MIO: Memories in Orbit Just Blew Up Our 2026 Gaming Calendar.

**MIO: Memories in Orbit** isn't just another Metroidvania; it's a statement. Launching with a formidable **4.5/5 score**, this title instantly challenges our preconceived notions of what 2026's gaming calendar holds. We confidently declare it an early Game of the Year contender, a brilliant, bruising odyssey that exemplifies the emergent power of the AA space and cements its place as a must-play on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5, available Day One on Game Pass.

A World of Beautiful Contradictions

From the moment we plunged into MIO, its world presented us with a stark dichotomy. On one hand, it’s a frigid, mechanical future, populated by robots and stripped of warmth. The nomenclature — Nexus, Pearl, Cores — feels pulled from a clinical, almost mythical, sci-fi bible, and the sprawling levels are less homes and more gargantuan, decaying palaces. Yet, here's where the magic truly unfolds: this sterile shell is also one of the most inviting and awe-inspiring environments we’ve encountered in years.

The art direction, a stunning blend of pencil sketches layered over watercolors, transforms every new area into a visual feast. We often found ourselves momentarily distracted by the sheer beauty of a new Haven, only to be snapped back to reality by a battering-ramming enemy. The world actively pulls you into its hidden nooks and crannies, each pulsing at the edge of the game map. This constant temptation to uncover just one more secret, clear another boss, conquer a challenge room, or follow a clue to a potential hidden area, makes every single play session a deliberate, weighty choice.

The Gauntlet: High Stakes, Higher Rewards

Let’s be clear: MIO doesn't hold your hand. Its difficulty curve is a jagged sierra, peaking most dramatically at the guardian bosses. The visual cues for attacks are fleeting, demanding razor-sharp reflexes that feel almost punishingly tight. This isn't a game for blundering; it demands mastery. We've certainly had our share of curses and muttered frustrations after a particularly brutal beatdown. The familiar Soulslike insistence on learning, adapting, and repeatedly engaging until victory is earned, is strong here.

And yes, the backtracking after a death to the Nexus, often several screens and minutes away from the point of failure, felt like a deliberate scolding, especially with the game's currency, nacre, stolen. It can be a genuine morale killer, echoing the most frustrating aspects of its genre contemporaries. However, this is precisely where MIO’s design genius shines brightest. Progress isn't a gentle gradient; it’s a series of monumental leaps. Finally vaulting over a particularly stubborn boss’s carcass doesn't just feel like an achievement; it unlocks a critical new core module, a game-changing ability like a glide or a wall-climb. These aren't minor buffs; they are fundamental shifts, immediately opening up vast new tiers of the world and sprawling new possibilities in every direction. It’s a classic Metroidvania payoff, expertly executed.

While combat itself is wonderfully fluid, allowing for seamless animation pivots, not all the newfound abilities are equally polished. The tether, intended for platforming, felt consistently finicky. Its length and position are surprisingly hard to anticipate, and the stamina-like fuel system starts off agonizingly slow, often leading to frustrating missed grabs that felt more like a control issue than a skill check. This slight clunkiness is perhaps its only significant mechanical misstep.

A Unique Identity Forged in Art and Atmosphere

The "good kind of conflicts" that define MIO — challenging yet rewarding, huge yet recursively traversable, lonely yet awe-inspiring — will resonate deeply with fans of Metroidvanias and Soulslikes. Comparisons to the likes of *Hollow Knight* or *Ori* are inevitable and accurate; MIO feels like the natural, spiritual successor for players craving that particular blend of exploration and demanding combat.

Yet, MIO stands resolutely on its own. We haven’t quite played anything like it. This uniqueness likely stems from a deep well of French artistic influence, drawing heavily from the likes of Moebius and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The result is something truly fresh, exemplified by a standout moment: a tunnel-dwelling serpent that upgrades the main character through a bizarre, unforgettable skewering. It’s the kind of bold, atmospheric storytelling we rarely see. Having followed Douze Dixièmes since *Shady Part of Me*, we recognize the atmospheric prowess, but where that game fell short on gameplay, MIO appears to be a direct, resounding reaction, maintaining the atmosphere while abundantly fixing its predecessors' faults.

The Vanguard of the AA Renaissance

We can't help but wonder if MIO: Memories in Orbit is a harbinger of things to come. 2025 was a turbulent year for AAA development, hinting at a necessary readjustment for the industry's titans. Conversely, it was a banner year for AA titles, and MIO isn't just riding that trajectory; it's defining the next curve. This game delivers all the immersion, polish, and artistic vision one might expect from a "six-digit, over-produced" blockbuster, but at what we suspect is a mere fraction of the cost.

The prospect of a future dominated by a battery of games like MIO: Memories in Orbit is not just inspiring; it’s invigorating. It signals a shift where creative vision and meticulously handcrafted experiences can truly shine without being constrained by the increasingly unwieldy budgets and expectations of the biggest publishers.

Final Verdict: A 2026 Game of the Year Contender

The start of the year used to be a wasteland for truly exciting new games, but MIO: Memories in Orbit decisively disputes that statement. It’s a thrilling ride, a Metroidvania that encourages absolute trust in its development team as they consistently deliver surprise after surprise. It's bruising, yes, but the bountiful rewards make every struggle worthwhile. This is a game where contradictions coexist — despair and delight, often in the same breath — but every moment is suffused with an undeniable glow of immersion. The Game of the Year conversation seems to kick off earlier and earlier each cycle, and MIO has officially started it while we're still taking down our Christmas decorations.

Key Intelligence: MIO: Memories in Orbit

Pros:

• Immersive, inventive Metroidvania design
• Expansive world, brimming with inviting exploration
• Striking, beautifully sketched art style

Cons:

• Significant, sometimes brutal, difficulty spikes
• Backtracking after death can become wearing
• Some gained abilities, particularly the tether, are awkward to pull off