MIO map, important locations, and how to unlock

How do you unlock the MIO map? If you’re used to playing Metroidvania games like Hollow Knight, you’ll also be familiar with just how expansive and complex their maps can be. With various paths opening up in front of you, it’s tough to know where to go or how to get there.

That’s why unlocking your map is so crucial in MIO: Memories in Orbit – and as early as possible. It’s not immediately obvious how to do so, though, so if you’ve not stumbled across the function by accident yet, here’s how to unlock your map in the platform game, and the best order in which to navigate it.

How do you unlock the MIO map?

To unlock the MIO map, you must give Nacre to Shii at the Severed Spine. After giving a certain amount, interact with Shii to see the map through his eyes. Give even more Nacre, and you’ll unlock the ability to see the map from anywhere.

While you can donate Nacre directly to Shii, it’s worth noting that the pool gets filled with any droplets you lose when you die, so it’s not worth wasting them by donating directly to Shii – you’ll likely unlock the map after your first few deaths. You continue to fill the pool with Nacre when you die, even after unlocking the map, further unlocking Shii’s abilities, and revealing more secrets of The Vessel.

Discovered map locations

Newly discovered areas of the map are only added to the map when you ‘attune’ to a fast-travel point, or when you die.

MIO map and important locations

Here are the MIO map locations in the best area order:

• Dwellings
• Feral Undergrowth
• Severed Spine
• Haven
• Metropolis
• Foundations
• Promenade
• Redacted
• Vaults
• Manufactory
• Lab
• Crucible

Of course, you will need to return to different areas throughout your playthrough, but this is a rough order of when you should aim to reach each location for the first time.

Dwellings

Given the locked doors around you when you start MIO, the Dwellings is the first area you’ll access. Not only does this area house your first boss, Egis, and ACAT, a much tougher foe, but it also opens up into numerous other areas.

Feral Undergrowth

This pretty pastel biome is full of mechanical bugs and birds just waiting to attack. Most important, though, is Flora, this area’s boss, who can be defeated for an easy way into Haven.

Severed Spine

For the most part, there isn’t much going on in the Severed Spine. However, your only way through here is once you have retrieved the Aviaries Passepartout, which can be obtained after defeating Flora in the Feral Undergrowth.

Haven and Bell Tower

The beautiful Haven, with its Bell Tower running down the middle, is accessible via The Avaries. Far from being just a beautiful place to explore and meet NPCs, Haven is home to important items, including the Harvester and Dodge abilities, and the Bell Tower Visitor Pass, which is required to unlock the Sail ability.

Metropolis

Metropolis is a more end-game location, being home to some of the later bosses. However, you can enter the Metropolis for the first time after defeating ACAT, who is a relatively early-game boss found in Dwellings. You’ll come back through here as you unravel more of the story of The Vessel.

Foundations

Actually, depending on the order you do things, you might find yourself in the Foundations after Dwellings. Either is a viable route. Bosses Atmos, Calderon, and Poltergates are all found here, but there aren’t many key items to be found here. It’s more of an area you’ll pass through a lot to get to other, more important, locations.

Promenade

Like the Foundations, the Promenade is another through-zone, leading you to more key items and larger areas of the map. The most important thing to note here is that, by passing through the south of Promenade, you find yourself in The Vaults, home to your Slingshot ability.

Redacted

There is a Redacted area on both the east and west of the MIO map; one through Foundations, and the other accessed via The Promenade.

We’re still working our way through MIO, and will add more of these map images when we have uncovered them ourselves.

Hopefully, our guide makes it that much easier for you to find your way around the Vessel, defeating the MIO bosses in a logical order. Once you roll credits, there’s a true ending to find, but after that, there are plenty of other great Metroidvania games demanding your attention.