving. The platforming sections can be brutal.

The environmental storytelling was almost too clever for me to absorb everything on offer, but this decaying world is worth visiting through its various trials to get that dopamine hit of success. The game can be frustrating at times, but when you succeed, you earn it.

MIO: Memories In Orbit was created by Douze Dixiemes & published by Focus Entertainment. The game was released in January 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 as well as Steam on PC.

If you’re interested in labyrinthine metroidvanias, then Adam Grindley talks here about 9 Years of Shadows.

1. Story: Everything Comes To An End

For a large part of MIO: Memories In Orbit story, a lot of effort put into details within the environments you explore and characters you meet. How you absorb this information will determine how attached you will be.

Mio is a robot. She is born with the help of a friend, and you will soon meet a being called SHII – the steward of your new environment: The Vessel. Turns out, The Vessel is dying. It operates like a network, connecting different places and systems.

This Vessel was created to shepherd human beings to a new world. The Pearls were in charge but no longer communicate. What became of the human beings? Are the machines which inhabit this world friendly, hostile or dying? Are the Pearls alive, dead, or gone insane?

SHII is Mio’s first main point of contact. It’ll direct you on where to go and what to do.

The story of Mio: Memories In Orbit is a little hard to judge. The game is free form in approach, beyond SHII telling you “to find x, go this way.” A lot of the heavy lifting is done by the machines you meet, information you glean from codex reports and exploration.

I believe the story is good – if you’re able to find it. The game world is expansive, so a lot of it might be missed. I found important reports about the Vessel’s findings AFTER finishing the main story.

The main thrust – Mio trying to bring the Vessel back to life – is fine and well presented. If you do want more however, be prepared to go looking for it yourself.

It’s themes around life, death, purpose and time didn’t hit me really until I was getting nearer the end. I had wished for a little heavier exposition, but what is here is good.

Take Mio back to the central room to talk to SHII to see your progress and what you need to do.

2. Gameplay: Thorough And With Purpose

MIO: Memories In Orbit felt a little methodical. Like the game was made of two halves. Part One was easier going. Part Two will separate the wheat from the chaff.

Having said that, I wouldn’t say MIO is an incredibly hard game. It does have a set of rules which it doubles down on. You’re going to die. Repeatedly. However, there is enough leeway and a skill set available to you to succeed, and it feels great, making you feel that sense of accomplishment.

During your travels you will meet plenty of colourful characters.

2.1. Movement & Exploration

Mio moves in a specific way which I grew easily accustomed to. She felt fluid and simple to control. She came automatically with a double jump and a three-pronged attack.

In the beginning, you’ll need to restore SHII to proper function, so you’re without a map. What you’re doing is charting your progress; you’ll need to connect to the Nexus – your save point – to imprint the map with new information. Later, you’ll notice a Nexus unoccupied. You’ll need to find it’s missing overseer and fix them up to unlock fast travel.

There is plenty of platform hopping in MIO.

Exploration in MIO at times felt easy going and aimless, but mostly due to you just needing to figure out where to go. Areas usually had multiple levels, so you would use an elevator to get around.

The game is platform heavy. Plenty of surfaces to jump on and around, with the game getting more intricate later, specifically dealing with the dangerous red fauna which has infected all around. Touch that, and you’re sucked in.

Later in the game there are plenty of difficult platforming sections testing your dexterity.

2.2. Platforming Sections

Mio was excellent to control. If anything went wrong, I generally thought it was my fault. Jumping around sections and dealing with enemies was mostly easy going. There’s a point where you deal with more of the red fauna or mechanical saws and platforming sections get a good deal tougher.

Mio has an energy bar. Any time you need to “sail” aka hover, use your striders or your hairpin, you will drain this bar. You need to learn how to move, hairpin onto grapple points, hover, hit flowers which refill your energy bar and jump.

This is important for the more elaborate environmental puzzles. Initially these were very trying to the verge of frustration, but they aren’t impossible. Your skill and patience will be rewarded but it might not be for everyone.

Touching the red infected grass will kill you. They were intricate stages which will test your resolve.

2.3. Mio’s Abilities

For Mio to get around, she’s going to need some help. Interestingly, acquiring abilities is not achieved after defeating bosses. During your run scouring the map, you may come across big red pipes. This is where you will meet Tromo. It’s like a big mechanical centipede. It whisks you away for an upgrade – you complete a tutorial to learn the new move.

Skills range from being able to grapple and climb walls but the best one was being able to dodge. This mechanic is one button press, therefore time sensitive but mastering it is essential for getting through combat.

With Mio being open to explore, you may never come across any upgrades at all. I didn’t find them all. It may be another way for players to challenge themselves in future playthroughs.

2.4. Modifiers & Collectibles

Another way to challenge yourself is the modifier system. Near the beginning you will meet Mel. Mel runs a shop with a bunch of robot helpers. She will mainly sell you modifiers or a coating component. The coating will be comprised of four parts to make a new section of health. The modifiers are abilities you collect to use from a Nexus point.

You’re given an “Allocation Matrix” with a certain number of slots. The modifiers each take up a certain number. They are incredibly useful, mainly for battle. These are things like granting an additional layer of protection, increased timing for dodges, free use of nacre basins.

There also includes mods which give you more modifier slots but take something in return like slower energy recharge or nacre basins staying dry.

To buy anything, you need currency – Nacre. This is collected by killing enemies, finding scrap piles or in crystallised form. Droplets which aren’t crystallised are lost when you die.

Finally, one last modifier if you will, is tremors from the Heart. Permanent loss of health. The Vessel is dying, therefore so are you. These happen within specific areas of the game but feel random.

Considering there are mods to increase your health bar, this is a good narrative device which ultimately is negated gameplay wise. But it is something different for a metroidvania, so it gets credit for trying.

2.5. Combat & Bosses

MIO’s combat, like the rest of this game, is quite precise. It’s not as easy going as others I’ve played recently like Crypt Custodian, but once you are used to it’s precision, the only thing to worry about is timing and understanding enemy attack patterns.

Mio as an attacking force has a three-prong attack pattern. That’s it. Defensively is where MIO shines. Combat, like platforming in the first half of the game, is easy going. Enemies are initially pushovers once you know what you’re doing.

Bosses are found throughout the gameplay again in a free form manner – there is the possibility to not encounter a bunch of them. Bosses don’t hold back – they test your reflexes, dexterity and at times, forward planning skills.

I found a lot of them to be stressful but in a fun way. Understanding physical cues were important and all bosses had two phases, the second being much harder. I enjoyed running into a boss and felt great dealing with one, more so than finding a new area.

This gazelle-style boss was a highlight. Great music and very energetic. I loved it’s design.

One big plus, considering the difficulty, is that enemy attacks don’t hit until they strike and the game is incredibly lenient about you being extremely close to an enemy. I wish this leeway was in more games like this.

Sadly, one big gripe with bosses is the Nexus/Save point placement. Randomly finding a boss was exciting, but they are challenging. At times I felt there could have been more Nexus Points or that they could have been better placed in relation to bosses. Save some time.

This boss wasn’t too pleased to see you. Her second phase has you dashing around all over the place!

3. Graphics: Absolutely Stunning 

I absolutely loved watching MIO: Memories In Orbit in action. Could honestly gush about it. Mio herself is animated well for combat, but the individuality is in her hair strands. She uses one strand to press a button which I thought was cool.

The animations for dashing, using the “strider” move allows you to use hair like Doctor Octopus from Spider-Man. The hair is the star, it is so bright, it glows on the floor even illuminating darker areas.

The games areas also looked incredible. MIO used a watercolour effect which had a hand drawn look to it, which showed everything in intricate detail. The colours really stood out. The main Nexus area is cold, mechanical, lots of grey but the game opens up.

The Bell Tower in Haven is stunning with the area full of pale purple, blues and reds. Nature clashing architecture.

The City Gates of Metropolis shows old Victorian style architecture of technology. Reminded me of an iced-up version of Bioshock Infinite. Beautiful stone buildings and monorails disused.

MIO’s enemies were standard fare – mostly insect based with the odd mechanical variation, they looked nice.

Standouts were naturally boss encounters. From mechanical harvester enemies like Acat, Calderon with his four hands, the antelope Nabuu was a standout, looked incredible. They all had incredible detail.

The boss fight themselves were tricky: they weren’t afraid to teleport around the rooms. Thankfully, there were subtle visual cues for all of their attacks. They lasted just long enough to be tough but accessible.

3.1. Map Of The Vessel & UI

A quick word on MIO’s graphics presentation. On screen was extremely minimal. There is the energy bar on the bottom of the screen and the health bar on top. And that’s only there if you want it to be; it’s a modifier, it doesn’t need to be there if you don’t want it so.

The map shows off your progress but only once you’ve connected to a Nexus Point. It was enjoyable to read the map afterwards to see it being filled in. Reminded me of an YS game. The map itself is massive. It’s easy to read but is also on the small side.

You can zoom in and add a marker to remember something important, but unexplored entrances could be improved. They are represented as a flashing white dotted line.

I would have preferred something more obvious; a different colour for instance. Areas also have names which isn’t displayed on the map which is an odd choice. Would have been an easy fix.

Map of The Vessel. Unexplored entrances are hard to notice and area names are not displayed sadly..

4. Music & Audio: Beautiful As Well

I really enjoyed the music in MIO. Similar to it’s themes around isolation and death, it has a soulful edge to it. Wandering around it’s world, it’s nicely in the background. It’s not front and centre. It feels like it accompanies you on your journey. Sometimes it’s not even on.

The music has mostly got relaxing vocal harmonies for it’s lonesome heroine. It at times feels ethereal, introspective. Maybe even haunting. But it wasn’t afraid to be playful either – Mel’s Lair is a bop. I really liked the area of Haven’s theme. 

Boss music on the other hand, is epic. It is bright, energetic, techno vibes like it could comes from a Ridge Racer game. Each piece felt unique for the boss and quite the catchy tune. Definitely helped getting me into the headspace for a tough boss.They were all excellent and it’s hard to actually have a standout.

The audio within the game world worked well and nothing seems out of place.

Mio: Memories In Orbit was played and reviewed on PlayStation 5.