Jade Empire - To buy or not to buy

[Zed]

Look at it to decide yourself then.

looks fine to me.

KotoR has such flat, unpopulated areas.

I'll give this game a try. If it sucks hard I'll kill OP and everybody in this thread.

 

[Aeschylus]

To answer your question, it uses the "Jade Empire Engine", not Aurora.

The level design, if I recall (it's been a while) is more corridors than boxes, but I don't think bland aesthetics is something it can really be accused of.

Combat is trivially easy, which is good as it's pretty uninspired overall. Writing is typical Bioware, for whatever that's worth to you. It contains typical binary Biowarian C&C, though the consequences are mainly reflected in which combat styles you can get.

All in all, it's neither particularly awful nor particularly good. I recall basically enjoying it, but my expectations were fairly low for a very obviously console-focused game.

 

[Modron]

Also Seal of Evil, I think.

Huh, cool, didn't know about that one. It a prequel to Prince of Qin it seems.

I found Seal of Evil to be markedly worse than Prince of Qin but it has been years since I played both so I don't remember the exact reason why (iirc less character customization in level ups and writing seemed worse).

 

[Linden]

Overall it ranks as BioWare's worst game, except perhaps Dragon Age II (it's damn close).

This is going too far. I don't understand those who bash Jade Empire's setting - for me, the setting is the best part of the game. The mythology is engrossing and surprisingly fleshed out (read the scrolls!), plus it ties into the story in a meaningful way. The environments are beautiful and draw heavily upon Far Eastern nature and architecture (which is obvious, but the point is this: it is something completely different from your standard fantasy shit). I don't know about the rest of you, but I often stopped to just admire random details, like a little stream that runs through the forest or the way the flowers bend in the wind. Jade Empire might be the only game in history that got bloom right. And the plot twists might seem obvious in retrospect, but I bet you didn't see them coming on your first playthrough.

Oh, and the music (and voice acting) is top notch, ranging from soft and dreamy flutes to some rather epic gong-bashing.



That flute still gives me the chills.

tl;dr Play it.

 

[Rahdulan]

Nice Closed Fist ending. Because fuck you, gods.

 

[abnaxus]

The setting seems interesting and it is different than most (if not any?) RPG.

If you want an Asian setting try Sengoku Rance. It's much better in that regard than Jade Empire.

 

[Horus]

The setting seems interesting and it is different than most (if not any?) RPG.

If you want an Asian setting try Sengoku Rance. It's much better in that regard than Jade Empire.

I don't think raping old japenese generals are pretty accurate for sengoku era japan.

 

[Bleed the Man]

When I bought this... thing, I expected the usual Bioware stuff, but it was a lot worse, and I mean NWN OC level of "worse". It was almost like a parody of all Bioware tropes. The writing is stupid, bland, and totally retarded. The setting is a colossal dissapointment. The characters are the most cliché Bioware has ever made, and are more annoying than fifty Aeries. The combat is boring, badly deigned, unbalanced as hell, and basically none encounter is more than a pile of trash mobs.

I could go on for days with this game. IMO, everithing is fucked up in Jade Empire, not a single thing was done well.

 

[Dorateen]

As I recall, Jade Empire was announced and released as an xbox exclusive. So all the biodrones at the time, the fans of Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights who for some reason could not get enough bioware, had to run out and grab the new consoles just so they could play bioware's latest offering. Then, a year later, they release Jade Empire for the PC.

Somewhat the same way DragonAge was going to be exclusive for the PC, and was explicitly marketed that way because all the hardcore PC players were growing upset with the trend toward console design. Of course, DragonAge was released simultaneously for the PC and consoles.

One could say Jade Empire marks the beginning of bioware's deceit and betrayal.

Also, it's not even an RPG. It's an action console title and I am offended to see it referenced on the Codex. I have not and would never touch this with a ten-foot polearm.

 

[Horus]

Exactly, this game is definitely a general gaming material.

 

[Roguey]

https://requireshate.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/bioware-champion-of-social-justice/

This is the only bioware game that has a ménage à trois, or threesome, not sure
(i think).

This no reason to buy it

Dragon Age allows threesomes with Isabela and Zevran in both.

 

[Zed]

I've played like 5 hours now. The schmups minigames are silly and serve no purpose, but I've enjoyed the real game.
The combat system is simplistic and kinda shitty, but it's more fun than KotOR.
I like the environment and music. The characters are so-so. I just met the first somewhat interesting companion (demon girl?), but I suppose most characters will be Bioware 101 writing clones.

So far I'd rate this below DA:O, above KotOR and above DA2.

 

[DalekFlay]

Overall it ranks as BioWare's worst game, except perhaps Dragon Age II (it's damn close).

NWN's original campaign is so slow and boring I would honestly rather play Dragon Age II.

Never played Jade Empire.

 

[Daemongar]

and there's even more whiny melodrama than Knights of the Old Republic.

Good Lord!

 

[Whisky]

Overall it ranks as BioWare's worst game, except perhaps Dragon Age II (it's damn close).

NWN's original campaign is so slow and boring I would honestly rather play Dragon Age II.

VOLOURN IS COMING.

Anyway, yes, Jade Empire, despite being Bioware's most unique game in terms of gameplay, is really quite unremarkable. I honestly can't remember any about the party members aside from there being a threesome option.

 

[sea]

NWN's original campaign is so slow and boring I would honestly rather play Dragon Age II.

Never played Jade Empire.

Thanks, I was trying to block out those traumatic memories.

 

[Cool name]

As the title says. I want to buy this from GOG since I didn't get to it yet and it probably runs on my shitty laptop. Also, the setting is really interesting. Is there more to it than pew pew?

It is my favorite Bioware game. I did hate or meh all the others but BG. Take that for what its worth.

The combat is fun. Play it in the highest difficulty available to you from the start and don't go 'Tank.' I.E: Invest all your level ups in Spirit and/or Mind. It is quite fun. For even more fun replay it later on the level that does unlock when you win the game for the first time and using that same character. Some of the fights can get pretty hectic. The twist was cool even if I did kind of see it coming simply because every martial artist in the game kept mentioning that. Some of the secondary characters where pretty cool, most of the main ones were awful. It does get the 'exotic fairy tale' atmosphere pretty well. The Shmup segments were a nice diversion: They will be easy as bleep if you are a Shmup player but they are still cute, and the art style of the airships is wicked cool. The art iis very pwetty. If you are feeling weird you can make some pretty odd characters builds with what little tools you do have for extra fun. Focus on transformation skills and the 'utility' movesets only and try to beat the game using only that on the fourth difficulty for some lulz.

But I was pretty smallish when I did play it. Back then Asia was still that mystical and mysterious place full of wonder and awe so everything even slightly Asian got 10/10 from me. Maybe I would hate it if I were to replay it now.

Maybe I should.

 

[Hepler's Vagina]

At first I hated it because the combat was pure reflex based and the story seemed a little 'Disney' as someone above put it.

But ... it still comes from an era when BioWare had some personality and the game is distinct and designed by people who seemed to have enjoyed their work.

Some quest ideas are the best I've ever played - for example one where you have to role play a theater actor, but there are two versions of the play. One a 'dissident' version and the other a 'propaganda' version. You know the secret police will be watching the play, as will a large number of citizens. Do you speak the dissident lines and risk getting the the entire company in trouble, or do you go with the propaganda version? In the meantime, you actually have to learn the lines.

Basically I think if console action combat is a deal breaker then stay away. If you thought KOTOR was whiney and DA:O generic, stay away. IMHO this is a more fun title than NWN 1 overall. If it had a good combat system I'd have it on my annual replay list.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Enjoyed it for setting, Voice overs, and a few not retarted evil closed fist choices... Better than Kotor I and NWN 1 OC for sure; Combat was mildly interesting button basher for me. Basicly what HV said it is Bioware Game but done before the EA merge which shows. Won't tell you to buy but you can demo it and try. Comparing this game with new shit turds like DA2 is so edgy BTW... I feel cut to shreds... Well Codex gonna Codex.

 

[laclongquan]

NOT BUY. You may not even want to remove it from inventory.

Think KOTOR 1. Make combat even easier. And character about half as interesting.

The only saving grace is prolly Westernized Chinese Myths. Not that it's good, even if compared to Jap games.

I lost interest around half way into the game, while I can finish KOTOR 1 around 3 times. That's how bad it is.

Edit: and yeah, if you want Chinese Myths, try Prince of Qin. At least that game has an interesting system of item crafting.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Jap Games are Animu as f... People here hate Animu fagotery for good reason. Making those Chinese myths westernized helped my immurshion; Don't give a damn about Kitaj; just wanted to play game without the fag elves.

 

[Norfleet]

BUY NOT! Play, or play not! There is no buy!

 

[NewFag]

Don't buy as previously mentioned. Played it many years ago, can barely remember much. Extremely mediocre. Definitely a console action game. I found the setting to resemble a westernized parody of east Asian culture in general. I'd advise you to skip it if you can. Otherwise just "acquire" it for a low price of nothing for a test run.

 

[MicoSelva]

Dragon Age allows threesomes with Isabela and Zevran in both.

I did not want to know that.

 

[evdk]

Dragon Age allows threesomes with Isabela and Zevran in both.

I did not want to know that.

It's not about what you want to know but what you need to know.