I got an email on January 14th that made me laugh.
In it, a well-meaning public relations person was doing their best to promote the game MIO: Memories in Orbit. They had batch-emailed reviewers who had early copies in order to inform them about the game’s “true ending.”
This was a sensible thing to email about.
Many video game reviewers are pressed for time, given that the art they’ve chosen to professionally critique is as time-consuming as sleeping.
Reviewers must juggle 80-hour epics and 15-hour ditties. Work hours run out quickly. A critic might have to settle for reaching just one of a game’s endings, rather than the “true” one. They need time to type about the game’s quality, perhaps put a number on their feelings, then move on. Lord knows there are other games to be playing and reviewing, even during January’s so-called slow season.
And so it was that this helpful public relations official wrote: “When you get to the credits around 12-14 hours, you aren’t done yet. There is more of Mio to experience!”
I laughed when I read this, because I was already 15-20 hours into the game, and I knew that I was not close to the game’s ending.
I wouldn’t reach the not-true ending until about hour 30. I was having too good a time and I was making sure to wander off the game’s main route and take my time.
I could not rush to MIO’s end. It was too beautiful for that…
The very best thing about MIO is the discovery it rewards along the way.
If I had to give you an analogy, I guess I’d ask you to imagine wearing the same pair of paints for a couple of weeks (pants that never get dirty or smell bad, by the way) and that each day, you might reach into these pants, discover a new pocket you’d missed before, and in each of those you might fight another $20 bill.
Just how did anyone make pants that can do this?
Perhaps I should mention that MIO is a side-scrolling science fiction action-adventure, released several days ago for PC and console. You control a little wisp of a being who has yellow tentacle-like hair. You explore a wrecked space station, talk to robots and try to figure out what went wrong. You fight enemies, using your hair tentacles to fling yourself toward them, then beat them up. You jump around a lot, too, careful not to fall into deadly ooze.
Also, as mentioned, it’s very, very beautiful…
What I’ve described about the game’s setting and combat don’t matter that much. What I prefer to emphasis is MIO’s map, one of the best I’ve experienced in a game in years.
It’s a space station laid out as a layer cake, with aesthetically interesting distinctions—caves, temples, bogs, factories, labels, networks of clear pipes, webs of goo, ice-encrusted cities, a giant black egg leaking a rainbow of fluid—designed by artists with a talent for surprising grandeur.
And it’s dense with secrets, with crannies that become caverns that become shockingly magnificent, entirely optional areas to gawk at and explore.
If video game loot boxes are meant to hook players by teasing them that maybe, just maybe the next one they crack open will grant a magnificent reward, MIO’s map offers a healthier version of that intoxicant. What is that little think on the edge of the screen, that gap in the map? I hope that it will…. yes… so many times lead to something great.
As I was playing MIO well past hours 12-14 and far from even the first ending, I texted a fellow reviewer:
“I found another elaborate secret area yesterday, after getting through a tough, optional platforming area”
But that wasn’t all. My text continued:
‘Then I found that that secret area led to another really cool, remote area (arguably the coolest in the game.”
“And I found that THAT area led to yet another interesting, optional location that had a nice little text-log-based micro-story.”
Play this game if you enjoy the feeling of finding one $20 bill in your pocket after another.
Oh, and it’s gorgeous.
Bravo to the developers at Douze Dixièmes.
A few note about MIO’s difficulty:
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The game can be very tough. Tough bosses. Tricky platforming. (The challenge sneaks up on you, because early sections are easy.)
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There’s an accessibility option that makes bosses easier each time they kill you (I used it for the final boss of my main run in the game). And there’s one that gives you another node of your health bar back if you fail during a platforming section. That one allows you to reset and retry infinitely from where you were last standing. I’m currently in an endgame crucible of spinning blades where that’s been super handy.
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The game will sometimes permanently (?) remove one of the precious nodes of your health bar. This is maddening, especially if it happens while you’re trying to scrounge around for power-ups to face down a boss. But the game hides a mountain of perks and permanent power-ups that more than off-set this. You just need to be interested in spending time to find them.
🇺🇸 Americans spent $60.1 billion on video game content, hardware and accessories in 2025, up 1% from $59.9 billion in 2024, according to research firm Circana.
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Among publishers tracked, Electronic Arts had the best-selling game in the U.S. for the year with Battlefield 6ranked by dollars. They also had the 6th (Madden), 7th (EA Sports College Football 26) and 8th (EA Sports FC 26). Call of Duty: Black Ops 7from a series that usually tops the yearly charts, was 10th-best for the year, just ahead of Sony’s Ghost of Yotei.
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One clue about the impact of Microsoft offering new Call of Duty games on Game Pass on Xbox and PC these days: On Xbox, Battlefield 6 was the platform’s second best-selling game in December (behind NBA 2K26), while Call of Duty was down at 4th. But, on PlayStation, where you must buy the game to play it, Black Ops 7 was December’s best-selling game, ranking well ahead of Battlefield 6 (4th).
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For 2025, Switch 2 was the best-selling consoledespite only releasing in June. Circana notes that “Nintendo Switch 2 remains the fastest selling video game hardware platform in tracked history.”
📉 Ubisoft’s share price fell by more than a third after it announced a major reorganization on Wednesday that included the cancellation of six games and the delay of seven others.
🎮 Microsoft’s latest Developer Direct showcase revealed that Forza Horizon 6the open-world racing series’ drive through Japanwill be out on May 19 for Xbox and PC, and later in the year for PS5.
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Forza offers the now-common perk that you can pay more to play the game “early”; in this case $120 (vs. the standard version’s $70) to play on Xbox/PC on May 15.)
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Microsoft also showed off its revival of the Fable role-playing game series, setting it for a fall release. (Developer Playground is touting over 1,000 non-player characters will populate the world, going about their scheduled lives but all able to interact with the player.)
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Microsoft-owned Double Fine showed off Kilna multiplayer brawling game involving player-sculpted pottery. Insider Gaming notes that Double Fine first publicized the project when it was part of a studio game jam in 2017, (a bit of a longer turnaround than another colorful, silly multiplayer game jam game recently covered by Game File).
👀 Nintendo’s aging developers: Hideki Konno, director of the original Mario Kart and a designer at Nintendo for 39 years, left the company in mid-2025, according to a recently spotted message he posted to Facebook.
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VGC notes that this is the second time in a week that news has broken of a longtime Nintendo developer seemingly winding down their career at the company. Kensuke Tanabe, another 39-year veteran of Nintendo with a killer resume, told the Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream that December’s Metroid Prime 4 was his last game for Nintendo.
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Flashback: In 2011, while interviewing him about Mario Kart Wii, I asked Konno about the series’ notorious blue shell item, which players can use to target whoever is leading a race. The item debuted in 1997’s Mario Kart 64. He told me:
“With Mario Kart 64, we wanted to have the same thing where everyone was in it until the end, but some of the processing problems occurred that didn’t allow us to do that. And what I mean by that is once you’re in a middle of a race you’ll get that natural separation. What we were trying to do was push them back together.”
🤔 California’s year-old law banning retailers from using words like “buy” or “purchase” in conjunction with the sale of digital games, books and other media (unless they make clear people are paying for a license, not a product) has spawned a new lawsuit against GameStop.
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A class action claim filed earlier this month against the game retailer said it failed to disclose to a person who bought Elden Ring Nightreign digitally from GameStop that they were technically buying a license to access the game, Lexology explains.
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The lawsuit does not claim that GameStop specifically used “buy now” language but alleges that the company created an overall impression that consumers were buying the game. Lexology states:
This theory is broader than prior cases, which targeted large platforms with express “Buy” or “Purchase” buttons at the point of sale. Here, the plaintiff argues that cumulative impressions across the purchase flow—not just the final button—violate AB 2426.
The plaintiff also points to Steam’s implementation as a benchmark, alleging that Steam discloses: “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam,” with a link to its terms and conditions.
🍕 YouTuber Retro Game Attic ordered a pizza from Dominos late last year via the Wii’s defunct Food Channel, which was resurrected by homebrew developers. This bizarre feat was recently spotted by Hackaday and PC Gamer.
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Highguard (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), the free-to-play multiplayer shooter that was the final game revealed at last month’s The Game Awards will be released. (The game, about which little is known, will have its first gameplay showcase that day as well.
What makes MIO so addictive that players often spend 44 hours immersed in its world?
Table of Contents
- 1. What makes MIO so addictive that players often spend 44 hours immersed in its world?
- 2. 44 Hours (Unexpected!) with a Gorgeous Game Called MIO
- 3. First Impressions: Visuals and Sound Design
- 4. Gameplay Mechanics: A Unique Blend
- 5. The Narrative: Unraveling the Mystery
- 6. Why 44 Hours? The Addictive Quality
- 7. Performance and Accessibility
- 8. Beyond the Gameplay: The Community
44 Hours (Unexpected!) with a Gorgeous Game Called MIO
Let’s talk about MIO. Not the measurement – though interestingly, as a quick dive into online discussions reveals, “mio” can be a shorthand for million (alongside “mil” and “mill”) – but the indie darling that completely consumed my last weekend. I went in expecting a relaxing puzzle experience; I emerged 44 hours later, slightly sleep-deprived and utterly captivated.
First Impressions: Visuals and Sound Design
From the moment MIO launched,I was struck by its aesthetic. The art style is a blend of watercolor textures and low-poly environments, creating a dreamlike quality. It’s genuinely gorgeous. The color palette is muted yet vibrant, shifting subtly to reflect the emotional tone of each area.
But the visuals aren’t the only star. The soundtrack is phenomenal. Composed entirely of ambient electronic music, it perfectly complements the gameplay. It’s the kind of soundtrack you’ll want to listen to even when you’re not playing – and I have been! The sound design, too, is incredibly detailed. Every interaction, every environmental element, has a distinct and satisfying sound.
Gameplay Mechanics: A Unique Blend
MIO defies easy categorization. At its core, it’s a narrative puzzle game, but it incorporates elements of exploration, resource management, and even light stealth. You play as a nameless protagonist navigating a series of interconnected islands, each representing a fragmented memory.
The primary mechanic involves manipulating light and shadow to solve puzzles. You collect “lumens” – glowing orbs of energy – and use them to activate mechanisms, reveal hidden pathways, and interact with the surroundings.
Here’s a breakdown of key gameplay features:
* Lumen Collection: Finding and strategically using lumens is crucial. They aren’t unlimited, forcing you to think carefully about each action.
* Shadow Manipulation: Casting shadows is often the key to unlocking new areas or triggering events. Experimentation is key!
* Memory Fragments: Each island contains fragments of a larger narrative. Collecting these pieces slowly reveals the protagonist’s backstory.
* Environmental storytelling: MIO excels at telling its story through the environment. Pay attention to details – they often hold clues.
The Narrative: Unraveling the Mystery
The story of MIO is deliberately ambiguous. You’re given very little explicit facts, and the narrative unfolds through environmental storytelling and the collection of memory fragments. This approach is incredibly effective, drawing you into the protagonist’s emotional state and encouraging you to piece together the truth yourself.
The themes explored are complex and resonant: loss, regret, and the search for identity.It’s a deeply personal story, and the lack of concrete answers only adds to its emotional impact. I found myself constantly theorizing about the protagonist’s past and the meaning of the islands.
Why 44 Hours? The Addictive Quality
So, how did I end up spending 44 hours with MIO? several factors contributed.
* Compelling Puzzles: The puzzles are challenging but never frustrating. They require logical thinking and experimentation, but they’re always fair.
* Atmospheric World: The game’s atmosphere is incredibly immersive. I felt genuinely drawn into the world and invested in the protagonist’s journey.
* Emotional Resonance: The story is deeply moving and thought-provoking. It stayed with me long after I put the game down.
* Sense of Finding: The game constantly rewards exploration. There are hidden areas, secret passages, and optional puzzles to discover.
Performance and Accessibility
MIO runs surprisingly well, even on modest hardware. I tested it on a mid-range gaming PC and experienced no meaningful performance issues. The game also offers a range of accessibility options, including customizable controls, colorblind mode, and adjustable text size. This commitment to accessibility is commendable.
Beyond the Gameplay: The Community
the MIO community is incredibly active and passionate. Online forums and social media are filled with players sharing their theories, discussing the story, and offering help with puzzles. The developers are also actively engaged with the community, responding to feedback and providing updates. This level of engagement is a testament to the game’s quality and the developers’ dedication.
