Memories are the kind of thing people tend to like to keep safely stored inside their heads, so when you’ve lost them, it feels like starting over. MIO: Memories in Orbit tells the story of a small robot who, after a mysterious crash, awakens with no memories on the Vessel — a colossal ship adrift in space — and begins piecing together her past while trying to restore the Ark to its former glory. Dev’s Douze Dixiemes masterfully mix mystery, memories and Metroidvania-style gameplay into a super chill sci-fi platformer package.

MIO’s crash-landing sees her arrive on the Vessel. Part of MIO’s journey is to uncover the truth, all while fighting off machines and monstrosities and making and mending the more approachable bots and beings.

Discovery is a massive part of MIO: Memories in Orbit, and as a Metroidvania-style game, there is plenty of time for exploration and to appreciate the adorable, and sometimes creepy, scenery. The game is gorgeous, with a painterly, hand-drawn art style that sits nicely between sci-fi and fantasy, and features cute, quirky bots and creatures.

I spent plenty of time appreciating it as I platformed my way through various biomes, including abandoned apartments, lush gardens, icy caverns, and beyond. The beautiful soundtrack mixes light synth, orchestral moments and piano.

The opening cutscene features some of the most hauntingly beautiful vocals, and despite its minimalism, the piano really tugs on the heartstrings. I wanted to know more and was keen to dive deeper, and it doesn’t take long to realise MIO: Memories in Orbit is the gift that keeps on giving, with plenty more to see, do and hear.

There were ample opportunities to revisit regions of the wondrous world the devs weaved. In true Metroidvania style, there’s a strong focus on enhancing MIO with upgrades and gaining new abilities during progression. Initially, I struggled to figure out progression paths and found the game slow-paced, but I discovered the key was beating bosses and opening new areas of the map, which gave me a more straightforward path forward.

It took me a bit to really gain momentum in the game, but once I hit that flow state, I swiftly became addicted to revealing more biomes and secrets. MIO: Memories in Orbit really masters the art of making progression feel meaningful.

Combat is simple but satisfying, a solid thwack of a whip with the hair-like Tendrils, zipping around enemies with the Hairpin ability or a swift dodge to phase through attacks. As components are gathered, new offensive and defensive buffs can be specced into. It can take a while to unlock more slots.

You can obtain more slots at the expense of disadvantages, like drying up Nacre Basins, so shields can’t be boosted, but those slots could be invested into pulling off combos with heavier attacks at the end. There were times it did become a bit tough to choose what to prioritise -sometimes mixing them up or making some compromises to modifiers can be the best thing to do in tough times.

Boss fights are a highlight of MIO: Memories in Orbit, with a variety of critters and mechanical foes that test not only your skill but your willpower to keep trying. There were times I went into encounters way underlevelled, but with some exploration to find more abilities, I was able to go back and have a much easier time.

For accessibility, there are a few options – for bosses to get more brittle the more times you’re defeated, regenerate shields on the ground, and enemies not attacking until you attack them.

There is some skill needed when you’re able to platform your way to new areas, but it’s the obstacles and precision that get you. At times, I felt like I hit the proverbial wall by not quite sticking a jump or overcoming an obstacle, beyond a certain point; it was more a case of practice makes perfect.

The one big qualm I had with the game was the lack of ways to see reminders for the current task. I tended to forget where I needed to go next, and with little direction aside from my own memory, the irony not being lost on me that my memory of what has happened is as bad as MIO’s. Usually, in a complete fluke, I eventually managed to backtrack and figure out what to do next.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a very moreish game, with surprisingly chill vibes that make it hard to resist persevering through challenges and awakening the memories of the Vessel’s former glory. MIO’s quest is both exciting and mellow, with fluid gameplay, stunning visuals, and a soundtrack that often left me feeling much more serene than stressed. As the saying goes, “curiosity is the mother of all inventions”, and MIO: Memories in Orbit is undoubtedly a game to spark curiosity.

Written by: Yasmin Noble