Jade Empire

Added April 20th, 2005 by Serenity Now

Introduction:

From the makers of 2003's Game of the Year Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, comes Jade Empire. In this action RPG based on Chinese mythology you will explore lush worlds as you overcome your worries, enemies, and even yourself. With very few quality role-playing games on the Xbox, a game like Jade Empire was needed. Everything about this game is incredibly well done. So far this year, there have only been two Game of the Year contenders released. Jade Empire is one of them. RPG fans rejoice. Not for just any given reason though; Jade Empire is one hell of a game. BioWare has once again outdone themselves.

Gameplay:

Jade Empire isn’t your normal RPG. Everything is in real-time. This, however, doesn’t mean that you won’t have all the level ups, experience points, etc that you would normally find in your fundamental RPG. You still have all the good stuff, except now you get to kick ass in real-time. That’s right, no more waiting your turn to open up some cans, now you can do it without any hesitation. For me, this is a breath of fresh air. I know all you fan-boys and girls that love the traditional RPG turn-based style might be upset that BioWare decided to go down the road less traveled, but trust me, they delivered. Sure, this might not be like Knights of the Old Republic as far as how it plays, but it’s definitely of equal magnitude.

When you start out you have to choose your character and his attributes of your liking. There are multiple different combat styles to select from. Don’t worry though; all styles can be obtained at some time or another, so you really don’t have to choose wisely at the beginning. After you choose your character you have a choice to name him yourself; use the character’s real name in the game; or choose a random name (I named him myself). To begin with, you will be in training at a martial arts type school. Your teacher, Master Li, is a wise man. He will guide you and tell you what you need to do in the beginning of the game. The first missions in Jade Empire consist of doing random stuff such as small battles and discovering your past. Later on in the game you will venture out and create your own path that will be decided by your decisions.

You can switch between different fighting styles by using the d-pad. It is particularly easy to do and is required to survive. For example, you might not have enough Chi Power to use your sword, forcing you to switch to a more conventional style. This helps to mix things up a bit and really adds depth to the game. To win battles you basically just mash the A button and occasionally block. When your opponent blocks an attack this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t strike him. All you have to do is hold X and you will do a powerful attack that will burst through his shield. Attacks differ on what type of fighting style you are using. Different styles do not mean just fighting. In Jade Empire, you will use spells, fire, and other sorts of magic in order to defeat your enemies. Jade Empire does a great job in mixing it up. Not just with its many combat styles, but in level design. You will go through dungeons, small towns, and a wide variety of forests as you travel your own path.

The story in Jade Empire is very mystical, and is best for you to find out what it’s about by playing the game yourself. So, with out giving much away, I’ll just say that you’re a young student who has had a troubling past that you will soon learn about early on in the game. Your teacher, Master Li, will help you on your way to uncovering your past, and discovering what you are meant to become. You are meant for great things, but will you choose the right path? It’s all up to you. Each and every decision you make will determine you destiny. For an action RPG, Jade Empire has a very deep and unique story; it’s also very well presented via the many cut-scenes.

Graphics:

Very, very nice visuals are found in Jade Empire. Some of the best special effects I have seen in an RPG. The different day and night settings are gorgeous. Character models look good, especially any of the characters you have to choose from. Your character moves so graceful. The actual characters in the game could use some work though. For example -- Master Li’s beard looks like a gray piece of paper. Facial expressions (which I was really hoping for in this game) are almost non-existent. The spirits/demons look really great, even more so in the cut-scenes than in the in-game action. I’m sure that was a surprise.

The different climate elements all look fantastic. When you see fire in this game, it will take your breath away, and when it hits whoever you throw it at, you will be astonished by the animations. You will fall in love with this game’s atmosphere. The pink flowers, the wind slowly lifting the leaves, the sound of your footsteps quickly grazing the ground beneath your feet, and the leaves falling off of the trees as you swarm past them. The environments look supernatural. In other words, Jade Empire is set in a fairy-tale like setting, but what lies beneath is a dark and sinister story. When it comes to setting an ambiance, Jade Empire not only delivers -- oh no, it doesn’t just deliver, it’s setting an example for other games of this genre. Bravo BioWare, bravo.

Audio:

The audio in Jade Empire is of top-notch quality. Everything from the voice-overs to the fighting sounds, to the music; it’s all tremendously well done. They did an excellent job on the voice-overs, especially since there was so much to do. Line after line of dialogue, everything stays first-rate. They took the time and, trust me, it paid off. What was really refreshing is that there are actually voice-overs throughout each discussion, unlike just text in Way of the Samurai. There weren’t any misspelled words that I could find either. Jade Empire screams high production values, as should every AAA game.

The music in Jade Empire is very fitting. There’s Chinese tribe music that will play throughout the game. It can get upbeat and slow at any given time. As mentioned, it fits the game’s setting perfectly. The combat noises sound great -- including magic spells, fire, swords, and, of course, straight up fist fights. The developers took the time to make each sound unique to this game. These aren’t just some generic sound effects, no; BioWare had their crew working around the clock to produce these exceptional sound effects. Once again, well done BioWare, well done.

Controls:

One of the best things about Jade Empire is how responsive and intuitive the controls are. The button layout is in all sincerity, one of the best layouts for a console RPG I have ever seen. Pressing right, left, up, or down on the d-pad will switch between the different fighting styles you have unlocked. The right thumb-stick controls the camera, but there is really no reason to do this because the camera barely ever needs fixing. The camera is always right behind you making for a seamless experience.

The A button will do your normal fast attack on most fighting styles. You can win most battles (especially early on in the game) by just pressing the A button over and over again. When someone blocks an attack all you have to do is hold down the X button and it will shatter their shield. When your health is low pressing the white button will restore it, how much it will restore depends on the length of time you hold down the white button and how much Chi you have. In short, the controls in Jade Empire are unmatched when it comes to console RPGs.

Replay:

Jade Empire’s single-player campaign will last you approximately 20 hours the first time through. This includes completing the main missions and most, if not all, side quests as well. There are mini games that you can unlock by doing side quests, and once unlocked can be played at any time when you boot up the game from the main menu. The question is though; will you want to go through a second or maybe even a third time? The answer is, yes. There are many different choices you can make, making each run through a whole new experience. The first time I played through, I went down the more conservative road, meaning I was nice to everybody and did what I was told to do. The second time though, I was a rebel. I was discourteous to everyone including Master Li. Yeah, he got ticked off at me many times. But, oh well, that’s what makes this game so much fun. You can say almost anything you want thanks to the many reply options. You can choose to be polite, rude, or just plain stupid.

Jade Empire is an open-ended real-time RPG that will last you a long time. Those disappointed with Fable’s length are in for a real treat. Not only is Jade Empire’s main crusade longer, you’ll want to go through it at least twice. Not to mention the unlockable mini games. You don’t even have to start up the story mode to play them, all are selectable through the main menu! Jade Empire is a masterpiece, which has an incredible amount of depth, and can be enjoyed for many plays through.

Summary:

With extremely high production values, an open-ended story, and just about everything else a good RPG needs, Jade Empire is a brilliant experience. Jade Empire sets an example for other games of its genre. Not only does this game have an almost unbelievable amount of depth, it can be enjoyed by the not so hardcore as well because it’s not turn-based. Everything is in real-time and quite frankly, that’s the way it should be. I applaud BioWare’s hard work and effort; they pulled off what everybody was expecting, and more. Jade Empire has lived up to every last bit of its hype, and I could not be happier.