I'm not one to review games because, well, I think that most games don't deserve to be reviewed. All the "phenomenal" games are great and all, but after playing this game I felt like I had just read a really good book. The story and character development that come along in the game as you play it through is amazing with beautiful scenery, history, and culture within the game as well. The game keeps track of how long you've played and it said I had played a total of 19 hours to finish the game from start to end while doing whatever quests I got on the side. I really started to feel connected to the characters and now that it's over I'm actually a little depressed. Pathetic I know, and I'm not really a huge fan of video games most the time, but this one was just... different

I just spent the last week playing Jade Empire, created by the developers of Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR). On two occasions, I started playing KOTOR and just couldn't finish it--poor battle system and I just got plain bored. No such thing with Jade Empire. Had a difficult time putting it down (unfortunately,I have to earn a living and had to go to work between gaming sessions). It's immersive, has beautiful graphics, and has an interesting twist in the storyline. As a girl gamer, I liked having the choice of being a (cool, tough and intelligent) female or male character AND having the ability to develop a love interest. (Sky's hot.) As for the battles and arena fights, they're challenging enough to keep a player on her or his toes. If you let the credits role through to the very end, you'll hear some of the game characters speak as if they were real people acting in a film, similar to the end credits of Monsters, Inc.

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.

Let's face it. The Xbox RPG landscape is pretty barren. Hyped hits such as games like Fable and Sudeki were disappointing, and in the ladder's case, even lousy. Prior to Jade Empire's release, the only real RPG worth mentioning is KOTOR (Star Wars- Knights of the Old Republic), made by Bioware, who of course made jade empire as well.

Let me make this crystal clear: If you've played KOTOR and didn't like it, don't buy this game. There are too many similarities between the two. Dialogue system, graphics, even storyline (the plot twist was surprisingly KOTOR-esque) and gameplay innovations such as the dark-light system utilized in KOTOR are back in Jade. Perhaps the only legitimately different aspect of Jade vs. KOTOR is the combat.

However, if you didn't enjoy KOTOR then I have no idea why you'd even consider looking for another Xbox RPG. This is as good as it gets. There Anyways, assuming you did love KOTOR like us vast majority, you'll find Bioware's design to be advanced and put in a similar, but still engaging environment. The Chinese backgrop, while not necessarily true to Chinese culture, is a cool one. Combat can be repetitive in general, as the strategy is usually the same in many non-boss fights, but is both visually appealing and fun. It's a good system, surprisingly entertaining from a classically 'dice-rolling' rpg maker.

For some reason, this game wasn't as popular as it should be. It's a great RPG, either the best, or second to KOTOR, depending on your preferences. There are faults like all games, but if you're stuck with xbox rpgs or are simply looking for bargain great games, pick up a copy of Jade.

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.

No complaints, But i could i have done without so much talking at times you wanted to just dive in and started fighting but overall good for me

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.

I brought this game for my sister for Christmas. I called her on her day off from work and was told - "Can't talk now, I am playing." I was surprised by her reaction. She doesn't normally sit down and play a game and then finish it so quickly. So when she brought it over for me to play, I was looking forward to it. Needless to say, I was not let down. I spent all my free time immersed in a wonderful story that had me in a trance. The beauty, the story, the adventure. I highly recommend this game for all, it was a truly spectular pleasure to play.

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.

I thought this was an overall great game. Great storyline, though a bit confusing and disappointing/sad in the end. The Only thing I really criticize was the fighting and the number of styles and how they are earned. The Buttons for fighting have been seen a million times. You press one or two buttons (mostly one) and thats how you defeat everyone. The other thing is that when they said you would learn transform skills by fighting many of a creatures, I assumed you'd be fighting more than one or two before the game activates it at a planned moment. I expected to be able to into a wilderness and find many many creatures that respawn and attack again. Also, there were too few weapon styles. You end up using only 1 or 2 kinds of weapons. My last criticism is the lack of things you could buy. More armor, more weapons, less gems. I know I've made the game sound terrible by now but truely, great storyline, excellent graphics and sound, average stats system, good variety of styles and ememies, etc. If you like RPG's, buy it, you'll like it.

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.

Jade Empire - Circa 2005

GOOD:
- Good/Tight controls
- Nicely balanced gameplay (some might think it's to easy just go to the difficulty setting and crank up the difficulty)
- Lots of different and interesting fighting styles to earn and choose from
- An original story with some twists and turns for you to discover (by talking to people). The story also has multiple endings (either good or bad outcome)
- Variety of different locals to travel to (all done in nice detail)
- Action RPG with lots of story (told through character dialogue) and real-time action

BAD:
- Not a traditional RPG or a traditional beat-em-up (like Final Fight), so it might upset people looking for more of either
- Slightly liner gameplay
- Dialogue trees might be to long for some that want more of an action game
- Some complain of long loading times, but Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic and fable had loading times just as long

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- Has mythical/medieval Chinese theme
- Action RPG with real time fighting (like in Fable), no turn based fighting (like in final Fantasy X) and no "partial" turn based fighting (like in Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic)
- Light RPG elements, think of this as an RPG for people who like RPG's but hate tracking statistics and complex weapon/armor upgrading. Great for people who like action/adventure games (like Onimusha) but want a lot more story
- Lot's of story and dialogue if you ever played Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic one or two you'll know what I mean.

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Fable
- Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- The special version has a bonus disc with a new playable character, weapon and a making of the game video (made by G4's show Icons)
- After you beat the game and during the credits, you get some really funny dialogue from the game's main story characters

Ill start of by saying that this game is not bad, it's just not that good either.

Pros:
The graphics are AMAZING

The characters are cool

...The fighting is descent...

Cons:
The Load Screens! It may not sound that bad but trust me they are terrible.

The story is not good regardless of what you may here. It was incredibly predictable, if you can't see the twist coming there is something wrong with you.

The game boasts three alternate endings depending on the actions you choose throughout the games but actually how you play the last 5 minutes determines the ending.

I like my boss battles to feel epic and when i beat them i want to feel like a accomplished something but in Jade Empire boss battles fight just like any other enemy (not much stronger either) and are very simple even the final boss

This game is short and in no way wroth the money


This game makes a good rent, beat it and view all the endings
in 2-3 days, but is just not good enough to buy. So much potential...:(

I just finished this game and recommend it for RPG fans & those who enjoyed KOTOR (didn't we all?). I think the game's best attribute is the graphics and the unique ghost & demon designs. Like Fable, it does start off slow (plot development/training, etc.), but once your main character begins his/her quest, the game really takes off. While in-combat controls are occasionally problematic and the dialogue is a bit over-done (can't we just choose the good or bad path & be done with it?), the graphics and the not-knowing-what-the-next-level-will-bring kept me interested. Imagine KOTOR's gameplay in the context of Asian mythology--Very satisfying!

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.

Here's an example of how good this game is. I bought an xbobx for this game. Its just that worth it.

once the menu screen shows up on your screen, I promise, you will be immediatly anchanted. The music is so deep and overwhelming, sorrowful and yet noble. And the visuals, although choppy at very rare times, are heavenly.

When you start out, you will of course pick which character you want to use for your adventure. There are plenty to choose from, ranging from fast-fisted warriors to huge barbarians. This just begins one of the greates aspects of the game - character customization. True, it may seem simplistic at first, but through the game you can gain so many styles and techniques that for one moment your character will be beating the heck out of his opponents with brute force, and then seamlessly meld into movments as graceful yet deadly as Crane.

Magic aspect aside, the martial arts are fairly true-to-life. For example, if you are using a longsword, the stance has you holding it above your head (note that not all styles have you doing this, just the one in Jade Empire). Now, when fighting someone with a spear, you might want to switch to either hand-to-hand or a weapon with a longer range. This is because the way that you hold your sword, its takes an extra 1/10 of a second (which in martial arts is precious time). The enemies spear can take advantage of that, and then your dead.

You start off in your martial arts school. When I saw this, i couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It was so peacful and enchanting. Even subtle details were payed attention to, such as the students going through REAL forms and excersises from Tai-Chi Chuan and the Lohan system.

The names are great. Furious Ming. Wu the Lotus Blossom. Gao the Greater (and lesser). Segacious Zu. I mean c'mon - thats just classic.

And perhaps most importantly - the story. Thats right people, there IS something MORE important than graphics (although Jade Empire's are phenomanal). This is an RPG after all. At first, it seems pretty formulated. I was a little dissapointed. But, don't lose heart. Very soon some amazingly creative and origional writing comes into play. The story is great.

Sadly, there is one thing that I just really do not like about this game at all. For starters, there is the Airship transportation. Its just a remake of Space invaders with a Chinese twist. Very big letdown there.

Secondly, all of the close-ups can get tiresome. I mean, with envoirnments so beautiful, I want to see more than just some warriors face, no matter how cool he/she looks.

But, despite these factors, I still give this game a 5 out of 5. And here is why.

Bad things about the game - 2
Good things about the game - 100+

Bottom line; If you have an XBOX, then there is no excuse not to have Jade Empire.

Well I beat this tonight after non-stop gameplay these last several days (I'd say about 20-30 hours of gameplay with side-quest completion). I must say I quite enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who liked KOTOR. They are similar in a lot of aspects, but at the same time gives you a fresh new RPG with many new things to discover.

The side-quests are quite enjoyable and proved to be much more creative and thought out than the "help with this person's problem and then give them money to get back on their feet." The story was also very good and their is a twist similar to the one in KOTOR, but completely caught me off-guard. It really did pull the story together though.

I will give this a little review in the aspects of the game for those interested--

--GAMEPLAY--
Decent gameplay. I'd say the actual progression of character is very cool. As you play and become stronger you get more power to your weapons and styles of fighting. The voice acting is superb and throws you right back into the classic witty KOTOR dialogue we love so much. There is humor, action, and story. The only downfall is there really is no love story. The combat is a little repetetive after awhile but as your weapons are upgraded, the more your enemies are decapitated and spirt blood from their necks, giving the game a kind of Kill Bill aspect. Very cool for those who love the splatter of blood. The characters are also memorable and stick with you throughout the game, each with their own story and purpose in the game. The only hinderence in gameplay is that it sometimes would glitch on itself when you talked to someone and the words didn't come out and then it would freeze up. This probably happened 4 or 5 times throughout my gameplay. Although this could just be an effect of my Xbox getting older.

GAMAEPLAY: 9.0

--GRAPHICS--
Bioware really maxes out on the graphics this time around. I noticed a bunch of improvement in character movement especially, leaving behind the looped and annoying gestures of KOTOR characters. The characters can point you in directions, kneel down, stretch their necks, motion embarassment, hassle you by pointing... the list goes on and on. And the setting is absolutely spectacular. Each place has a completely different feel to it, from the Ancien Dirge Chinese temples to the grassy and welcoming environment of the Two Rivers Martial Arts School.

GRAPHICS: 9.5

--SOUND--
The sound is simply EXCELLENT! The colorful music score done by Jack Wall (JackWall.net) is awesome, always having that rich flavor of the eastern culture. A CD is in the possible works and I will be getting one if it is released. And the sound effects themselves were very well done. Bioware commented that there were over 2000 different sounds created in a recording studio to get all of the sounds perfect. They really outdid themselves on this. Next to KOTOR, this is the best video game score I have ever heard.

SOUND: 10

Overall I would strongly recommend this game to anyone who is thinking about getting it. It's definately worth the money.

Also there are 3 different endings to the game instead of the standard two. One ends on a light note, one ends on a dark note, and one ends on a more compromising but ultimately dark note (perhaps could be called a failing note). I could watch all 3 in one game too, because if you change your pivitol decisions near the end of the game, your alignment can do a 180 on the outcome (including the last few lines of dialgue with the enemy which gives you the third ending).

Anyway really loved the game and would give it a 9.5 overall.

_Max

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.

I've loved most of the Bioware games over the last several years. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, the Baldur's Gate series and all the spin offs based on that same engine by Black Isle. So while I hadn't really tracked the development or feature set of Jade Empire, and I haven't been playing many games at all the last year or so - I decided to pick it up.

So I got it home, tried it out, and got into the old pattern of a week-long, late-night playing spree until I reached the end.

It was good.

The characters and writing were pretty decent. The quests were pretty varied (although I got really sick of ghosts and spirits by the end). The dialog was funny at times. You had choices about whether to be good or evil throughout the game. It definitely had an Eastern flavor and philosophy throughout. There were some really original segments and nice cinematic sequences and some fairly well-done plot twists. But overall I'd say the story and characters were just decent - not as good as an average novel. Not quite as good as Knights of the Old Republic. And not innovative - still plagued by the same issues that have affected previous games in the genre (e.g. no real freedom to make choices to avoid big plot quests or go in your own direction, not much subtlety in the good/evil choices and rewards given for being either as good or as evil as possible, smashing barrels and boxes and urns around towns and houses to find loot without any consequences).

Where the game really shined was in combat. Your character is skilled in Kung Fu, and starts with 2 fighting "styles" that he or she can switch between at any time. Each style is relatively simple in it's own right. There's a basic attack. You can sequence 2 or 3 attacks in succession before needing to pause a second. You can block. You can "power attack" which takes a second to warm up and leaves you open to regular attack - but can break through an enemy's block. And there's an area attack that knocks foes down but doesn't really hurt them. And you can roll and flip around to evade enemies. That's it. So basic strategy is "rock, paper, scissors." Block beats regular attack - power attack beats block - regular attack beats power attack (during warm up).

So in the beginning of the game you get used to this strategy against one opponent or a few at a time. But before long you start learning new styles. There are new "martial" styles (different forms of kung fu), there are support styles which tend to hinder opponents and set them up for finishing combinations, there are magic styles that usually let you blast enemies at range, there are weapon styles, and there are transformation styles (which let you become a big baddie of some sort for a short while to kick some butt).

Each of these styles has the same categories of moves described above... but very different versions. E.g. with the dire flame magic style, the basic attack fires a small flaming projectile at your enemy, the power attack fires a large flaming projectile that immolates the enemy for a time and makes it impossible for him to attack back, and the area attack summons a dragon to breath flame in the area.

So the core mechanic of the game stays fresh throughout, since you're continually collecting new styles, trying them out, learning their strengths and weaknesses, and investing your limited pool of points into improving the ones you like best. Then at some point you start to really experiment with the "hamonic combinations" in which you have to use a support or magic style, get someone with the slow power attack, then quickly switch to a martial style and hit them with another power attack to finish them off and produce a power up. This can be fun, and it very efficient when fighting large groups of enemies at once.

I have to admit - at times I really felt like a bad-ass kung fu master during the game. Start with my "Flawless" staff style, then switch to "Spirit Thief" to suck up some of their spiritual energy, then flip over their back and use "Thousand Cuts" for some quick punches, then finally to "Stone Immortal" to encase my enemies in rock. The switching between styles is very fast and natural - and before too long I became very familiar with many of the styles, and I could recognize and name the styles that foes were using against me. This really brought scenes of kung fu movies to mind such as "Ha - you don't think you can beat me using "Leaping Tiger" style do you?" or "Ahh, Tempest style. You must be a master who follows the way of the closed fist - and I must take care to avoid your vortex area attacks."

And in the end - that's what makes a game memorable. The way it made you feel when you were playing it. This game made me feel like a Kung Fu master in a way that straight fighting games with never could.


-Mike Arcuri

Jade Empire is a third person RPG has an immersive storyline and lots of interesting sidequests .If you take the time to read all the diologue from as many charachters as you can find and also do as many or all the sidequests ,its about a 15-20 hour game. I finished the game in about 4 days. But you could easily stretch out the game into 3 weeks or more. There's about 5 different types of fighting styles that your player can use and upgrade that are grouped into different catagories. There's Martial Style which is a unarmed fighting.There's Weapon style with swords ,axes,spears,etc. There's Magic syle.There's Support style ,example, slow enemy or paralize. And finally there's Transformation style. Also Most Ghosts or Spirit enemies are immune to swords,spears,axes or weapon styles.Demons are immune to support styles and some martial styles. You realy have to experiment to see which enemies are immune to particular styles. The fighting system is very easy ,its free form you can lock on and switch targets by pressing left or right trigger ,or free target by pressing both triggers at same time. You can perform whats called harmonic combos by starting with certain styles & ending with another style.The charachters target ring will turn yellow when you have started one. Although its possible never having to use a harmonic combo .I beat the game never doing one.I loved the White Demon Martial style its good for taking out ghosts spirits,I wasnt a big fan of Legendary strike it didnt seem as strong for some reason and I had it maxed out.There's tons of choices to make as far as fighting styles go in this game.You get to upgrade your fighter as you progress in the game. The choices you make you will either choose Open Palm (good) or Closed Fist (evil). To get Closed fist points you do have make evil type choices.Sometimes they will try to trick you into thinking that it isnt evil or a bad choice.The dam for example by destroying the dam controls you continue the towns suffering and make it a continued haven for drunk sailors and harlots,thats what the merchant wants ,he sells wine. But by fixing the dam you heal a town thats already been suffering for awhile already,by renewing there shipping abilities and access to food(fish).But first do all sidequests and xtras before fixing or breaking the dam, you'll greatly need to.You have alot of different power up abilities,that you can obtain by reading scrolls or searching containers for them,or buy the upgrades from different merchants,or you get certain fighting styles by either doing open palmed(good) or closed fist(evil) choice from certain teachers. Its not too hard of a game with the right fighting styles you can be deadly.The fighting system is pretty smooth free form ,you can sidestep,jump over the enemy hit em in the back , & block most attacks,pretty much free form do anything thers's no real restrictions.After defeating certain demons you then can Transform into there image & there fighting style and kill your enemies. The Jade Golem or Red Minister are very powerful transformation styles ,but you dont get either until later in the game,definatly save some upgrade points for one of those styles.The graphics are pretty good in this game nice details and they get better as you go.I think there are three different endings ,I saw 2 of them just remember to save before the important decisions & battles.Before you start the game you can choose what character you wanna be either Strong Style,Magic Style,Fast Style, or Balanced style. You gain followers as you progress in the game that can either fight with you or be a support where they wont fight ,but they will replenish your Health,Chi,& Focus while you are in battle. You can have only one charachter with at a time,but you can switch them out at any time.Some negatives about this game are the load times while doing quests,especialy in the Imperial City there are lots of load screens when you go to different parts of the city it can get a little annoying.Also when you talk to anybody the talking animation isnt that great or interesting ,like other reviewers stated I also found myself quickly reading the text & not looking at the 'talking heads'. But for the most part definatly one of the better RPG'S out.If you like KOTOR part 1 , Morrowind or Fable.Definatly try this game out. Here's some good strong powerful style choices for an Open palmed(good) player. Martial style: (White Dragon) Weapon style: (Crimson Tears) Magic style: (Stone Immortal stronger with open palm player) Transformation style: (Red Minister almost unbeatable or Jade Golem very very powerful and looks great) Support Style: (Paralyzing Palm or Spirit Thief).These are just some of my favs styles,some people will be better or worse with different styles because there gameplay style might be different than mine. To get the Crimson Tears (advanced dual sabers) Talk to KHANA in the Imperial City Arena ,after you talk to everybody in the arena,you must tell her of the plans they want (you) to poison her,but tell her you will not poison her and you will fight her Honorably in the Imperial Arena,she then will train you in the advanced version of the dual sabers called Crimson Tears after you defeat her in the Imperial Arena Bronze Division.Its a deadly dual sword that is very powerful maxed out. Also save as many weapon upgrades as you can because you get a limited amount you can only max about 4 total. Concentrate on upgrading White Demon & Crimson Tears, & Either Red Minister or Jade Golem . Those will help in the tougher boss battles.The Support styles arent even needed ,there helpful but not neccessary. To defeat the Emperor switch to a different style then he's using.Example if he's using a weapon ,say a sword,then you switch to unarmed (Martial style).etc. Because he's immune to whatever style he is equipped with and he will quickly change his attack to match your style, he will then be immune,so you change your style attack again. Good Luck.

This game has not only one of the best combat systems in any game, but the graphics are too beautiful for words. And the story will keep you wanting to play the game for the duration. No matter what type of gamer you are you have to buy this game.

A latter-day Knight of the Old Republic for those who either don't follow or don't care about Star Wars. This game excels in certain areas where its predecesor misses out. With an in-depth story-line that can change and twist according to your own responses and actions and a more involved fighting style, this game is sure to retain a special place among the XBOX greats.

From the people who brought us Knights of the Old Republic comes another genre-blending game with a fabulously twisting plot. If you own an Xbox, you should own this game. It is not only the best Action RPG on the Xbox but one of the best RPGs played in recent memory.

For those who have played KOTOR, this game will be instantly familiar. At the offset, you pick a character and are thrust into a world of moralities. Unlike KOTOR, the morality system is a little more complex for the most part. Instead of focusing on good and evil, your character has the choice of being endlessly helpful, understanding and tolerant of everyone (in other words believes in the power of the human spirit) or someone who reveres strength. As an example of this strength concept, there is a decision early on about a dam that is open and has caused problems for a town because the sailors are land locked. A wine merchant wants the dam to remain open so he can make a killing off of the sailors. If you follow the Way of the Open Palm you would probably close the dam so that the town can prosper in what is should be doing. If you follow the Way of the Closed Fist, on the other hand, would decide that if the town were strong they will survive this current hurdle and that it is only that, a hurdle. It gets a little more tricky than that and does open some areas for roleplaying your character and deciding what you would really do in that situation. Bioware is also wonderful at making you think about your decision as they give you new information just as soon as you make a decision that might change how you feel about the situation.

My only complaint with the system is that while they say that the two paths are different from looking at things as good and evil, there are still some instances where there is a "good" and an "evil" way of doing things. I might have rationalized why I would be doing something that way, yet I would get points from the side I didn't want because it was clearly delineated as "good and evil choice." So, that's a bit frustrating given that their system isn't supposed to be good and evil. But, overall the system works well and really makes you think.

I didn't really care for KOTOR because of the battle system and that is probably the reason I'm enjoying Jade Empire much more. The fighting system is simple yet deep. As you progress you will learn different martial arts style that you can map to the D-pad for quick and easy access. And you will be constantly changing your styles as the techniques to defeat enemies will constantly evolve. Some monsters are immune to certain attacks so you will have to experiment and find the best ways of devastating your foes.

On the simple side, the combat is really about rock, paper scissors. You have a quick attack and a time-consuming attack (and a knock back attack that really only helps when you are surrounded and need some space). When someone blocks you use your time consuming attack, otherwise you mostly use your quick attacks to offset their own long attacks. It's pretty simple and easy to used to. However, some battles can become a button masher either way you look at it. But it's still exhilarating and fast with many ways of deciding how you want to play. Do you want to focus on using weapons, martial arts, magic, transformations? A little of the above? It's all up to you.

The game is beautiful most of the time. The art style is impeccable and really helps create a full-flesh universe. Since it's based on oriental myth, it doesn't take place in the Orient as we know it but a mythical world that incorporates themes from oriental culture. Because of this, the desiginers are free to create whatever their imagination can make. And it's beautiful. There are some places that I stood for awhile and just looked because it was so surreally beautiful and soothing. It made me wish that sometimes our world wasn't so industrialized and that we could go back to what was a more simple beauty. It was that affecting. However, sometimes, the backgrounds look painted on. Some of the hills and areas that act as blockades for where you can't go aren't that well designed. Also my character's body type makes me laugh because his pecs are super large and his abs are indented in his body that I laugh whenever I see it.

The game moves impeccably fast as well. Your character runs and I mean runs through the areas. The framerate is great. But, like KOTOR before it, the game stutters sometimes when you are running and turning the camera. When the camera pans, the game flutters sometimes as it tries to take in everything that happens. In battles, the game hardly ever stutters. And the battles can end up having a good dozen or so enemies fighting you and your partner so they can get pretty hectic and the graphics engine does a great job keeping the motion moving.

Aurally, the game is a treat. You will find some cameo voice actors that are immediately familiar (look for John Cleese in a hysterical role). The music is well done and has a wonderful oriental bent to it (of course). Also, Bioware hired a real linguist to help create the fictional language used in the game. It is very familiar to oriental language but isn't real. It was created solely for this game. And that's amazing.

Unfortunately, my problem with the dialogue in the game is the same problem I had with KOTOR. It's great and all but all too often the plot developments and dialogue becomes a "talking head" type situation where anyone who has something important to say gets a close up of their face while their lips move and the dialogue is heard. This is unfortunate for me because I get impatient sometimes and will just read the subtitles and skip through most of their dialogue. It's never "dynamic" in cutscenes like in some RPGs I've played (hands down the best use of dialogue in an RPG goes to FFX that used dialogue to move the plot but it wasn't a novel dialogue, it was like movie dialogue). The dialogue in Jade Empire is sometimes like a novel. So, for those who aren't interested in talking heads delivering dialogue this might get annoying after a time. But the dialogue is genuinely well voiced and excellent.

My only other complaint is the load times. While not as annoying constant as Fable where each and every small zone no matter how small had to be loaded for a good 5-10+ seconds, it still is a pain when you have to go through zones for a quest. For instance, in the beginning of the game you have to go through the town to the school (a load screen) to get a quest, go back to town (load screen) to talk to someone, then back to the school (load screen). And it's unfortunate because the actual quest takes maybe a minute, but a good 20 seconds of the time is spent in load screens. That's a uncharacteristic load time though as generally the areas are big and don't usually require many loads. Although another incident where it is very noticeable is in an arena combat situation where before and after each arena battle it has to load for a good 5-10 seconds. The kicker is, some of the arena battles are over in about a minute or much much less and yet you have to deal with two load screens comprising a good 10-20 seconds. So, in some areas it can be annoying and definitely pulls you out of the game when you should be pulled further in. And, it becomes especially annoying considering that games like Halo 2 are seamless after the original load.

Overall, though, this game is gold. It's perfectly plotted and paced and has Bioware's trademark in excellence stamped all over it. It ranks as one of my favorite games this year so far along with God of War and Psychonauts. I would definitely recommend buying this game. There are some problems that I have noted but you know regardless of the problems, this is an excellent game with an excellent story. And, at 22+ hours, this adventure is worth taking.

**NOTE: You should definitely pick up the Limited Edition of it if you can still find it. For the initial run they are all Limited Edition and after they are gone, you will only be able to get this, the standard game. The Limited edition has a new character and weapon style and a making of as well as some other fun things. Same price, so definitely check out the limited edition over this version if you want the game.

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.

Bioware has once again shown their stuff in making Jade Empire. I was torn in how to rate it exactly, the game itself is really fun, using aspects for its battle system from Knights, only making it real time. Different strategies come into play, and each style has its pros and cons. Graphics are solid and beautiful. You see wind blowing grass and clothes. Detail is solid, and animations are smooth and clean. I have yet to see in problems with lag or clipping issues. Controls are easy to use, and customizable. So it won't be hard to suit them to your needs.
The major problem though, is that the game seems to end quickly. Even with doing all the side quests and spending time just leveling up. It takes only 15-20 hours to beat if you just skim through most of it. Another issue I had is that the camera would sometimes zoom in when I moved by walls during battle and in town movement. This can be annoying in battle, because you can't see and have no idea where things are. The sounds are decent, with music and full voiceovers for all characters. Though the music gets repetitive, and though this is me nitpicking, some of the character voices just get irritating.
Besides that though, this is a great game for the Xbox, and a must have for any RPG fan. If you don't mind it being short, then there is lot to be found in Jade Empire.

this game is better then knights of the old republic gameplay wise. but it is more fun to play star wars then asia gameplay. this game is way to short unlike knights which took 20 hours this takes a small 12 hours to finish. for noobs it mite take about 20. i would give this game a 9/10 but i cant because you can only give it out of 5 stars. the game has flaws where your desicions of things to say in conversations dont always give you good points or bad points when you same something kind or evil. also it is literally impossible to get fully good or fully evil until the end of the game because of the lack of side missions. also it doesnt let you randomly kill innocent people like knights. there are only 5 cities you get to explore on this game unlike knights where you get about 8. But this game is very fun to play. the characters are great and the fighting styles are fun to get. this is a good game and if you liked knights or fable you will like this one.

After creating the 2003 game of the year, what would you expect from Bioware? Well it's not what I saw coming, passing up the chance to make the sequel to KOTOR they decided to finally make a game that they've imagined for nearly a decade, an RPG in an ancient-China like land with plenty of kung-fu elements.

Jade Empire is not your standard RPG, it's far from it, but with it's improvements on the genre it very well may become the standard. The first noticeable difference in the gameplay is the innovative fighting style allowing you to fight in real time, but it's a change for the better. It's truly new feel is based around the d-pad, setting a different fighting style to each direction so that while in battle it is simple to change between them. This allows for many moves with various twists making it easier to navigate attacks. Bioware was correct in saying that for the player to be a kung-fu master they must feel like one as well, this is what the system of fighting does over a turn-based so common to RPGs.

I will not ruin the story, but it leads for action-packed sequences that will have you on the edge of your seat. You will easily find your self immersed in the story of this world. If you have played "Knight's of the Old Republic" you will know that Bioware's storytelling is top-notch and they only improve with Jade Empire's plot. The scenes have been pondered and perfected, the mythology is in-depth and brings an incredible realism to the world, and the architecture and newly-developed language are the icing on the cake.

On your quest there is plenty of customization available, mini quests to go upon, and lands to explore, all the while your choices having consequences leading you down the path of The Open Palm or The Closed Fist. You also constantly upgrade your character with the experience you gain over time, mastering different ways of fighting.

I have not enjoyed a game this much in a long while, and even if your are not a fan of the RPG genre this game can draw you in. It is an almost certain for RPG of the Year and a definite contender for Game of the Year.

Bioware's attention to detail, the over 320 minor characters have full voice-overs, and superb gameplay earn Jade Empire
A Bliss of 9

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!!

This game is exellent in every way, the lush graphics and scenery, the choice talking, and the fighting style, this lives up to Knights Of The Old Republic 1&2 by far! Way to go Bioware!

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.

I played the demo of Jade and it was awesome! You can do martial arts and weapons and for some reason the game is rated mature and has little blood! Its very cool so you should get the game!