If I had a nickel for every hand-drawn metroidvania game released this year that centered around themes of Eastern cultures and mythology while also featuring an adorable-looking protagonist that contrasted with the…oh wait, we did this but already?Okay, never mind then, but it does seem interesting that we receivedNine Solsjust less than two months ago, and now we have another game that gives off similar vibes on the surface, Squid Shock Studios’Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus.Of course, the key word back there is “surface,” asBōis a notably different beast in different ways, from its focus on Japanese mythology instead of Taoism to its brighter palette and what are arguably more traditional metroidvania vibes. It has one thing in common withNine Sols,though, and that’s how it also ends up easily having you hooked for hours.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotusis the story of – shockingly enough – Bō, a young fox yōkai known as a tentaihana (or a celestial blossom), birthed from a lotus flower one moonlit night. As they set out into the country and eventually make their way to Sakura City, they eventually find themselves as part of a mysterious prophecy. And just in time, as a gashadokuro suddenly appears to ravage the land and it’s hinted that the leader in Sakura City may be more dangerous than they appear. So now Bō finds themselves wandering the land, helping out people and eventually going from a small spirit that no one takes seriously to a possible legend in the making…
The City’s Finest
If that initial setup seems light, it’s because for the longest time, the central narrative inBō: Path of the Teal Lotusisn’t made front and center. It’s something more subtle that plays out as you progress, with the focus instead being more on individual quests involving the stories of those affected by current happenings, be it the search for a kitsune wedding’s missing groom or a search for fire to rescue the missing member of a clan that needs to rebuild.
The result is that you get to spend a lot of time with the cast of characters, especially in the Sakura City hub, all of whom are charming and have a great amount of personality and really breathe life into the game’s world. Some of them are more silly characters, others get stories with depth and shocking moments, but all of them make for a terrific cast.
Review: Nine Sols
Gritty, Gruelling, Gorgeous!
Of course, what also breathes life into its world are its ridiculously-gorgeous graphics. Again, the characters alone deserve a shout out, along with the enemy designs, being patterned after all sorts of well-known yōkai, each moving fluidly with some excellent animation. The hand-drawn style works perfectly, blending ukiyo-e-esque touches with a cartoonish feel, and topping everything off with a wide variety of gorgeous landscapes, scenery and even little details like the lotus petals that appear when Bō dashes. And of course, there’s also a terrific soundtrack that perfectly captures the atmosphere as it accompanies your action.
The Tools of the Trade
Speaking of which,Bō: Path of the Teal Lotusfollows most of the standard metroidvania template, with Bō able to gain new powers as they complete various quests, typically via their transforming earring that can be used as several weapons or tools, be it a mallet that allows a punishing ground pound that can break through areas or wings that allow them to glide through the air. And then when needed, backtrack and use these powers to access new areas. It’s a tried and true formula, but throughout this game, it kept reminding me of another metroidvania game from earlier this year, namelyTales of Kenzera: Zau.Either that, or the two are starting to showcase just how certain tropes are becoming more common to the genre, right down to the two even having the same grappling hook power-up that launches you into the air when interacting with certain points.
Review: Tales of Kenzera: Zau
The beginning of Surgent Studios’s foray into gaming and the beginning of Kenzera start with Zau’s tale here, so is it a good one?
I bring this comparison up because the flaws thatBōdoes have tend to be some of the same flaws seen inZau.The use of challenge rooms that just contain waves of enemies that get annoying, the map that doesn’t keep any record of your points of interest (particularly annoying when you have to find five collectibles across the world, but encounter them before you have the tool needed to interact with them) and fast travel points that feel too few and spread out too far. Would it really kill these developers to add more than one fast travel point per biome? We are meant to come back again in order to look for secrets, after all. It’s during these moments thatBōgets burdened with some of the hazards that can plague metroidvania games.
WhereBō: Path of the Teal Lotusearns back all of its goodwill and then some, however, is with one the greatest strengths a metroidvania game can have: Exploration. Again, the focus on individual character stories and quests comes into play here, not only encouraging the player to go over every nook and cranny, but making use of its more relatively open areas to encourage players to choose what path to try and tackle next when needed or get a glimpse of what tools will be needed later on. It helps that there are a ton of collectibles and boons to either find or purchase, be it darumas that provide initial attacks, omamori that can be equipped to gain various passive buffs or even crafting materials and ingredients that can be used at stores to permanently boost stats such as health. There’s a ton to uncover here and it’s easy to get obsessed with any challenges that could lead to new discoveries.
Strike Hard and Fade
As an example of the above, I was too distracted from going back to Sakura City to get health upgrades via ramen because I was busy having way too much fun with the movement and combat. Notably,Bō: Path of the Teal Lotusis one of the rare metroidvania games without a double jump, instead using lanterns to hit and jump off of, orDucktales-style pogo maneuvers, or the previously-mentioned grappling moves. Be it tricky platforming obstacle courses, a variety of enemies or massive bosses, it’s incredibly satisfying to zip into an area and use a series of acrobatic skills to make it through whatever the same throws at you, helped out by smooth controls and gameplay. For this writer, the highlight was an aerial sumo tournament with a group of kabuto beetles, which provided a blast as you attempt to stay inside rings and push out multiple enemies without ever touching the ground as you swish through the air and smack everyone around. Easily one of the year’s gaming highlights.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus Gets New Trailer and Demo
Explore this new world engrained in Japanese folklore in the demo for this 2.5D platform title as part of Steam Next Fest.
The challenge level inBō: Path of the Teal Lotusalso feels perfect, always feeling tricky, but never impossible or too frustrating, save for certain bits of backtracking. Save points are nice and frequent, and while the game uses another Estus Flask-esque healing system with a tea kettle (remember when healing items were just regular found in levels?), the game does add the twist of being able to refill it outside of save areas by striking enemies, allowing for a nice bit of strategy as you try and find ways to properly refill it, and attempt to find a safe spot to use it in order to heal. Once again, it does take time and animation to heal, a la games such asLies of P,but here it’s a bit more forgiving, thankfully. That said, again: you push a button, you heal instantly, what’s wrong with that setup?
Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot more to say aboutBō: Path of the Teal Lotus.You could argue that it isn’t the most groundbreaking metroidavnia game, but it excels so much with what it has that it doesn’t need to be. Much like our main protagonist, it starts out as a scrappy little underdog, building its way up through its stellar gameplay and world until it becomes something truly special. It’s a terrific addition to the genre and something to at least act as a littleNine Solschaser for those who want it.
Closing Comments:
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotusis, plain and simple, one truly superb and expertly-crafted metroidvania game. The cast of colorful characters ends up leading to quests that feature impressive gameplay that encourages exploration as you eventually discover more of the world, the action is superb and challenging with a lot of fun movement, and it all looks dazzling as you take in all of the sights of Japanese mythology, depicted here in such a charming style. If you’re a fan of the genre, you need to check it out. And if not, considerBōa good place to start.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus
Version Reviewed: PC
Inspired by Japanese folklore, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus sees players playing as a celestial blossom using their legendary staff to battle various monsters and make their way tofulfilling a prophecy.
