
Games like Hollow Knight: Silksong stand out in the Metroidvania genre, offering players incredibly detailed and immersive worlds to explore for dozens of hours. It’s bittersweet to finish Silksong because very few games are as well-made. Fortunately, Xbox Game Pass is releasing another exciting Metroidvania on day one, giving players a brand new and interesting world to experience.
While Team Cherry may eventually add downloadable content to Hollow Knight: Silksong, high-quality games like it are currently hard to find. Xbox Game Pass subscribers have more options when it comes to excellent Metroidvania games, particularly those available on the service from day one. Even with the recent price increase for Game Pass, subscribers could be playing one of the best Metroidvanias of 2026 very soon.
MIO: Memories In Orbit Creates An Amazing Sci-Fi Metroidvania World

MIO: Memories in Orbit is an upcoming indie game created by Douze Dixièmes and published by Focus Entertainment. It will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. The game is visually striking, featuring a unique art style and set aboard the Vessel, a beautiful but ruined spaceship drifting through space. Players can expect a Metroidvania experience with interconnected levels that are both vibrant and atmospheric, highlighting the impressive technology of the Vessel.
Investigating this massive space station will uncover many mysteries, including what happened to the Pearls – the AI that were originally built to maintain it. You’ll play as MIO, an android with growing abilities that you unlock as you progress. The game’s sci-fi world is beautifully designed, taking inspiration from comics, anime, and paintings. Gameplay is fast and fluid, similar to Silksong, with responsive controls reminiscent of Team Cherry’s highly anticipated sequel.
In MIO: Memories in Orbit, you’ll work to save the Vessel and its inhabitants from a spreading blackout. The game features a captivating soundtrack blending lo-fi beats and choral music to fully immerse you in the experience. The artistic design is exceptional, with detailed worlds, enemies, and characters.
The world in MIO: Memories in Orbit is designed like a complex maze, with distinct areas reminiscent of the diverse underground environments in Silksong. The game challenges you to move carefully and really learn the levels through its architecture, traps, and platforming. This already makes it a top contender for the best Metroidvania games coming out in 2026, but it also includes some new ideas that help it stand out from the crowd.
Freedom To Customize Your Playstyle Makes MIO: Memories In Orbit’s Gameplay Worth Checking Out

The gameplay in MIO: Memories in Orbit is all about staying in constant motion, and it lives up to that description with its quick, fluid action. Every move the android makes – attacking, dodging, or evading enemies – is incredibly precise. Players who enjoyed the combat in Silksong will recognize similar mechanics, like the ability to wall-cling, grapple onto specific spots, or glide through the game’s environments.
Like many Metroidvania games, you’ll gain new abilities for MIO. However, these often come as modules that let you change and customize the character to fit your playstyle. A common complaint about Silksong was its high difficulty, but MIO: Memories in Orbit offers a lot of ways to adjust the combat to make it easier or more suited to you. You can also collect parts from enemies to upgrade and modify your abilities, letting you build MIO in a variety of different ways.
In MIO, you can customize your approach by trading defense for stronger attacks, letting you play more aggressively. With over 30 enemy types and 15 challenging bosses, each encounter will likely require you to adapt your strategy, and players are free to experiment. Discovering the best way to combine your abilities will appeal to those who enjoy a challenging and detailed Metroidvania experience.
Players Can Start Exploring MIO: Memories In Orbit Day 1 On Xbox Game Pass In January 2026

The adventure game MIO: Memories in Orbit will be available on Xbox Game Pass and Steam starting January 20, 2026. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to play it right away on launch day. A demo is currently available, letting you try out the beginning of the game before purchasing the full version.
This upcoming game is shaping up to be a major draw for Xbox Game Pass in 2026, and could attract a large audience thanks to the subscription service. With discounts currently available for MIO: Memories in Orbit on Steam, players might find this new title a strong competitor to Hollow Knight: Silksong, and even a spiritual successor for fans who loved the popular 2025 game.
Will you be checking out MIO: Memories in Orbit when it’s added to Xbox Game Pass on launch day? Let us know in the comments and share your thoughts in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-08 23:42