The indie scene has found its first standout hit of 2026. MIO: Memories in Orbit, released on January 20, is proving that you can blend the punishing difficulty of a “Soulslike” with the ethereal beauty of a watercolor painting. Developed by the French studio Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment, this title is quickly becoming the talk of the genre.
A Journey Through the Overgrown “Vessel”
In MIO, players step into the mechanical shoes of MIO, a nimble android awakening aboard The Vessel—a colossal, derelict spaceship drifting through the void. Once a pinnacle of technology managed by AI entities known as “Pearls,” the ship has been reclaimed by wild flora and haywire machinery.
To prevent an impending “Shutdown,” MIO must navigate the labyrinthine corridors, reclaim lost memories, and uncover why this mechanical Eden fell into ruin.
Aesthetics: A Living Painting
The game’s most striking feature is its hand-drawn visual style. Eschewing the gritty realism common in sci-fi, MIO uses:
- Pastel Palettes: Soft, watercolor textures that make every frame look like a concept art piece.
- Dynamic Soundscapes: A haunting OST that blends low-fi electronic beats with choral melodies, perfectly capturing the ship’s transition from serenity to chaos.
“We wanted to create a world that felt both fragile and dangerous,” says Producer Sarah Hourcade. “Every biome has its own visual identity, ensuring the exploration never feels repetitive.”
Gameplay: Beauty with a Bite
Don’t let the soft colors fool you; MIO is a highly challenging Metroidvania. It demands precision and strategic thinking, especially as the difficulty spikes in the mid-to-late game.
- Fluid Movement: As you progress, you unlock “game-changing” abilities like grappling hooks, air-gliding, and wall-crawling.
- Strategic Combat: With over 30 enemy types and 15 formidable bosses, players must customize MIO’s abilities to match their preferred playstyle.
- Organic Exploration: The Vessel acts like a living organism. While the freedom of exploration is immense, the game offers minimal hand-holding, meaning players must stay sharp to avoid getting lost in the maze.
Behind the Tech: The Proprietary Engine
Douze Dixièmes distinguishes itself by using a proprietary in-house engine. This allows the team total creative freedom over rendering and graphical fidelity, resulting in a unique visual identity that standard commercial engines often struggle to replicate.
This project marks a bold shift for the studio. Their previous title, Shady Part of Me, was a linear, introspective puzzler. MIO, by contrast, is an open, interactive, and adrenaline-fueled evolution inspired by the likes of Hollow Knight, Ori, and Sekiro.
Availability & Performance
| Platform | Features |
| PC (Steam/Epic) | Steam Deck Verified; 2-3 hour free demo available. |
| PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S | Day One on Xbox Game Pass. |
| Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 | Optimized for handheld play. |
The Verdict: A Must-Play for 2026
While MIO: Memories in Orbit doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it polishes every spoke to a mirror finish. Its combination of impeccable art direction, challenging platforming, and atmospheric storytelling makes it an essential experience for fans of the genre. If you’re looking for an indie masterpiece to kick off your gaming year, MIO is waiting for you among the stars.
What about the French indie game powerhouse **Douze Dixièmes**?
Douze Dixièmes, meaning “12/10” in French, is a French indie studio founded in 2017 in Saint-Ouen, Paris. Comprised of creators with a background in animated films and video games, the studio boasts a hybrid team of artists who strive to tell visually striking and emotionally compelling stories.
Founded by seven equal co-founders, the studio’s first game was Shady Part of Me, which was announced at The Game Awards in December 2020 and immediately released. This puzzle platformer game received rave reviews from both press and players for its unique mechanics that shift between 2D and 3D gameplay, shifting between light and shadow, its watercolor-style visuals, and its emotional narrative.
The success of ‘Shady Part of Me’ led to the acquisition of Focus Entertainment in October 2021, and the second title, MIO, which was released on January 20, 2026, has been recognized for its quality, surpassing approximately 2,200 concurrent users within a few days of its Steam release.
| division | Key Contents |
| Studio name | Douze Dixièmes |
| Representative and Director | George Hiro Herrmann |
| Year of establishment | 2017 |
| scale | About 16 people (as of 2025) |
| Key milestones | • 2017: A studio was founded in Saint-Ouen, France, by animation filmmakers and game developers. • 2020: Started to receive critical acclaim with the release of his debut album, Shady Part of Me. • 2024: New game “MIO: Memories in Orbit” revealed for the first time through Nintendo Direct • 2026: Global release of the second major title, MIO: Memories in Orbit |
| Official website | https://pullupent.com/en/entities/douze-dixiemes?utm_source=chatgpt.com |
| Official Trailer | Official Gameplay Trailer |
| Steam page | Steam Store |
