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A great game with lots of room for customizing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is a great game to play. The graphics are well done, as well as the story line. This is truly a role playing game, and you can make many different decisions to truly make you in charge of what's happening in the world of the game. Although the game is kind of short there are many things in the game you can do differently to make it interesting to replay the game. You can for example, play as a different kind of character, be good if you were evil or be evil if you were good, use different followers, and choose different characters to be at the minigame in the end. All in all this is a great game, and if blood is something that bothers you there is an option that lets you turn it off.

Everything Fable SHOULD have been--and more!

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

BioWare is certainly proving themselves an asset to Microsoft and the X-Box. Even if you didn't like KOTOR personally, you've got to give them credit for creating a Star Wars RPG that wasn't completely despised by fans. Jade Empire is a game that shows how nicely they're polishing their abilities.

Usually the good/evil (or compassion/indifference, which is a bit more accurate here) is interesting, but before now I'd never been compelled to attempt both paths. Jade Empire presents you with enough hints to really make you curious about how the game changes depending upon your choices. Certainly there was nothing in Fable or even KOTOR that really made me that interested in finding out what the other path is like.

The battle system is one of the fastest and most fluid I've seen yet. Increasing your speed or damage in an ability makes a noticible difference, more and more so as you gain levels. There's enough diversity in the different martial styles to keep them from getting monotonous, and I wouldn't assume at this point that I've even found them all. There are only two weapon styles, long sword and staff, but they also move fluidly and fast. Certain enemies are immune to certain means of attack, so you can't depend on a single one to carry you through the game.

BioWare is beginning to show some improvement with their graphics. Some of the textures are still too flat, but the movement is better and the colors are very rich and realistic. The character design is also more diverse and more interesting than KOTOR. Having six different starting characters to choose from is a definate plus, too.

Where a game like this often flags is the plot--such as Fable. JE doesn't suffer that ill-begotten fate. The story is compelling, with some unexpected twists and turns. It has a great deal of depth, with interesting bits and peices about the history of the Empire scattered throughout. The makers of Fable claimed that the choices presented in their game left little room for a good story, but JE proves you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Stunning RPG with few shortcomings.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Bioware has always made great RPGs across multiple gaming systems. This one is no exception. Many compare it to KOTOR, but I don't have the luxury of playing that game. Even without comparison, this is still a well-written, well-presented RPG with only a few small shortcomings.

The world is large and well-detailed, as are the characters presented within. There are multiple options for dialogue (standard replies and use of skills to influence decisions), and character interaction features several famous voiceovers. The main storyline is extensive, and the side-quests available expand gameplay even further.

Character creation and evolution is simple. There's three attributes; you can either start with a template character or custom-create one. Once you're levelling up within the game, you choose points in the three stats and your available fighting techniques learned through the game. A choice of a dozen followers earned through the game can enhance these attributes.

The story is very addicting. Subquests help flavor the storyline further, but aren't necessary to complete the main storyline, which contains its share of predictable and unpredictable plot turns. While there are two ways to play the game (good or evil, referred to as Open Palm or Closed Fist), there is little difference in the outcome and very little else affected by this choice.

The battle system is flashy and easy to understand. There are multiple difficulty levels, catering to play styles that are either story-intensive or battle-intensive. Techniques are learned that increase your range of abilities, and quick-change and combo systems provide for lots to master.

Overall, despite the few shortcomings, I blazed through this game quickly, unable to put it down. The story, graphics, and music all played to make this a great experience, and replayability is still high even after the game's complete.

Jade funage

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Alright, this game was pretty fun. It's an action RPG taking place in Asia, so you get to make a character that knows all that martial art stuff, and some other crazy tactics thrown in there. The game has KOTOR good/evil thingy in it, the nicer you are, the.... gooder... you... are. There aren't many bad aspects to this game, unless you have something against asians, then stay away from this game. This is one of the first xbox games i played, so i really don't have anything to compare it too, but it's a good game when you're bored and feel like getting enticed in a story. Anyhoo, i would recommend this game to anyone who has thumbs, and can read.

Great game with some flaws

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: January 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Jade Empire is an adventure Role Playing game in a complete fantasy world of magic, weaponry, and martial arts. You begin your journey as a young student of the martial arts after your village came under siege and your master was kidnapped by an unknown enemy. In your travels to locate your master, you discover that your homeland, The Jade Empire, has fallen into complete darkness and despair, incomparable to the idyllic environment of your village nestled away on the boarder. As you come to discover the mysteries of your heritage, and shed light on your darkened past, you find that you are destined for great things and that the very salvation of mankind depends upon you as the last Spirit Monk.

The best thing about this game is its story, and I tried not to give too much of it away, but the story is far from being the only great thing about this game. In addition to fighting and leveling up numerous martial and magic styles, there are about a hundred side quests you can undertake which will determine the characteristics of the protagonist. In short, you can pursue one of two philosophical ways of life: the way of the Open Palm or the Closed Fist. The way of the Open Palm is a belief system of harmony, and protecting the weak; while the Way of the Closed Fist is the worship of strength. A follower of the Way of The Open Palm will go out of his or her way to help people who are in difficult situations and don't know how to help themselves. This can range from helping an old lady see through the forgery of an Imperial Writ threatening to claim ownership of her teahouse, to saving someone being stormed by thugs. The Closed Fist follower will do just the opposite. Instead of bringing peace to peoples lives, a follower of the Closed Fist will bring chaos, but he or she will do so to see if this person is strong enough to not fall into complete ruin. If the person dies in the process, then that is good, for that person is weak and only the strong should survive and be worthy of anything. It is because of this that the Closed Fist scheme is often interpreted as evil, and is a far more dangerous path, for you will make twice the amount of enemies. Side quests all deal with people and their individual problems. You can either solve these problems for them or worsen them. To deal with them all is really the girth of the game, and most of them are in plain view and not easy to miss. So, it is not like you will need to search for them.

Another great thing is the game's numerous locales. There is the village where you begin. Tien's Landing, a town suffering from the opening of their Water Dam and a swarm of troublesome pirates. A pirate's camp on a deserted island. A haunted Forest. The Imperial City. The Lotus Assassin fortress beneath a huge Necropolis. You venture into the spirit world among other strange places. All superbly displayed on your TV screen in excellent Xbox graphics. Side objectives in addition to your main quest can be found in each location, which makes this game very engrossing, and very long. Only game that may be longer than this would be something like Final Fantasy.

Now that I am done praising this game, it is now time to mention its quirks. This game is obviously inspired by Chinese myth (inspired, not taken directly) and it is made to look like China, with upturned eaves on houses and pagodas in the mountains. HOWEVER, they all speak in English and have American accents. This annoyed me to no end. They couldn't at least find some Asian voice actor with an accent? I would have preferred reading subtitles and listening to real Chinese than what I got.
The people you meet throughout the empire are the same characters again and again, just with different voices and wearing different clothes. This was so cheap.

When people speak in Tho Fan, a fictional language of the prosperous East in the game, they use the same words (or sounds) perpetually, when they are supposedly using different words which you see in the subtitles below.

Among these nagging problems this game has, are the huge historical and religious inaccuracies. Although there is a wheel of Life belief in China, it is not governed by a Water Dragon. The Chinese Dragon is simply an elemental creature, often residing in the sea. They are not even considered Gods. Another huge blunder was the game's depiction of the Imperial City, which I am left with no choice but to assume that this is supposed to be the Forbidden City of China, which, during an emperor's reign, they would never allow common folk to tread its stone roads (that is, if they wanted to keep their heads). But in the game the city has a poor quarter, a common folk district, and a rich district, which borrows from the social strata of medieval monarchy of the west.

But what dose it matter? The gaming experience is great and I enjoyed it.

Strong Console RPG

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: November 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Although I like action games, I'm definitely more of a fan of RPG's with lots of customization and a deep storyline. I also generally prefer PC games to console games. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed Jade Empire.

There's not as much customization as with many PC RPG's; you pick one of 7 characters (4 different types, 3 mostly the same but for gender) with some preset characteristics but then you pick fighting style and allot points to body (health, strength), spirit (magic, healing), and mind (focus, weapons).

Throughout the game you follow a basic storyline though the way you choose to finish the quests and subquests affects the outcome of the game to a point. The plot was rather predictable, though.

I thought that the mix of RPG and martial arts was fun, but you lose a lot of what you would have in a game that is purely one or the other.

I liked this game, but I don't think it's going to wind up in my list of all-time favorites.

Bioware does it again!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 12
Date: April 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have played this game for a good couple hours (6+) in it's full form, not demo, and I have to say that this game is amazing! Great story, fun fighting styles and easy to get the hang of. Beautiful graphics as well! I am looking forward to getting my hands on a copy to play beyond where I got before.

I would suggest you buy this game.

The Best RPG Of All Time!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 22
Date: April 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Jade Empire is going to be one of the best RPG's of all time. The graphics are phenominal with mindblowing visuals. The sound is great and the game contains more than 300 voice overs. The fighting system is all new. It looks great and runs very fluently. The story of Jade Empire is based on Chinese myths. An evil ruler wants to take over all the nations and "you" have to stop him. This game is somewhat just like Fable, with all that upgrading your player. You upgrade your character by killing beasts and enemies. You also use magic and you change into beasts that make you kill them faster. So overall you should get this game and if you don't...WELL...TO BAD!!

Worth the price of admission

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

Jade Empire is from the people of Bioware, who gave us such wonderful games as Star Wars KOTOR and Baldurs Gate II. These guys know how to tell a story.

That being said, this is not a traditional rpg...think of it as an action rpg. There is virtually no inventory, and you do not upgrade your follower characters. You do get to customize your character, and I will say that with the sheer amount of fighting styles on top of the good/evil/neutral paths, it has replay value.

The fights are fast and fun, but the main reason to play the game is the story. Bioware creates a world that is just plain cool to travel through. You walk through the cities and talk to everyone just to find out more. I would stop and admire views, the graphics are wonderful. As with KOTOR, you just get pulled along by the story and you can't wait to see where it takes you.

Best RPG ever on a console

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you like RPGs and have played many then this is right up there with Neverwinter Nights. The story is really cool with great support characters and plenty of options for how to develop your character's fighting style. There are a variety of hand-to-hand, support, weapons, transformation, and magic styles to choose from and to build up. Switching between styles is not difficult at all and can be even more fun if you really get creative with which set of styles you use in each battle. There are tons of side quests and the romance options are a trip. My only complaint is that you cannot build your own character's look and you have to choose from a set of pre-made characters with their pre-determined starter packages. So if you want to start with a specific fighting style then you have to choose a specific looking character. Hopefully JE2 will be different in that respect. Still, this doesn't hinder your ability to change course in your martial arts training.

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