Review
Pleasure and frustration go hand in hand in origami platformer Hirogami
by Kevin Hofer
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a visual masterpiece
19.1.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Kevin Hofer
Boasting a creative movement system, challenging battles and some of the most beautiful graphics I’ve seen in a long time, MIO: Memories in Orbit has all the hallmarks of a first-class Metroidvania.
Seemingly weightless, Mio makes her way through icy caves, fiery industrial complexes and the ruins of a huge city. She’s petite – if she jumps and falls 100 stories before hitting the ground, nothing happens. This makes her very different from other Metroidvania protagonists, who make the whole world tremble when they crash down to earth.
Aside from this, MIO: Memories in Orbit borrows plenty of aspects from other games in the genre. The thing is, it does this so well that it still results in a great game. I’ll definitely remember its art style in particular.
A spaceship full of secrets
MIO: Memories in Orbit takes place on board a forgotten spaceship named the Vessel. Since the spacecraft’s AI caretakers have ceased to function, it’s up to Mio the robot to traverse the overgrown ship. The problem is, it’s now overrun by crazed machines.
Mio’s objective? To restore the Vessel’s memories and prevent a complete system shutdown.
The story unfolds through short dialogues and documents you come across along the way. It’s nice that some of the dialogues are voiced – an unusual move for this genre. As a Metroidvania fan, I like this kind of storytelling. All in all, the story’s cool, but I’ve already experienced it in a different form. It doesn’t blow me away either. However, the game’s strengths lie elsewhere anyway.
A visual masterpiece
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a sight to behold. I’m really taken with the hand-drawn art style. The world Mio lives in is a sketchbook that comes to life in glorious technicolour. Passing by another huge statue, I can’t help but pause for a moment and marvel at what I’m seeing. It’s unbelievable what the small team at Douze Dixièmes has managed to achieve on a visual level. On top of that, there’s the soundtrack, which perfectly matches the scenery while sticking to its rightful place in the background.
Some of the presentation’s spectacular too. For instance, when Mio stretches out her hair/cables to open a door or when the camera zooms out to give you a panoramic view of your surroundings. It’s also cool that each boss enters the arena in their own way. Some jump from the background into the foreground, while others come from the side or through a hole in the floor.
Let’s face it, a game has to be more than just pretty – and this is exactly where MIO: Memories in Orbit really shines. The gameplay loop’s incredibly addictive, and the game mechanics had me hooked from the very first second.
Nimble as a spider
Mio moves around using her cable-y hair, which stretches out around her almost like spiders’ legs. As is typical of the genre, your skills are constantly being expanded, allowing access to previously closed-off areas. For example, Mia can pull herself towards enemies, covering long distances in mid-air. Later on, she can also briefly cling to walls and ceilings, or hover. Mind you, that only works for as long as your stamina bar lasts. Of course, the game also boasts some traditional platforming elements. Mio can double-jump and run through levels right from the start.
The mechanics are both brilliant and challenging at the same time. You need to keep an eye on your stamina and activate certain flowers around you to refill the bar. For me, this means jumping mid-climb, hitting one of the healing flowers with a punch attack, then clinging to the wall or ceiling again double quick before falling to my death. Later on, you need to combine various mechanics in a similar way. It’s all about precision and timing.
The gameplay’s sometimes frustrating, especially when you fail for the umpteenth time. If you die, you always respawn at the last checkpoint. These are rare, and usually involve lengthy walkbacks. Still, at least the boss runbacks aren’t quite as long as Hollow Knight: Silksong’s.
One thing that’s almost as annoying as the walkbacks? The fact that you lose any Nacre (the in-game currency) you’ve collected when you die. On the bright side, you can use machines to compress your Nacre into a second form of currency that’ll stay with you if you die. However, that seems unnecessarily complicated to me.
This aside, exploring the environment is incredibly fun. Everywhere you look, there’s something to discover. When you’re on the move, however, you need to meticulously commit your route through the spaceship to memory. You only get to view the map at checkpoints. Given Mio’s light-footedness and the precise controls, however, I don’t actually mind putting up with some backtracking.
Good Metroidvania standard
Mio builds her strength through modifications as well as new skills. Put simply, this involves her equipment, which you can either buy in the shop or find while exploring. However, you can’t install as many mods as you want, as you’re limited by Mio’s storage capacity. Then again, you can expand it.
I’m familiar with similar systems from other Metroidvanias. Although MIO’s works and allows for customised builds, it’s not as complex as those of other games in the genre, such as Silksong.
Captivating battles
The game’s variety of enemies and movesets isn’t on a par with Silksong’s either. There are new opponents waiting for me in every new section. Nevertheless, I keep bumping into familiar characters and occasionally getting déjà vu during certain attacks. Mind you, since the Hollow Knight sequel, I’ve probably developed some pretty unrealistic ideas about scope. Compared to other Metroidvanias, MIO: Memories in Orbit offers plenty of variety. Enemies have been designed meticulously, down to the last detail.
One thing almost more important than variety is the fun factor of battles. At the beginning, most enemies are a little too easy to defeat with a combo. Later on, however, the difficulty level increases, forcing me to pull out all the stops with even standard opponents, and plan both attack and defence well.
The bosses are tricky too. Even with the early ones, I have to carefully study their moveset and figure out when they’ll use which attack. So far, I’ve only managed to kill one boss on the first attempt. Design-wise, the bosses are almost as brilliant as the environment, comprising everything from a door to a deer-like creature to oversized robots. Facing up to the game’s baddies really is fun.
MIO: Memories in Orbit will be released on 20 January for PS5, Switch 1/2, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The PC version of the game was provided to me for testing purposes.
In a nutshell
Superb Metroidvania with minor flaws
MIO: Memories in Orbit is an impressive Metroidvania, mostly notable for its breathtaking hand-drawn art style and innovative locomotion system. The Douze Dixièmes title cleverly combines tried-and-tested genre elements with fresh ideas to create an extremely entertaining overall package. Protagonist Mio’s spider-leg-like hair/cables in particular make for challenging and satisfying platforming sequences that demand precision and perfect timing.
The story – although solid – is nothing groundbreaking. Even so, the game wins you over with its addictive gameplay, painstakingly designed boss battles and temptingly explorable world. Though not quite on the complexity level of genre giants such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, MIO still boasts enough variety and depth for Metroidvania fans. Aside from the odd frustrating moment caused by long walkbacks and a slightly cumbersome currency system, MIO: Memories in Orbit is an aesthetic, playful masterpiece that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
Pro
- Stunning hand-drawn art style
- Challenging and creative battles with unique designs
- Precise controls make the environment fun to explore
- Beautifully put together, with cinematic moments
- Extensive modding options for individual builds
Contra
- Long walkbacks
- Story isn’t particularly original, I’ve already experienced it in a similar form
- Occasional moments of frustration due to high difficulty level
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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