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One of the Greatest RPGs-but very pre-mature 3 stars

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If you are into martial arts, as well as RPG's, this game is it, I bought it last night and would not have gone to bed if I didn't have to work at 8:00 a.m. the next morning. This game has high potential. It was so great, I woke up early the next day to get my fix in. This is an excellent game

Add-on to original: CAN'T CHANGE THE RATINGS, BUT CAN EDIT. 3 STARS: Nearly a year after I bought this, it was a fun game, but to short, which disappoints me. I feel this game might have been a little premature. If you notice they are re-releasing it, "re-release" meaning they are doing what they should have done in the first place. I would re-rate it at about 3 stars, because it was fun, but did have some problems, definately a great concept, just rushed. I just wish these guys would do something right the first time round.

Jade Empire is a cool game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 7
Date: April 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

the graphics are good the story line was good i thought it be too short but when its this good who cares.

Excellent game, a must have for Xbox owners

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 16, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Despite inevitible comparisons to the KOTOR series, Jade Empire really stands on its own as an extraordinary game.

It can be similar to Knights of the Old Republic in some respects; the conversation system that worked well in KOTOR is back here, with similar good and evil paths that you can follow (Open Hand and Closed Fist for good/evil respectively). The dialog is top-notch for a game, in standard Bioware quality, and the voice acting for it is also great. It is a bit awkward at first since I was expecting a more chinese-sounding voice set, but I think their decision to stay away from badly imitated accents was ultimately a good one.

Gameplay is also very good, and the difficulty is readily adjustable. Combat is a series of combinations more on par with the Dynasty Warriors style of fighting than with Tekken, but it has a flavor of its own that makes it interesting. Different styles of fighting and different weapons are available to change up the action, and each has its own feel and animation set. Fun and challenging, but not weighed down by being overly deep or bogged down in RPG statistics. Very accessible to players not trained on hours of arcade fighters, but still fun for those people on higher difficulty levels.

Speaking of animations, they're outstanding. The character models are well made, and the fluidity of the motion has the grace and beauty that kung-fu display should. Very well done, and worth a separate mention on their own.

The story is very well done as well, probably the key element for a role-playing game; characters are interesting and well realized for their different traits and motivations. It has the feeling of an old style kung-fu movie, with a good mix of emotional material both funny and sometimes tragic.

Terrific game, a must buy for RPG and/or kung-fu movie fans.

OUTSTANDING Single Player RPG!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: April 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Just finished this game, and it simply blew me away. It is deffinetly my idea of a near perfect single player RPG.

-Very good well written story.
-Great characters.
-Great voice acting.
-Awesome fight system that is really fun.
-Terrific soundtrack that fits whatever is happening perfectly.
-Tons of subquests to do.
-Lots of choices that WILL effect the outcome of the game, as well as relationships with other characters.
-Many different unique fighting styles, ranging from martial arts, to weapons, magic, or physical transformation.
-The way the player behaves during the game shapes their character, and the path he/she follows.

A few minor camera angle problems during some of the battles is pretty much the ONLY flaw I found with this game.

If you enjoy RPGs, do yourself a favor and buy Jade Empire.
Really an fantastic gaming experience.

AWESOME game to play on the XBOX game system

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: April 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Jade Empire is a really total awesome game to play

I give it a 5 Stars "Highly Recommended" really total worth it to buy & play this game on the Xbox game system

This is a must have game to buy & play it got AWESOME review for Jade Empire

More of the same...in the best way possible.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: April 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Okay, I don't know if I'm really qualified to write a review for this game yet seeing as how I'm only 10 hours into it, but damn, I feel I have to add to the positive input that should convince people to buy this game. This game has sucked me in. Goodbye Halo 2 (for a little while anyways), goodbye social life, goodbye girlfriend (just kidding--I still see her on the weekends ;) ), hello Jade Empire. This game is so gorgeous that I can hardly begin to describe it. It feels like every blade of grass, every tile on every roof, every statue in every town, has been there for centuries and belongs there. I love jumping into a game with an already lived-in feel, as if everything makes sense because of being crafted by years of experience. I love the fight system and the good/bad polarization that has carried over from KOTOR (which I always thought was one of the best replay elements a game could have). But the visuals are what drew me in the most. The architecture, the color, the feel of this game astounds me. Do yourself a favor and buy this game, even if you're only a partial fan of kung-fu movies and rpg games. If you have a small interest in the ancient chinese culture, possibly piqued by movies like Hero, Crouching Tiger, or House of Flying Daggers, this game will most definitely be your cup of tea. If you don't like good action games with deep storylines (and I haven't even finished it yet!) and beautiful visuals, then don't buy this game. And stay away from me...you freak.

Easily the game of the YEAR!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Rarely does a game so hyped up live up to it's expectations. They can be very good and serviceable, but they don't blow you away. This game blew me away after just five minutes. Having just experienced the awful second installment to KOTOR, I was jonesing for a good RPG. I really enjoyed Fable, but it was waaaaay too short, and it seemed liked it was a little rushed out to the market. It was still a very good game though.

Jade Empire blows it away. Everything that was great about Fable, is even better in JE. Everything that was lacking in Fable, they not only fixed it in JE, but they NAILED it. Let's go down to the specifics.

**I need to add this disclaimer as I have noticed distinct differences in game reviews based on the reviewers entertainment system configuration. If you don't have a system which can fully exploit all aspects of this game, then you might not rate it as high as someone who does. I fortunately have spent way too much money on my system, and can fully enjoy it in all it's glory.

Graphics:

It's about as good as it can get on the Xbox. For those of us who also play PC games, we have gotten a little spoiled with the amazing graphics that have been coming out on the current PC titles; but graphics are not just in the clarity and resolution. JE has AMAZING cinemagamophry. There are scenes that are truly breathtaking, where I just panned around taking in the amazing scenery. I found myself trying to find a print screen function to capture those pictures, like I was a tourist on vacation.

Audio

The sound is really, really well done. There were times that I thought I was hearing things outside my window, and was kind of embarrased when I found out it was just noises coming from the game. Ah, surround sound at it's finest. I did have to do some tweaking in the Audio options to really set the sounds to where I most enjoyed them, but it only took a few minutes and made all the difference in the world. I recommend to stop sometimes, enjoy the scenery, and listen to the ambient noises that have been added. Bioware really added a vast amount of wonderful sounds, that only adds to the depth and richness of this title.

Gameplay

This is where Jade Empire really excels. Fable had an enjoyable fighting system, but did not nearly have the same depth and complexity as Jade Empire. Jade Empire's fighting system will be emulated for many years to come. It really was able to setup a simple system in which a beginning user could pick it up and start fighting right away, while giving the advanced user the complex fighting system that we always yearn for. The fact that it automaticlly pauses the game when you want to switch to a style that is not set in your D-pad is such a huge improvement, that I think this will be the standard for all console games from here on out. Not only were they able to achieve this without taking away from the flow of battle, but Bioware was able to enhance it. Truly amazing.
Jade Empire has the same action, consequences system as Knights of the Old Republic, but it is a lot more in depth and rewarding. I also noticed there was a lot better opportunities for anyone who wanted to walk the Way of the Closed Fist(bad guy). I'm going to start all over again, playing as a Closed Fist character, to see the difference. I loved the fact that you could also romance both female leads, and get them at the end. Nothing feeling like a real hero, when you can convince two women that it's perfectly OK to date both of them at the same time without having to give your credit card number.

Overall

If you're an RPG buff, this is the game for you. If you loved KOTOR and Fable, you will worship this game as the new Messiah, who brings beauty and truth to your life. If your a Graphics Nazi, you might not get past the lower level graphics that are presented on the Xbox, and might feel that this is a negative. Until Xbox 2 comes out, this is about as good as it can get. This game has really set the standard for all current and future RPG. Knights of the Old Republic revived and renewed it, JE has perfected it.

The Empire Strikes

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game had everything. There is much to cover, but I will do what I can.

First of all, a fantastic story with its share of plot twists and surprises you can expect from BioWare. Memorable characters with uses so varied and unique that it really made them matter. Quality voice acting, on par with KOTOR. Gorgeous graphics and larger locations (hence less loading points) than KOTOR had. The best of all was the combat system. It is so in depth and just so fun, yet utterly accessable. There is basically a five minute learning curve. Some games can take hours or days to figure out. Jade Empire gets you quickly immersed into its easy system and doesn't compromise anything while doing it.

The game has definite replay value as well. There are four different character types (balanced, fast, strong, magic) each with extremely different and satisfying combat styles. The character models themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Oh, and not to mention that the game has three different endings.

The most satisfying aspect of all is the type of game and the way it plays out. It is classified as a Roleplaying game, but is far from your typical RPG. The roleplaying aspect is all in the dialogue. Unlike most, there are only three different stats you will maintain (body, spirit, and mind). They work well, and will make a very unique character depending on how you choose to level up. You will also learn many different styles of fighting as opposed to having a ton of inventory. You will find several items that you do not really carry or equip, but immediately become bound to you and enhance your stats. You wear no equipment during the course of the game. The only thing you will "wear" is an amulet which you can place three gems of your choice in. There are multitudes of these throughout your travels.

That is, in my opinion, the best part of the game. It's nice to be able to focus on the combat and environment much more than sorting through items you pick up. There are a few places you can buy a new weapon, but it will be rare. I ended the game using the first weapon I got not even 10 minutes into the game. In KOTOR you could accumulate something like 2,000 items at any given time. In Jade Empire, if you want to count gems as items, since they are, once again, the only thing you "wear", you may have something like 10-15 at any given time. You also have a party member who is a mobile merchant who will buy excess gems off you at any point in the game. You will likely never be carrying more than 5 of these at once. That is a hell of a relief from your typical RPG.

And so, what is Jade Empire? If I had to plunk it in some genre... I would call it an action/adventure/RPG. It soaks up all the good from other games, and sheds all the lousy. To anyone with an Xbox, this is one of the best games you'll ever play. It's the most fun I've ever had with a video game in a long time. I can only see good things for BioWare in the future, what with the coming of Neverwinter Nights 2 and Dragon Age in the next year or two.

Jade Empire is already a heavy contender for 2005 Game of the Year. Don't miss it!

Polished and shorter version of KOTOR

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First of all, the 9.9 rating that appears on the box cover is overrated. It's one of the best games to come out this year, but it's closer to a 8.5 or 9.0.

For fans who love the immersive storyline of Star Wars - Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), this is a game certainly not to be missed. Creating a brand new set of characters in a new world is not an easy task, but this is exactly what BioWare accomplished in Jade Empire. The graphics are top-rate, making KOTOR look like a PS2 game. Real-time martial arts action replaces a turn-based fight system, creating a seamless environment. Other reviews complained that using all of the controller buttons made the game too confusing. However, this system is much better than having to memorize combos for fight moves.

Compared to KOTOR, the game feels much shorter because there are fewer locations to explore. With fewer side missions, the story felt tighter and more polished, but there wasn't a feeling of freedom as in KOTOR. At times, it feels like you're not solving puzzles as much as simply advancing the plot.

Jade Empire is a fantastic, polished, single player RPG with 20-25 hours of gameplay. The only downside is that the game makes you yearn for more. Hopefully, Bioware will release a sequel to this game with a even larger world to explore.

Jade Empire

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Jade Empire is one of the best games to come out this year, and it did just about everything right. I have very few gripes and so on a scale of 1-10 I would give it more of a 9.5. I rate on a couple of categories when deciding the rating of a game, so it's easy to follow the review. So read on if you want my full opinion.

Video:
Firstly, the graphics. The graphics throughout the entire game are very pretty and pleasing to the eye, the Jade Empire is a fun world to look at and the character models are beautiful and not duplicated often. The lighting in the game is more than adequate for a game like this, there are shadows for about every object in the game. The only bad thing I can say is that sometimes when talking the character animations can get a little jerky or awkward sometimes (You might have to wait for a character to turn around or something as such, which is woefully slow sometimes). However, the combat animations look smooth as silk and move exactly how you want them to.

Audio:
The audio in Jade Empire is very impressive as well. The music completely immerses you within the world of the Empire, and it definitely breathes a large component of the combat in Jade Empire, you just feel like whistling some of the tunes that you get when you're ripping out the ribs of an ogre. The sound effects in the game are also done well, the kicks and punches and flips and rolls sound real when you're dancing around an enemy you're right about to bop a good one in the face. And, as in all BioWare games, the voice overs are sublime, and sometimes you could swear you're talking to another person. The only real gripe I have in audio (and it's an extremely small gripe that is mostly just an idea for the developers) is that, you, the main character, doesn't have a voice, you can talk, but I think it would be nice if you would play what you said in a voice.

Gameplay:
Here's a big one, the gameplay. The gameplay in Jade Empire is excellent, the combat system is fluent and it feels smooth. This is one of the bad things, sometimes it gets so smooth that you don't really get the feeling that you hit the guy, like you did damage to him but your foot passed over his face, not hit it. Other than that the gameplay is very amazing. The game has many different styles and methods that allow you to deal with your enemies and the game gives you some time to explore this system, alas, you don't feel like it gives you enough. Also, a somewhat big part of the game is running around and talking to people, I have no problem with it, but some players may be turned off by this dynamic. But overall, the gameplay is satisfying and fun.

Story:
The story is well written and done, telling the story of you starting off at a school, figuring out that you are the last of your people, so on and so on. The story is good, but sometimes I felt like it was just re-hashing KOTOR's story. For instance: A guy named Gao the Greater reminded me of Davik, this guy may have been on purpose but Hapless Han reminded me of Deadeye Duncan, Dawn Star reminded me of a cross between Carth and Bastila, Inquisitor Lim reminded me somewhat of Calo Nord (mostly becuase you fight him and Gao at the same time), and Silk Fox reminded me of Canderous (because she's a jerk). But that's not saying that the story doesn't feel like it isn't its own. The only other bad thing I can say about the story is that there aren't any GOOD plot twists that you wouldn't be able to predict from the very beginning [if everyone disagrees with me then I can just proclaim myself smart :)].

Overall:
Jade Empire is a must buy for any X-Box owner. It has a great (though somewhat same-feeling) story. Great gameplay, graphics, and audio make this a game to love.

1-10 Rating: 9.5

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