The first thing I noticed while playing Jade Empire was the lack of Character customization, and no I don't mean the traits and abilities like Mind, Body and Spirit upgrades or even the fighting/support styles to which their linked. I'm talking about the visuals, stuff like outfits and armor. It just didn't seem right that aside from the color of my alignment (open or closed fist), my character couldn't sport any new looks like was done in KotOR. By the end of the game my character looked just as he did when he was an apprentice at the Two Rivers training school. Eh, but in the scope of things, it's not that big of a deal I guess. A more major issue was the fact that hardly any of JE's characters had even the slightest Chinese accent. There were two characters that I remember vividly with voices that just made me cringe. One was a overly happy guy in Tiens Landing who sounded like some creepy used car salesman and another guy in the city fighting arena who sounded like(and I kid you not) "The Comic Book Guy" from the Simpsons. It all just seemed so wrong and out of place. Another thing that was reintroduced was the dialogue trees used to give players the ability (some would say "illusion") to choose what to say towards NPC's responses. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible concept, but after awhile you'll find yourself skipping whole conversations because it's all so predictable and long-winded (although the evil responses tend to be somewhat humorous at times). I was also a bit annoyed that the games ending(s) weren't very spectacular or epic (although the one big twist at the end had me scratching my noggin in wonder and confusion, I was definitely caught off guard. I was kind of hoping that I'd get some 3-5 five minute eye candy for my troubles and not just some lame "where are they now" thing done completely in text. Although if your patient enough to stick around for the credits, you'll get some funny dialogue going on with a familiar character. Okay, so you've read what seems to be a lot of negativity on my part so far and your wondering why I still gave JE a 4/5? Well simply put, this was a very solid game with a good story to boot. There were very rare moments to where I thought JE was either too easy or difficult, and that's something that can sink a game. Look at Ninja Gaiden for example, now theres a game that's just way too difficult for it's own good. It's the reason why it's only liked by the very few die hard gamers who are gluttons for punishment. Than on the other side of the street you have all too easy games like Devil May Cry 2. But thankfully JE falls square in the middle. All-in-all Jade Empire is a beautiful looking game for the XBox and definitely worth the purchase (although you could probably rent it over the weekend given that it only takes the average gamer 15-20 hours to finish)Read full review
Very good game, although I'm not much of an rpg fan. The game has great graphics depending on which tv you play it on. Combat is repetitive, during the game you get to upgrade different fighting styles and weapons. There are many places to explore which increases the replay value.Jade Empire is very easy compared to other rpgs such as Fable, Elder Scrolls Morrowind, etc. Voice acting is nice. Not Perfect, but well done. I bought this game because Bioware is known for making excellent rpgs such as KOTOR. Summary Graphics: 4/5 Gameplay: 4/5 Sound/Voice: 4/5 Replay Value: 5/5 Hours Spent: 100+
I've heard really good words about Jade Empire and couldn't wait to play. The idea of martial arts combat in an RPG is something I've never played before as most RPGs are fantasy-based. The visuals are wonderful and the character voice-overs aren't cheesy or overly-stereotypical. I love the creativity of personal character development to choose being 'open-palm' or 'closed-fist' as opposed to being just good or evil since not everything is black or white. However some choices will reward you more money than others (that is, if that's your goal or if your character needs the cash to buy an expensive, but awesome upgrades or clothing). But compared to other BioWare RPGs, this was surprisingly short! The main quest line went faster than I anticipated so I went off to explore as much as I can and do side quests to stretch the game out as much as I can. Bottom line: Jade Empire is an enjoyable RPG experience as with other BioWare RPGs but has its weaknesses. Fortunately, the strengths outweigh it's short-comings (the big one I noticed is how short it was) and I recommend it even for RPG fanatics like me.Read full review
Jade Empire is a classic RP game set during an ancient Chinese Imperial period with lots of historical places and an interesting story line.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Honestly its a great game, just like KOTOR I & II. Lots of fun, though not as great of plot. Since I have no issues with the price.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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