Summary
Hollow Knightis often hailed as one of the best metroidvania’s in recent times, and that opinion really hasn’t wavered, even as other metroidvania’s hit the market. In fact, in many of them, you can see a lot of similarities and inspirations that possibly stemmed from Hollow Knight.
Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, is not exempt from these similarities, but it’s still an incredibly unique game that can easily stand on its own two feet. Both games have their merits, and both games have their downfalls, picking between one or the other can be incredibly difficult, which makes you wonder which one is the better game.
9Combat Diversity - Hollow Knight
Bouncing, Flouncing, Jumping All Around
One of the first things you might notice when you start playing Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus is that a lot of combat, against both minor and boss enemies, is the same. You need to pogo and jump off of them, and that’s really the most tactic you need early on.
While pogo-ing is still an aspect of Hollow Knight, it’s not as vital to getting through the game. It certainly helps, but the combat feels a lot more nuanced and requires more strategy.
At times, pogo-ing off of your enemies isn’t even a viable tactic, which provides Hollow Knight a much more nuanced combat system. Depending on how you view it, the fact that this nuanced combat systemdoes force beginners to get good very quicklyis also a big plus.
8Boss Designs - Tie
They Fit Their Environments Well
It’s hard to pick which metroidvania has the better bosses because, in all honesty, the bosses work with their individual games. They fit their environments and the aesthetics of the game well, each one unique and providing a different experience from the last.
The boss designs in both games work towards the overall appearance of each game, and their attack patterns are all notably unique, providing an enjoyable (and rage-inducing) experience during each fight. For the most part, nothing feels horribly out of place, even if you may not entirely understand why a boss is present in both games.
7Quests - Bo: Path Of The Teal Lotus
There Are Actual Quests Here
This is an easy win for Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, mostly because Hollow Knight really doesn’t have explicit quests or goals. You uncover your goal as you go through the game, but that can sometimes leave you confused about where you’re going and what you need to do next.
However, with Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, it’s hard to fall to the wayside or forget what you’re doing because the quests are explicitly clear and labeled. You’re still given some range to do as you please, and the story and goals are still uncovered as you go, but generally, it’s hard to lose track of yourself.
6Lore - Hollow Knight
Sometimes Being Vague Is Better
Is being explicitly clear with the lore of your world better? Not always. In the case of Bo: The Path of the Teal Lotus, it’s actually not a winning moment, especially when compared to Hollow Knight’s much more vague and pieced-together lore.
One of the best things about Hollow Knight is how there can be in-depth discussions regarding the lore and all the theorization that stems from that. When you’re really clear about what is happening and what has happened in your world’s lore, you lose out on some of those enchanting aspects and the mystery of it all.
5Support Characters - Bo: Path Of The Teal Lotus
They Feel More Connected, Sometimes
You meet a lot of the side characters much earlier on in Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, and all of them seem to know you better than you know them. Arguably, this is great because it helps to anchor you to the world and gives you a stronger sense of purpose.
These characters believe that you are chasing after destiny, so, with their encouragement and the approval of some, you feel invigorated to head out on your grand quest (no thanks to one character, Ashari). It’s really nice when the world and the characters feel more connected to the protagonist, and it helps with immersion.
Of course, Hollow Knight’s more detached loneliness has its benefits and works well for its story, but in this case, the side characters of Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus win out.
4Art And Music - Tie
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Is it fair to compare a lily to a lotus? No, not really. Both have their merits, and both have those who love their beauty but aren’t fond of the other.
The same stands true for the art and music of Hollow Knight and Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. Their stylization works for each game and is suited to the overall feel it’s trying to emit.Both are 2D animated games, but the visual and audio designs of each game provide a different feeling.
While Hollow Knight angles for this mournful and cute stylization (which packs its own punch), Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus goes for more of an illustrated style. In many ways, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus combines modern Ghibli-esk animation styles with more traditional forms, like ukiyo-e.
3Level Design - Hollow Knight
Home Sweet Home
Admittedly, having a designated safe area right off the bat and somewhere that you’re able to deem your home base, where you have access to friendly characters and a shop, is really nice.
Unfortunately, you don’t really get that in Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, but you do get that early-on home base and shop in Hollow Knight. A good home base provides a breather, where you don’t have to feel constantly on guard, or you may take a break and simply relax.
It also provides a place where you can purchase much-needed materials early on and return to if you end up needing more things.
2Playtime - Tie
More Isn’t Always Better?
Hollow Knight is significantly longer than Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. For some people, this may be a pro, and for others, it may be a con. Longer games mean significantly longer time investments, which you may not be able to justify.
Hollow Knight is around 28 hours in length, whereas Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus can be completed in under 16 hours, should you set your mind to it. Shorter games can provide sweeter experiences, but longer games can often prove themselves to be far more immersive and gratifying.
1Verdict - Hollow Knight
The Champion Reigns Supreme
Although Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus has a lot of appeal and merits, Hollow Knight is really good - and for a reason. Even though its mechanics are simple, there’s nuance and diversity that really make you feel immersed.
The world of Hollow Knight feels like a shell of itself, decrepit and abandoned, filled with a sense of unrequited longing. Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus is a beautiful and well-made game in its own right, but it simply doesn’t immerse you as much as Hollow Knight does. As such, Hollow Knight remainsone of the best metroidvania’s, if not the best, on the market.
