Mio: Memories In Orbit Review - A Beautiful Yet Familiar Robotic Adventure
Developers take note: naming your latest game and its protagonist identically creates unnecessary confusion for reviewers. This is precisely the case with Mio: Memories In Orbit, a title where you control Mio, a small artificial intelligence exploring a seemingly abandoned space station. The game is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC for £15.99.
Gameplay and Mechanics
In this atmospheric platformer, players guide the endearing android Mio through a series of biomes that resemble delicate watercolours. The station is not entirely empty; it houses both harmless robots seeking reconnection and hostile entities that must be defeated. Combat is frequent and demanding, requiring precise jumping, dodging, swiping, and counterattacking to progress.
The journey is punishing, with players likely facing repeated deaths. However, Mio gradually acquires new abilities that can be customised, enhancing combat effectiveness and unlocking previously inaccessible areas of the station. This progression system allows players to tailor the android to their playstyle.
Visuals and Comparisons
Graphically, Mio: Memories In Orbit stands out with its beautiful, painterly aesthetic. Despite this visual distinction, the game shares structural and tonal similarities with other introspective platformers like Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) and Hollow Knight (2017). It features the same level of challenge and melancholic atmosphere prevalent in the genre.
Nevertheless, Mio holds its own as one of the more polished and visually impressive entries in this crowded field. Its existence is a welcome addition for fans of thoughtful, challenging platformers.
TR-49 Review - A Literary Puzzle Sensation
From British studio Inkle, known for literary adaptations like 80 Days (2014) and Overboard! (2021), comes TR-49, a game that elevates bookish obsession to new heights. Priced at £6.99 and available on PC and iOS, it transforms players into a librarian at the end of the world.
Setting and Premise
The game is set in a version of 2010s Britain ravaged by catastrophe. The only hope lies in a peculiar book-cataloguing machine developed at Bletchley during a previous major war. Players assume the role of Abbi, a woman sheltered in a cathedral crypt, who must operate this machine to uncover salvaged texts.
Puzzle-Centric Gameplay
Unlike Inkle's typically narrative-driven games, TR-49 is fundamentally puzzle-based. The core gameplay involves inputting codes (comprising two letters and two numbers) into the machine to retrieve books from its memory. Each discovered book provides clues leading to more codes and further texts, creating a compelling loop of discovery.
While Abbi maintains radio contact with the outside world—where not everyone is friendly—the true narrative depth emerges from the books themselves. These texts delve into esoteric subjects like computing, space-time, and the nature of reality, offering a rich, immersive reading experience within the game.
Conclusion
TR-49 is a unique, intellectually stimulating experience that rewards players willing to delve into its cryptic world. To reveal its ultimate secrets would spoil the journey; it is best experienced firsthand by those who appreciate literary puzzles and atmospheric storytelling.
