The Features

One of the most anticipate games of this year is an RPG from Bioware, developers of Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic - the 2003 Game of the Year*.  Many loved that game and have been impatiently waiting to see what they would develop next. BioWare created a martial-arts themed action RPG set against a gorgeous China backdrop. Interested to see if Jade Empire is as good as Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR)?  Read on to find out.

• Stunning Environment: Set across Imperial China
• Epic Storyline: Captivating story based on the lore and myth of ancient China
• Combat Styles: combines martial-arts, weapons, & magic to fight foes and mythical creatures

Gameplay

Jade Empire puts you into the shoes of a special prodigy being trained at a secluded martial-arts academy. You are an orphan and have little knowledge of where you came from or what happened to your parents. Since childhood the Master of the academy has taken you under his wing and trained you to be one of the best fighters around.  But before you get too comfortable navigating the academy and interacting with your classmates in sparring, strange outsides come to disrupt your village. But the mysteries of this story are only beginning.

 When starting the game you must select a character from a small variety of warriors.  Most of the male characters look like a typical everyman, but of course there are ladies as well that lend a little more distinguishing variety than their male counterparts.  As with most RPGs your character begins with a small amount of ability and you must gain experience to enhance your fighting skills. Gems may also be collected to give extra powers and enhancements.

 The game quickly shifts into high gear when a mercenary group arrives by sea to attack your village and fellow students. Fortunately your master is a boat destroying tough-guy that saves the day. In the aftermath it appears that his past has caught up with him and it’s somehow tied into your destiny. What that destiny is to be is the plot line of the story. Along the way you’ll meet a variety of people that follow you on your adventures, occasionally helping in your tasks & fights.  These followers range from a mad scientist whose inventions can be both helpful & dangerous to a demon possessed child that transforms into a large beast to crush your foes.  This gang of quirky adventurers will be your companions as you make your way to the Imperial City in search of answers to your mysterious adventure.

Once of the strongest features of the game is in the storyline. It captivates you within the first moments and in typical BioWare fashion is full of jaw-dropping surprises. The voice acting is wonderful as well. In a few conversations you wonder if the characters voice is really from that Hollywood actor or if you’re just hearing a really good impersonation. Thankfully the cheesy lines and unimportant side-stories are kept to a bare minimum in this game. As in KOTOR you get to choose between good & evil dialogue. This dialogue, and the adventures you choose to take, will often change what opportunities you’ll have later on in the story.

Graphics & Sound

You’ll quickly notice that the game play looks very familiar if you’ve played BioWare’s previous title. The KOTOR familiarities are all over this title, but it works well with this story. The graphics are amazing, from the people to the backgrounds, it all comes together into a stunning package. If there is one flaw in the game it is in the combat and how repetitive it gets after a few hours of play. 

Final Comments

Jade Empire is a good game, with excellent graphics, writing, and the familiarity of the KOTOR setup you can dive right in and have fun. However the repetitive fighting wears on you a bit, but not enough for you to consider putting down the controller. Jade Empire does not rise to the spectacular levels of greatness that KOTOR exemplified but it does get awfully close. If you enjoyed Knights of the Old Republic, or are a fan of RPG games in general, Jade Empire deserves to be added to your game library.

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