Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is the new promising video game from Squid Shock Studios.
It’s a metroidvania based on Japanese culture and tradition with elements, characters and settings typical of Japanese folklore.
The plot of Bō
The player will have to unravel the narrative through the discovery of places, fighting and learning new and incredible fighting arts.
Bō is a Tentaihana (celestial blossom): an original type of yōkai that is born when the tears of a kami (divinity) germinate the seed of a flower bearing plant.
They are directly birthed from the sorrow of the kami, because of this they are thought to be imbued with tragic purpose.
Bō descended from the heavens to play a key role in a mysterious ancient ritual.
He also wields a powerful staff (bō): a shapeshifter weapon imbued with mystical abilities that will be unlocked by the player during the game.
Gameplay and inspirations
Bō is a familiar 2D side-scrolling action platformer that merges classic hand-drawn animation and scenery with new atmospheric bells and whistles that make the experience wondrously novel yet cozily familiar.
Explore a mysterious world! The world of Bō is open and interconnected. Explore everything from haunted bathhouses to a thriving Japanese-inspired metropolis. Find ways to travel back to areas that you thought you explored fully and unlock new paths and surprises.
Gather and collect ingredients and relics. Mine the valuable resources in the Kagayaki Cave or harvest bizarre flora in the vast forests of Bō’s domain.
Unlock powerful new abilities! Brew and drink arcane teas to unlock Bō’s shapeshifting staff abilities. Including the Mochi Mallet, Blossom Dash and the Grappling Gun.
The game also contains a multitude of Japan-inspired environments and it draws inspiration from games like Okami and Hollow Knight and Anime such as Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer.
My expectations
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus has already attracted the attention of many fans thanks to its beautiful style, including colorful, lively and very pleasant settings.
The combat system seems varied and interesting: it will be equally intriguing to understand the true power of the staff and the other peculiarities of the gameplay.
The narrative still seems to be shrouded in mystery, despite the fact that many interesting features have already been revealed.
We just have to wait and hope! My expectation is about to turn into an unstoppable desire to be able to venture into Bō’s adventure as soon as possible.
