Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus Is A Gorgeously Animated MetroidVania That Doesn’t Break New Ground (Review)

Developed by Squid Shock Studios and the final game to be published by Humble Games, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is an artistically minded MetroidVania riff that benefits from gorgeous visuals. A foundational genre of previous eras that has endured thanks to inventive reimaginings and stylish updates, the mix of natural exploration, varied combat, and creative visuals has always lent itself well to firm visions.

A great modern example of this is Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, which takes inspiration from Japanese mythology and lore to create a colorful and vivid world to explore. This elevates the solid (if standard) platforming gameplay, paying off its mix of combat and movement with some visually creative and enjoyably challenging boss fights. While it may not reinvent the genre, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus does a terrific job reminding the player why they fell in love with it.

Score: 4/5

Pros:	Cons:
Gorgeous art design makes for a visually stunning game.	Somewhat straightforward gameplay lacks depth of other similar platformers.
Tight platforming gameplay pays off a rewarding challenge.	Relatively short run time leaves players wanting more.
Memorable boss fights serve as highlights of a short but sweet experience.

Into The Woods You Go

The world of Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is inspired by Japanese folklore, placing the player in the role of a young Tentaihana named Bo. After disaster strikes the land, Bō sets off to explore the Yōkai-infested world and confront the forces that have brought chaos to the land. Conceptually speaking, this is where Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is most technically impressive. The game’s art direction is gorgeous, infusing everything with a light, colorful touch that doesn’t detract from the darker elements or scarier enemies.

The reimaginings of various Yōkai into enemies and bosses give the game a touch of the mysterious and spiritual that is both charming and haunting, especially as the visuals take on darker shades. This clever art design is only amplified in the game’s memorable boss fights, which double down on the aesthetic and deliver standout set pieces. The animation on the characters is crisp and colorful, with a charming touch that blends well into both divine and demonic imagery. The flow of the presentation is ever-present and effective, with little in the way of gameplay hiccups or stumbles. Visually speaking, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is absolutely gorgeous.

The Way Of The Teal Lotus

That’s only half the battle, though. Luckily, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus has some very easy -to-learn and consistently entertaining gameplay. Similar to games like Hollow Knight or Nine Sols, the dark fantasy take on the MetroidVania genre Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus’s expansive world map invites plenty of exploration. A large swath of the game is dedicated to maneuvering around platforming challenges, with plenty of secrets to discover along the way.

The game’s focus on jumping gives it a consistent and naturally engaging challenge, as bouncing between floating lanterns and incoming enemies can catapult the player to new heights. This is very much the primary game loop, with a dash of combat thrown in as players encounter new demons along their path. As the player progresses, players will be able to transform their staff with recovered supplies, deploy the magical abilities of collected Daruma, or gain new abilities by drinking unique tea brews.

The standard platforming serves as the bedrock for the player experience, with the challenge often presenting itself in clever little motion/combat-fused movement. At its best (like a memorable early boss fight against the Hashihime Maiden), the melding of platforming and combat really pays off. While the general movement can become a little repetitive and the difficulty curve can be daunting, the overall tight design lends itself to mastering the title.

Strong Execution Of Familiar Territory

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is part of a long tradition of platform gaming that goes back decades. It doesn’t necessarily refine or redefine the genre in any particular way. The challenge is impressive, the controls are tight, and the boss fights are great. It’s a good game that doesn’t addict me to the task, however. Gameplay-wise, I felt complete working through challenges, but without the excitement or drive that other, tighter platformers have achieved. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the gameplay in Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, but nothing exceptional either.

What really elevates the game amid its many peers is the genuinely gorgeous visuals, which create a vivid world that gets you excited to explore it. That’s why the relatively quick run-time was quietly disheartening — although the promise of a Gauntlet Mode and Boss Rush in the newly released DLC has me excited to revisit the colorful edges of the spirit realm. A visually stunning swan song for Humble Games, the title is a must-play for platforming fans that broader gaming audiences should give a try. Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is a very solid platforming/action game that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but does a great job of making it look beautiful in the process.

For the purposes of this review, ComicBook.com was provided a review code of Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus