Memories in Orbit Is Getting Rave Reviews

Indie metroidvania MIO: Memories in Orbit has debuted to strong reviews from both professional critics and players alike. While its Hollow Knight: Silksong-like aesthetic is among the game’s most widely praised qualities, early impressions suggest that MIO is very much its own thing that is clearly distinct from Team Cherry’s metroidvanias.

The newly debuted title is only the second-ever game from Douze Dixiemes, a small French studio that previously released surreal puzzle platformer Shady Part of Me in December 2020. It was launched on January 20 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, in addition to debuting as a day-one Xbox Game Pass title.

MIO: Memories In Orbit Interactive Map

Our comprehensive map for MIO: Memories In Orbit.

MIO: Memories in Orbit Debuts to Strong Reviews

Four days following MIO: Memories in Orbit‘s release, the Focus Entertainment-published title generated a lot of positive buzz among reviewers. The game currently holds a “Strong” rating on OpenCritic, with an average score of 83 and an 81% reviewer recommendation rate, based on 69 reviews. This places it in the top 9% of all games scored on the platform. Player reviews are largely in line with MIO‘s early critical reception, with the metroidvania earning nearly 75% positive user ratings on Steam, based on over 500 reviews. On consoles, the game holds a 4.39-star rating on the PlayStation Store, but only a 3.3-star rating on Xbox. The lower Xbox score may be influenced by its Game Pass inclusion, as titles that join Microsoft’s subscription service have a tendency to take a user rating hit.

MIO: Memories in Orbit Review Roundup

OpenCritic: 83 average score, 81% recommendation rate
Steam: 74.80% positive reviews
PS Store: 4.39 stars
Xbox Store: 3.3 stars

The hand-painted visuals, minimalist UI, and classic metroidvania gameplay loop prompted multiple comparisons between MIO and Hollow Knight: Silksong among reviewers. Even so, the critical consensus is that Douze Dixiemes’ latest title stands on its own, delivering an overall easier but still memorable experience. Critics particularly praised its exploration, noting that the game effectively rewards curiosity and off-path detours. MIO‘s movement mechanics also received plaudits, having been described as immediately fluid and confidence-inspiring, thus serving as a breath of fresh air in a genre that often withholds basic mobility options for hours on end.

The second point of praise among reviewers centered on the game’s engaging platforming and, to a lesser extent, boss design. Multiple critics highlighted challenging traversal sequences that feel satisfying to learn and rewarding to master, complemented by a soundtrack that effectively reinforces the tone of each area. Combat appears to be more of a mixed bag, particularly with regard to bosses. Few parts of MIO reportedly approach Silksong‘s average level of difficulty, but some reviewers criticized certain bosses for relying on gimmicky mechanics that are complicated by imprecise controls. Without delving into specific spoilers, one multi-stage boss encountered around the five-hour mark has drawn criticism for requiring awkward updraft-based acrobatics to defeat.

A lot of the difficulty complaints are alleviated by MIO‘s optional accessibility options, including a toggle that gradually makes bosses easier with every failed attempt. Likewise, there is an option that yields a single health container after failing a platforming section, which can essentially be used to retry platforming challenges indefinitely. Combined, these two settings can trivialize the game, minimizing the chances of players getting stuck and quitting for good out of frustration. Much like Hollow Knight: Silksong, MIO: Memories in Orbit has multiple endings that need to be unlocked in succession. Crowdsourced data from HowLongToBeat suggests its regular ending can be reached in about 15 hours, though the true one will require a more significant time commitment.