Ability-gated progression and RPG-lite character enhancement are cornerstones of the Metroidvania subgenre, andBō: Path of the Teal Lotusis no exception when it comes to its incorporation of these key elements. WhileBō: Path of the Teal Lotustakes inspiration from several different games to form its unique collage of ideas, its closest analog is undoubtedly Team Cherry’sHollow Knight.Hollow Knightwould put its own spin on character progression, accessibility, and customization through its collectible Charms, andBōfollows in its footsteps with the Daruma Allies and Omamori Charms, both of which have the power to completely transform gameplay.
Similar toHollow Knight’s Charms, the Omamori Charms inBō: Path of the Teal Lotusare collectible and equipable accessories that attempt to cater to various playstyles. While the Omamori Charms are designed to balance out gameplay and compensate for what might otherwise be a player’s weakness, the Daruma Allies occupy a different place inBō’s gameplay. These summonable allies are more akin to special moves, and each of them has alternate attacks that allow for player expression in their use. Speaking with Game Rant about these items and their impact on gameplay,Bō’s director, Christopher Stair, revealed plenty about how they work and what went into their design.
How Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus' Omamori Charms Work
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus' Omamori Charms are actually one of the contributions that designer Milton Guasti (ofAM2Rfame) brought to the table, incorporated as a way to balance out gameplay and offset players' frustrations with the core gameplay loop. AsBō’s director Christopher Stair notes, “the Omamori are really all just accessibility features with skins.”
One of the first Omamori Charms players will likely obtain inBōis the Prosperity Charm, which acts as a magnet for enemy resource drops and makes collecting money more efficient. But players can expect a wide variety of other Charms to find and collect throughoutBō: Path of the Teal Lotus.
“There could be one that heals you over time, lets you run faster, slows down time during certain actions, money magnet, etc.
[…]
These are all just to kind of aid or help the player in places where they may feel weaker.”
While most of the Omamori are geared toward accommodating different playstyles and alleviating any frustration that might come from favoring one approach over another, there are still certain Omamori Charms that have a transformative effect on gameplay. Stair reveals that one charm, the Innovation Omamori, “spawns a slicing steel fan around Bō whenever the player expends a jump reset” to emphasize and incentivize players to come to terms with the game’saerial combat.
Daruma Allies in Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus Enable Powerful Abilities
In addition to the Omamori Charms, players will have eight different Daruma Allies to collect and use inBō: Path of the Teal Lotus. Unlike the Omamori Charms, though, Daruma Allies are powerful,game-changing summonsthat each has a standard attack and an alternate ability that incorporates player expression and creativity in terms of how and when they are used.
“For example, the first Daruma you get, ‘Chomper,’ may seem like a Hadouken-type spell, but a well-timed secondary cast while Chomper is dashing will cause Chomper to do a bite in his current location and deal big damage.”
Each of the Daruma Dolls that players collect acts similarly, with each one featuring a standard and alternate attack that players can incorporate into their arsenal and move set to fit the situation. Surprisingly, the inspiration for the Daruma Dolls' alternate attacks comes from an unlikely place with Stair noting being a fan of “skill-based action commandsin games (a laPaper Mario)” and wanting to incorporate them inBō.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus
WHERE TO PLAY
DRIFT DOWN FROM THE CELESTIAL REALM: Flow with acrobatic grace and agility through a mysterious world of myth and legend in Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, a colorful hand-drawn adventure inspired by Japanese folklore.Undertake a mystical journey as Bō, a celestial blossom (fox tentaihana) descended from the heavens to fulfill a mysterious ancient prophecy. Use your legendary bō staff to bounce and glide fluidly through an otherworldly realm of hand-drawn, dreamlike landscapes, strange and adorable yokai, and massive monsters summoned from ancient legends of Japan.DISCOVER A MYSTERIOUS AND HAUNTED WORLD: Explore a diverse and interconnected world in a 2.5D side-scrolling action-platformer with Metroidvania elements. Journey to a haunted castle, a thriving Japanese-inspired metropolis, and many more strange and wondrous places—then find ways to travel back and fully explore newly unlocked paths and surprises.FIND YOUR FLOW: Navigate the world’s platforming challenges with acrobatic precision, elegance, and finesse. Use Bō’s distinctive move-and-reset system to reach new areas efficiently or recover when your footing flounders.
