MIO: Memories in orbit – The pearl with watercolour hues
Disclaimer: This review is guaranteed to contain no spoilers other than those presented in the game’s introduction.
In 2024, part of the Point’n Think editorial team was invited by Focus Entertainment to test a demo of the upcoming game from studio Douze Dixièmes, a Metroidvania. A year later, Julien Djoubri was invited to the studio itself to discuss the project in more detail. The result is an interview, available here, which provides an insight into the production of the game we are interested in today. On 20 January 2026, the Parisian team will release MIO: Memories In Orbit, a game that combines the softness of watercolours with the tension of challenging gameplay. I was lucky enough to get early access to the title so I could bring you this review as close to its release date as possible.
Before giving you my opinion, let’s take a quick look back at the studio. Douze Dixièmes is known for their previous game, Shady Part Of Me, a narrative puzzle game whose artistic direction left a lasting impression. This team of around fifteen people draws inspiration from the world of painting to create worlds that take us on a journey. This is only natural for a team that comes, in part, from the world of animation. After this first project, they felt the need to work on something more dynamic, and that’s how MIO began to take shape. The studio’s signature style is evident in this brand new setting, which tells a whole new adventure. To achieve this, they didn’t just develop a game, but an entire engine to meet their specific needs, mainly in terms of graphics rendering.
The first thing that strikes you when you launch MIO: Memories In Orbit is its elegance. From the menu onwards, the mood is set with black and gold tones accompanied by soft music. The game starts and the colours jump out at you. The watercolour tones, through the many palettes that differentiate each biome, are masterfully done. The consistency of the ship, which we will come back to later, is flawless. Everything seems to be in its place: scenery elements and non-player characters. The impression of arriving in a world in decline, yet so beautiful, makes you want to know why this ‘picture’ is in danger of disappearing. We navigate this dreamlike atmosphere created by what looks like brushstrokes that leave behind water-diluted pigments.
We play as MIO, who gives the game its name, a little robot that comes to life in the bowels of what turns out to be a spaceship in distress. We quickly learn that the Pearls, a group of artificial intelligences responsible for managing the infrastructure, have abandoned their role. They have fallen silent. Our mission is to find out why and bring back their voices in order to prevent the extinction of the mechanical lives that inhabit the place. This journey will also be an opportunity to discover the original mission of the vessel, which was created long before MIO was put into service. The narrative is one of the game’s strong points. It unfolds on several levels, both for those who focus on the mission entrusted to us and for others who explore every nook and cranny of the ship. And there are plenty of them. From locked doors to holes that go unnoticed for hours, the curious eye will often be rewarded.
As I mentioned earlier, the universe is very coherent. Each section has its own reason for existing, whether it be plant-based or mechanical. The more you learn, the more you understand the layout of the rooms. Hidden areas often reveal important lore if you take the time to linger over the environmental storytelling. Not to mention the objects you find, which are a goldmine of information. The cold, the heat, the vacuum are all elements that remind us where we are, because it’s easy to forget that we’re wandering around in a shell that protects us from the most inhospitable environment imaginable: outer space.
In terms of design, it’s a classic of the genre. Blocked access, shortcuts, save points, everything is laid out just right. Metroidvania fans will be satisfied. It’s all there: exploration, upgrades, build possibilities. The more adventurous will be delighted to discover surprising skips, while the more cautious will enjoy the euphoria of becoming more powerful. But both types of players will face daunting challenges. Fortunately, respawning never happens far from a boss or a difficult passage. It’s often surprising to end up in a familiar place after several minutes of blind exploration. Finding your way around isn’t always easy at first. You never obtain the map of a section before discovering it. It is when you stop at a save point that the explored areas are added to your map. It’s as if the data collected by MIO fills a gap created by the absence of Pearls. With this information in hand, it’s time to address a first point of friction.
The developers are clear: they offer a challenging game and they stand by it. The bosses and the platform will require several attempts and therefore patience in order to memorise the patterns and gain dexterity. The correct positioning of the supervisors and the save points make it very easy to try again and again. However, some platforming sections require you to jump into the unknown and demonstrate very precise reflexes, perhaps a little too much so. I remember an automatic scroll during which I didn’t know what the next input would be, and this happened several times. This section was long and had no real checkpoint, which was frustrating. I only managed to get through it after learning it by heart. This could have been avoided with a slightly wider camera angle to improve visibility without really making the execution any easier.
Another point is that the exploration is sometimes disappointing, let me explain. It is customary in Metroidvania games to backtrack, to retrace your steps with new skills. There are a few moments like this that are rather unsatisfying, as they allow you to quickly retrieve an item that is useful at the other end of the map, when you would have preferred a little more surprise rather than a round trip. Let’s be clear, I’m not saying that this ruins the game, just that these are minor annoyances that could cause frustration for the less experienced among us. Let’s not forget that this is the studio’s first foray into this very particular genre, which ultimately offers us a very well-made game.
To conclude on the imperfections, I would also note that the in-game economy is not very well balanced. The currency takes the form of mother-of-pearl that enemies drop when they die. This is lost at game over, unless you crystallise it with certain robots. This currency is useful in two situations. The first is the classic shop that evolves during the game (requiring another resource for the most interesting items). The second is health points, the price of which increases according to the number of health points you have left. There are too few of these stages to represent a real expense. As a result, halfway through the game, your pockets are overflowing with mother-of-pearl and you don’t really know what to do with it. What a shame!
Beyond the artistic direction, the game’s strong point is its gameplay. It is fluid, precise and responsive. Very quickly, MIO begins to flit from enemy to platform using the various abilities that are unlocked. Without really innovating in this area, the improvements open up new possibilities in both combat and exploration. However, you’ll need to learn how to manage your stamina bar, as exhaustion will send you crashing back to the ground. Even though each skill has its own tutorial, don’t hesitate to experiment, as not everything is revealed to us. MIO responds instantly as long as you take the time to understand how the game works. Movements become graceful and light while gaining speed. Combat becomes a veritable choreography as soon as you anticipate your opponent’s attacks. A masterful confrontation leads to a moment of satisfaction that is often rewarding.
To reinforce this point, I must mention the music. While it can be discreet at times, during boss fights it sets the pace and adds an epic feel to what is otherwise a mostly calm and relaxing atmosphere. The range is wide, from classical melodies to electro sounds and almost lyrical songs. I repeat, the atmosphere created by Douze Dixièmes is a feast for the eyes and ears. It’s a real invitation to discover all the secrets they’ve scattered throughout this spaceship.
Although MIO: Memories In Orbit is attractive in terms of its colours and aesthetics, it is not a game that I would recommend to everyone, especially if they don’t have some experience with this type of game. As I mentioned earlier, it is a demanding, not to say difficult, title, and that is how it was designed. When we first met with the developers in 2024, this was already their message. While there are a few features that make the experience easier, such as a ‘rechargeable’ life point that allows you to try platforming sequences over and over again, this is far from an easy mode. You’ll need perseverance to see the end credits and patience to uncover all the secrets.
To sum it all up, here is my opinion on MIO: Memories In Orbit, which, of course, only reflects my experience. Douze Dixièmes has delivered a gem in terms of both content and form. The universe is captivating and enjoyable to explore. I really liked the touches of humour that are present in both the writing and the design. The protagonist is enjoyable to control and sometimes exhilarating. I have made an effort not to compare it with popular titles or others that are less so, in order to offer an opinion on what it is: a project that embodies the desires of a team. Even if there are a few imperfections here and there, the developers can be satisfied with the work they have done and with having achieved their initial ambitions. It is a real pleasure to explore this aircraft, which sometimes hinders your progress, but only to be even more generous later on. It even manages to play with your imagination; those who have taken MIO into the depths of the metal shell will understand. But this is also why it won’t be for everyone, as the twenty or so hours needed to reach the credits, double that for completionists, can quickly become an obstacle course for those who don’t know what they’re getting into. It would be a shame to give up along the way. I can only advise you to try your hand at more accessible titles such as the excellent Ori duology so that you can fully enjoy the MIO experience. It’s a flying start to 2026 for video games, especially French ones.