Bo | Game Brain — video game discovery

About

"Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus" is a 2.5D side-scrolling action-platformer inspired by Japanese folklore. Play as Bo, a celestial fox on a mission to fulfill a prophecy in a mystical world filled with yokai, ancient monsters, and hand-drawn landscapes. Explore an interconnected world with Metroidvania elements, discovering new paths and surprises as you perfect your acrobatic navigation skills.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 249 reviews

gameplay27 positive mentions

grinding25 negative mentions

Beautiful artwork and design that captures a charming aesthetic.
Engaging gameplay with a focus on aerial combat and platforming mechanics, reminiscent of games like Hollow Knight and Ori.
Challenging yet rewarding boss fights that encourage skillful movement and strategy.

Frustrating platforming sections that can lead to repeated failures and lengthy resets, particularly in late-game areas.
Some bosses have excessive health, making fights feel tedious rather than challenging.
The game lacks a cohesive world design, feeling more linear and disconnected compared to other metroidvanias.

gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
71%
3%
The gameplay is heavily inspired by titles like *Hollow Knight* and *Ori and the Will of the Wisps*, featuring a strong emphasis on the pogo mechanic for both combat and platforming, which many players find enjoyable and challenging. While the mechanics are generally praised for their fluidity and creativity, some reviewers note issues with difficulty spikes and a lack of polish compared to its inspirations. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning experience with engaging mechanics, though it may feel derivative to some players.
- “I would put the gameplay somewhere between Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Hollow Knight as far as combat pacing goes, and one of the best metroidvanias I've played recently.”
- “The gameplay mechanics of bouncing off enemy heads, mushrooms, and lanterns are heavily reminiscent of Hollow Knight, with the added twist of gaining an additional jump with every midair strike.”
- “The art is gorgeous, the music is distinctive, and the gameplay is really fun with a lot of ways to modify your playstyle, be it with omamori or with daruma dolls.”
- “It was trying really hard to be Hollow Knight or Ori and the Blind Forest but just didn't have the gameplay polish.”
- “Despite all the effort clearly that went into both the mechanics and visuals of this game, I can’t help but feel like it’s so much missed potential, because of the fact that it uses Hollow Knight as such an extreme crutch.”
- “The gameplay mechanics of bopping enemy heads, mushrooms, and lanterns are heavily reminiscent of Hollow Knight, with the added twist of gaining an additional jump with every midair strike.”
story
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
4%
The game's story is generally seen as engaging but not groundbreaking, with some players finding it compelling while others felt a lack of emotional connection. Many appreciated the lore and character interactions, though some criticized the storytelling for being predictable or overly reliant on text-heavy exposition. Overall, while the narrative has its strengths, it may not resonate with everyone, especially when compared to similar titles like Hollow Knight.
- “They do a good job of telling a full, compelling story in a relatively short amount of time without it feeling like I was stuck in an endless loop of 'race to the next dialogue point.' The movement and platforming are challenging without being a showstopper, and the boss fights are all unique and satisfying to beat.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the music is driving, the story is engaging, and the gameplay is smooth and fun.”
- “The visual and sound design are excellent all the way through, and the dialogue and story are charming at best and unobtrusive at worst.”
- “While the story (and combat) is serviceable, with a ton of exposition regarding the lore should you choose to read them, it was enough to motivate me to push towards the end, and boy was the final boss fight worth it.”
- “I liked the characters, but the themes are something I've seen a lot of before, and most of the actual story happens in the background.”
- “I certainly tried to care about the story, but when the vast majority of it is 'look at this wall of text', I quickly got tired of it.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
38%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, beautiful animations, and immersive aesthetics that evoke a strong sense of Japanese folklore. Reviewers highlight the fluidity of the visuals and the overall artistic design, comparing it favorably to titles like Hollow Knight and Okami. While some minor issues with visual clutter during combat were noted, the overall impression is that the game's graphics significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
- “Incredible art & visuals, smooth & precise gameplay flow, and in my opinion the perfect length for a metroidvania.”
- “The graphics are consistently convincing and seem like a skillful development of the Okami style, coupled with the style of Hollow Knight.”
- “Overall, it's a gorgeous journey through a world full of Japanese folklore that will impress with its visuals, sound, platforming, and its unique aerial combat system.”
- “Sometimes the visuals can be a little too cluttered in combat, but that is a minor issue, and only relevant in a couple boss fights.”
- “This also happened when I first launched the game, and two of the little animations that display the developer logo and whatnot also had bugged out graphics.”
- “Despite all the effort clearly that went into both the mechanics and visuals of this game, I can’t help but feel like it’s so much missed potential, because of the fact that it uses Hollow Knight as such an extreme crutch.”
music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The music in the game has received a largely positive reception, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the vibrant art style. While some found the soundtrack to be exceptional, particularly during battles, others felt it was merely pleasant but not particularly memorable. Overall, the music is described as beautiful and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack is great and fits the mood of each location nicely - though I think the battle tracks are where it truly shines.”
- “Let me start by saying the art and music/sound design are absolutely gorgeous and incredible.”
- “The music is great, and sometimes the game sounds line up with the music and it's just amazing.”
- “Music: the soundtrack, to me, is nothing to write home about.”
- “That doesn't mean I think it was bad, more so that I was never really caring about the music as I played the game.”
- “That said, I would be the first to admit that I typically don't resonate much with a game's music unless it really blows me away.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Players have criticized the game's grinding aspect for its excessive and tedious platforming, particularly in the late game, where long stretches without checkpoints lead to frustrating repetition. Many found the need to farm for currency to unlock upgrades unnecessarily time-consuming, detracting from the overall experience. While some enjoyed the challenge, the lack of fast travel options and frequent need to redo sections made the gameplay feel more like a slog than an engaging adventure.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The stretches between respawn points is just absurd, and it is pointlessly tedious and feels like the game doesn't respect my time when it sends me ridiculously far back in the middle of even close to the end of a platforming section.”
- “As it is, I just can't find it in me to beat the final boss because of exactly this - it is just a tedious, overly repetitive and long platforming challenge with no checkpoints that I have to restart all over if I die.”
- “The last third of this game just felt like they swapped gears and said what if we made the game tedious instead of fun to pad out some numbers.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art and music, which enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight it as a masterfully crafted environment that complements the gameplay, making it one of the most atmospheric games they've encountered, particularly for fans of similar titles like "Ori and the Blind Forest." Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and engaging sound design contributes to a captivating and immersive atmosphere.
- “The art and music really complement the atmosphere of the game very well.”
- “One can say that the atmosphere of this game is conducted masterfully.”
- “The atmosphere is beautiful, the gameplay is fun and not awkward at all.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Character development in the game is visually impressive, with standout character designs and beautifully crafted biomes that draw inspiration from titles like Hollow Knight. However, reviewers caution that while the art and cutscenes are well-executed, the game lacks deep lore and substantial character development, suggesting players temper their expectations in that regard.
- “Really fun character designs and each biome is beautifully done.”
- “Character design is on point; it's what I expected and more in some cases, and the artistic cutscenes are very well done.”
- “Without spoiling anything for those that still want to play the game, I simply wouldn't recommend getting your hopes up for any deep lore or character development.”
- “The style of things is obviously inspired by Hollow Knight in the respect of character designs, but it definitely does its own things given the setting it adopted.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game's designs are praised for their quality, players report a lack of emotional connection to the story, comparing it to "Hollow Knight" in terms of feeling detached and suggesting that the narrative fails to resonate deeply with them.
- “The designs are fantastic, but I have zero emotional connection with the story.”
- “Like Hollow Knight, but touching the ground is optional.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly. Additionally, the inclusion of cloud save functionality enhances the user experience.
- “The game runs great on the Steam Deck, and the addition of cloud save is a fantastic feature.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; it consistently performs well without any noticeable lag.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight the presence of cute and funny side characters, which add a lighthearted and entertaining element to the game. These characters contribute to the overall humor, enhancing the player's experience with their quirky personalities and comedic interactions.
- “The game is filled with cute and funny side characters that always bring a smile to my face.”
- “I love how the humor is woven into the dialogue, making even the most serious moments light-hearted.”
- “The quirky antics of the side characters add a delightful charm to the overall experience.”