MIO: Memories in Orbit Preview
Let me ask you a question. Given a particular genre, what makes a game stand out? Of course, the answer depends on lots of factors, like the art, graphics, sound, story, and especially, mechanics and gameplay. I pondered this question as I played the demo for MIO: Memories in Orbit. It’s a 2.5D Metroidvania that ticks all the boxes associated with the genre. Developed by indie studio Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment, MIO looks pretty promising.
Robot Roll Call
You play as MIO, a nimble little robot with trailing hair-like tendrils, exploring the Vessel. The Vessel is a fast, labyrinthine space station with an unclear purpose and history, which, of course, you need to unravel. The Vessel is full of derelict technology, deadly vegetation, and secret passages to unlock. The Vessel’s AI is malfunctioning, and there are a lot of rogue machines seeking your demise.
MIO eventually acquires the standard kit of abilities that are part of most Metroidvanias, like double jumping, air dashing, and grappling. At least in the demo, MIO’s offensive tools were fairly limited, but then, most of the enemies were easily handled. The game doesn’t feature difficulty levels per se, but the level of challenge can be adjusted through a few settings.
As someone whose gaming Achilles’ heel is poorly tuned jumping, I pay close attention to this mechanic. In its present state, MIO’s controls are a bit frustrating. Jumping is a bit floaty and imprecise. What really gets in the way — literally — are scenic objects that obscure the ledges and platforms where MIO can jump. Floating lamps guide the way, but the camera and scenery create some issues with execution. Combat is fairly responsive, but there’s nothing like a dodge roll to help position MIO out of danger.
Painted World
While I’ve only seen the demo-sized slice of MIO, it has a painterly art style with muted washes of color. The Vessel bursts with pipes, platforms, intriguing backgrounds, and occasional patches of organic hazards. I can’t say that it looks incredibly detailed, but the art is recognizably unique. The developer says it was inspired by “comics, paintings, and anime.” I can see that.
Level design focuses on vertical layers, unlockable passages, and other standard-issue Metroidvania design elements. Unfortunately, there’s no in-game map, and this creates some wasted-time frustration. The game’s upgrade and inventory system are hardly intuitive, but they do become a little clearer over time. I guess I’d say that when it comes to doling out gameplay information and story, MIO takes a minimalist approach. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
MIO doesn’t feature any voice acting, and its story text and dialogue are spare. That puts all the heavy lifting on the game’s sound design and music. The audio effects are very subtle–little robotic beeps and fairly muted combat sounds. The music is also quite understated, featuring spare ambient harp, piano, synth, or choral voices during menus and exploration. Add together the game’s visuals and sound, and the whole aesthetic comes across as not dull but a little detached.
MIO Has Promise
There are Metroidvandia-style games set in lush or foreboding, violent worlds, and others with art so primitive that they’re little more than line drawings. A great Metroidvania needs outstanding action and level design, and I think MIO: Memories in Orbit probably succeeds most in these critical areas. Of course, a demo is only a slice, and the full game has more room for everything from story to action and environments to expand. I’m looking forward to seeing where MIO: Memories in Orbit takes me next.
***PC code provided by the publisher for preview***