Impressions?

[Faust]

I'm a bit surprised that no one has posted on this game, yet. I suppose its only been a couple days since its release, but that's never stopped this community before. I'd be curious to get others initial thoughts on the game.

I actually bought the LE of this game and have been playing it since it was issed in the U.S. on Tuesday. In general, I've been fairly pleased with the game. It's definitely typical Bioware in its scope, and bears many similarities in basic style and composure to KoTOR.

Still, the game is propelled by a generally interesting storyline, has a variety of unique NPCs, and is really beautiful. It's also been interesting to play an RPG that mingles together a variety of Asian mythological/fantasy/medieval traditions. While its been done before by developers like Koei, its much more rare and fullyrendered here (at least of the games I've played). It's certainly a different flavor than the traditional hodgepodge of Western mythological/fantasy/medieval traditions that tend to dominate the RPG market.

I've been a little dissappointed by the lack of a full blown party system. Regardless, its been enjoyable so far. It did take me a little while to get into the combat system and the world as a whole, but I find myself getting more and engrossed in the world as I play, and I have yet to find any portion of the game "busy work".

Anyone else have a perspective?

[Ned Flanders]

I agree with Faust although I'm barely into the game.

I think the game is a combination of the dark alliance games and KotOR, taking a lot of good elements from both.

[BuckGB]

To be honest, I'm disappointed with Jade Empire. I guess I was just expecting more of a role-playing game, and to me the game is an action/adventure with a few statistics thrown in. Granted, it has a very compelling storyline and a unique & fantastic setting, but it has a lot of downfalls. Here are a few of my gripes:

- Followers. Followers are almost completely pointless and are only there for conversation, some romance, and to make the storyline a little more interesting when they become involved. You cannot control them in battle and can only set them to "Attack" or "Support". I'd rather BioWare had removed the follower option altogether if they were going to simplify it so much.

- Character customization. Three attributes, essence gems, and a handful of combat styles aren't nearly enough. To me, this game can barely even be considered an RPG with its lack of depth when it comes to customizing your character.

- Equipment. The only thing I can find for my character are techniques, styles, and essence gems. My character looks exactly the same throughout the entire game and if I do find a better weapon style that is under the same category as one I already have, it simply replaces it. In my opinion the game would have been far better if I could equip my character with asian-style armor and ancient mystical weapons found while adventuring.

- It's too easy! Sure, I can increase the difficulty setting, but never have I found a game so easy on "normal" difficulty. I'm just about finished with the game and I have only died once, and that's only during the final battle in the Imperial Arena. Not only that, but I don't even put a whole lot of thought into my battles, simply because I don't have to. Most of the time, I'm just rapping on the "A" button and evading around my adversary. With my Long Sword style maxed out, everything but undead drops ridiculously fast. Many times I don't even get hurt.

- Which leads me to... combat. You'd think with Jade Empire would excel in the combat department, especially since the RPG facets have been dumbed down. Instead of preparing for a fight or planning my attacks like I've done in previous BioWare games, I put almost no thought into any battle I've went through in Jade Empire. Most of the time, the battle is over so quick by simply rapping on the "A" button that it doesn't matter which tactics I was going to use anyway. I was expecting combat to be tactical and offer advanced maneuvers like a Mortal Kombat game, but it's very simplistic. There are combos to try, but they're mostly for show and you certainly don't need them to finish any fight.

Many of you might love this game, but to me it's the worst RPG to come out of BioWare to date. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very good game, but keep in mind that I'm a role-playing fan... not an action fan. I love the storyline of Jade Empire, but the rest of the game feels like a watered down KotOR.

[Ned Flanders]

Originally Posted by Buck Satan

- It's too easy! Sure, I can increase the difficulty setting, but never have I found a game so easy on "normal" difficulty. I'm just about finished with the game and I have only died once, and that's only during the final battle in the Imperial Arena. Not only that, but I don't even put a whole lot of thought into my battles, simply because I don't have to. Most of the time, I'm just rapping on the "A" button and evading around my adversary. With my Long Sword style maxed out, everything but undead drops ridiculously fast. Many times I don't even get hurt.

This is how I feel about KotOR2, combat is too easy on any difficulty setting and so far on JE I'm finding the same. In fact, Bioware hasn't offered much of a challenge in combat for a while, but to stay on track I agree with what you've said.

Otherwise, the game is pretty much what I expected. Limited followers, equipment, and character customization. Lots of action, and what I'm hoping is a very in depth story rich with history and providing several paths and choices.

I'm curious, Buck, which character you used.

[Faust]

I'd agree with Buck about many of its limitations.

I'd like more followers that I actually had control over. I've never been crazy about NwN style henchmen system like Jade Empire provides you with. I like NPCs I have some control over, who I can gear up as I see fit, etc. Jade doesn't have that, and its frustrating at least until you get use to it. The NPC interaction is a lot like KoTOR. So you do get to learn a lot about the characters, and they have sporatic roles to play in the game. Sometimes I want that role to be more substantial, though.

Likewise, I'm not insanely crazy about the itemization system. I love to "gear" up my NPCs and main character. I'm slowly getting use to the training, gem, and weaponry itemization but its not as interesting to me as I'd like.

Combat is easy. I'd call it on par with Fable. It's not horribly difficult,but you still have to pay attention to what you're doing. Compared to a Final Fantasy or KoTOR, its much more challenging. But compared to the strategy required in many other RPG, its quite easy. Still, the more action and less strategy oriented RPGs seem to be here to stay, whether we like it or not. I have found Jade Empires combat somewhat entertaining, while not overly cumbersome (I was afraid of it resembling a "Mortal Combat" or some such game in that respect). Being able to chose different styles of fighting (including magic based attacks, as well as melee and martial styles) adds some versatility and enjoyment to it. I'm not far enough into the game to know how it holds up at the later stages, but I certainly haven't found it easier than many other story driven RPGs I've played in the last couple years.

Still, the storyline and "world feel", along with the nuanced environments really have been captivating to me. It's rare I play an RPG without certain quests or required missions feeling like busy work. Everything I've done in Jade Empire, thus far, has been interesting and engaging, even the things I originally was looking forward to getting over with.

When I first purchased the game I was quite dissappointed. These elements mentioned above really bothered me, and I felt I was going to be quite upset with the game. However, after a few more days of sporatic play, the storyline, nuanced environments, and dialogue (the amount of information there is to learn about the "Jade Empire" is vast, and something that will appeal to those who loved picking up tid bits from random books and NPCs) I found myself really captivated by the game. While I'm far from finished, I do think there is a lot of interest in it for any traditional RPG lover.

[BuckGB]

Originally Posted by Ned Flanders

I'm curious, Buck, which character you used.

I figured I'd try out the bonus content since I purchased the Limited Edition, so I went with Monk Zeng.

[BuckGB]

Well, after finishing the game this evening as a devoted member of the Closed Fist, I want to throw out a few of the game's positives:

- The ending is nothing short of superb. I don't want to give anything away, but the Closed Fist ending will play at your conscience.

- The artwork thoughout the game is absolutely top notch and the best I've ever seen in a console game, hands down. The game's final locations are especially awe-inspiring.

- I finished with about 30 hours played time, having done a majority of the side quests. That's a pretty good chunk of time, considering that recent RPGs (especially on the console) have been severely lacking in the "hours of gameplay" department. I also feel compelled to play through as a member of the Open Palm, so that number is really only half of what the game has to offer.

- During those 30 hours, not once did I experience a bug. No quests were broken, no dialogue repeated itself, and my Xbox never locked up. Additionally, there were only a few spelling/grammar errors that I noticed throughout the thousands of dialogue lines. The only thing I think their QA department really missed was the frequency in which characters you're speaking to scratch the back of their head with their right hand. Sounds stupid, I know, but watch for it... it happens way too often =).

[Faust]

Originally Posted by Buck Satan

- The ending is nothing short of superb. I don't want to give anything away, but the Closed Fist ending will play at your conscience.

That's particularly good to hear. I've been incredibly dissappointed with the "endings" to many of the major RPGs I've played of late.

It's also good to here the length of the game is respectable. After my gross dissappointment with Fable's brevity, I've been worried subsequent console RPGs would repeat that trend. I suspected "Jade Empire" would be about the length of the other recent Bioware titles, which is solid if not ideal.

Also, is it your impression, after completing the game, that there is enough substantial divergence in the two paths to make a replay worthwhile?

[BuckGB]

Originally Posted by Faust

Also, is it your impression, after completing the game, that there is enough substantial divergence in the two paths to make a replay worthwhile?

Yes, I think so. I'm sure I missed a lot of essence gems, techniques, and combat styles on my first way through, especially since many of them are different depending on whether you're going the Closed Fist or Open Palm route. If nothing else, I think most people will replay the game's final 2-3 hours to try out the different endings.

[stormcloud]

Originally Posted by Buck Satan

The only thing I think their QA department really missed was the frequency in which characters you're speaking to scratch the back of their head with their right hand. Sounds stupid, I know, but watch for it... it happens way too often =).

"There's more where that came from"

[Faust]

I completed the game today. I took the "Way of the Open Palm" throughout Jadem Empire. In general, I was fairly happy with the game.

Story: The game's central story was the true strength of Jade Empire. The RPG writing was of the highest caliber, and the methods of storytelling were excellent. There were no glaring plot holes, the dialogue was generally crisp and free of spelling errors, and, most importantly, there were a few relative surprises and twists as the plot unfolded.

The most fascinating aspect of the story was the manner in which it borrowed from the hodgepodge of Asian mythology (whether it be folk tales, classic games, the philosophy of Lao Tse, or old samurai movies). It borrowed freely from a large variety of sources, while still molding a coherent plot. In essence, the game exhibited a truly unique feel. It didn't feel like simply another D&D style game placed in mythical China.

Moreover, the game was full of interesting characters, some of whom would join your ranks and others who would serve only minor roles in your character's life.

The game had an interesting ending that took quite a while to unfold. By the very end, there weren't too many loose ends left and you generally felt satisfied with the outcome. My inclination, from reading Buck Satan's post, is that the Closed Fist ending may be a bit more astounding than the Open Palm ending. I would recommend sitting through the credits, as there are some fairly hysterical "bits" included for patient players.

Finally, the story was not the cut and dry Good/Bad distinction that dominates many role playing games these days (such as KoTOR, Fable, etc.). The Ways of the Open Palm and the Closed Fist both have individual philosophical merits the game explores. Likewise, even the villains in the game have motivations that an open minded player will be at least remotely sympathetic to. I felt the game explored much more of a "gray line" than many RPGs to date.

Graphics: Jade Empire has to have some of the best graphics of any RPG I've played. Its a fascinating game to look at. The graphics are well conceived and beautifully implemented. At no point did an environement feel generic or repeated, and most of the major or quest character had a unique look. I'm not the type of player who places visuals as a top priority in a game. However, I couldn't helped but be awed by Bioware's work on this game.

Combat: The action/martial arts style combat is a bit frustrating at first, particularly for those of us who enjoy more pause or turned based RPGs. However, it quickly becomes second nature and can even be entertaining in spots. It's not as entertaining as combat in many adventure games, but its lively and not horrible.

The major problem with combat, is that its far too easy This seems to be a trend with recent Bioware games; I imagine in order to appeal to the largest possible audience. It is easy to die in places if you are simply not paying attention. However, by the end of the game you are an unstoppable force with a huge variety of styles to chose from. It's not the easiest game I've played, but it certainly doesn't require a tremendous amount of strategy. I may try the game on Grand Master level my next time through to see if that alleviates this problem at all.

NPCS: The NPCs you recruit are generally interesting. Each has a unique look and back story. More importantly, each NPC has a role to play in the unfolding story (though some are more minor than others). For the most part the voice acting is of the highest quality, as well. Though, I must admit, it took a long time for me to get use to Dawn Star's voice.

I would have liked to have had more opportunity to get to know certain NPCs better. A few NPCs simply don't have many dialogues. Small NPC related sidequests would have been helpful in the game to serve that purpose.

Similarly, the romances in the game remind me of the style of KoTOR; they begin to take off without reaching the full fruition of the BG romances. It would have have been nice to move a great deal farther in the romances than the game allows us. There are 2 romance options for male characters and, I believe, 2 romance options for female characters as well. So, that should be of some appeal to modern RPG fans.

One complaint I have is that it would have been nice having some tactical control over your NPCs. I would have liked to be able to teach or acquire them new styles and have some control over their equipment and leveling processes, as well.

Itemization: Another relative weakness of the game. The gem, training, and style acquisition system is simply not as satisfying of an alternative to a more complex armor/weapon system that many RPG lovers prefer. Still, one grows use to it after a while and it certainly didn't hinder my enjoyment of the game.

I will add that not having any expendable items (i.e. health potions) proved to be a good thing for the game. Having a supply of replenishment potions to drag around would have simplified the game even further. As it was, I felt there were too many spirit and focus shrines scattered through out the game.

Sidequests and Cities: The two major cities in the game Tien's Landing and the Imperial City are both fascinating places. The cities each have a unique feel to them and are full of interesting NPCs. Some of these folks exist simply to tell you a bit about the history of the Jade Empire, wheras others help you on a side quest or central mission.

There are a number of side quests in both places that really can liven things up. Some are particularly involved combat situations such as the Arena battles, while others revolve around more mundane things such as helping a woman find a husband (of which there are several candidates). In general, I loved the side quests that were offered. My personal favorite was the Outlander sidequest (was he voiced by John Cleese?).

Mini-Games: I felt that the mini-games in "Jade Empire" were really poor. I detested the flying mini-game. It seemed so uninteresting and difficult in places. Likewise, the gambling in the game consisted exclusively of a dice toss and very low stakes. Compared to Bioware's mini-game development in KoTOR, it was quite dissappointing.

Game Duration: In general, this is my largest complaint. Buck is right. Jade Empire clocks in at a pretty standard 30 hours (that's the leisurely first time through pace). Honestly, i felt it warranted about a 50% longer time. In particular, I would have loved another major city area to explore in the game. I really expected there to be more than two major urban areas (particularly with the introductory segment hinting at other key cities).

Replay Value: The game has quite a bit for a basically linear story driven game. There are good and evil paths in the game. Likewise, there are some NPC variations for good/evil characters. Finally, there are at least a couple quests for followers of specific paths. And the game offers very different endings dependent on the path you take.

In general, I'd recommend the game to anyone who enjoys story centered RPGs. It's a very good game, which is a bit short and that has gameplay that will take some getting use to by a certain school of RPG players. Still, in my mind its one of the strongest X-Box RPGS out there. It's story is probably stronger than Fable and it would certainly rival the KoTOR games. I enjoyed the game more than KoTOR2, for instance. I probably would have enjoyed it more than the first KoTOR title had Jade been a fair bit longer.

[MasterEwok]

Okay i really don't like how the majority of people on this form can never be happy for instance on the kotor form ppl say that games so ez so they go threw it without followers because they up grade them and they become god like just like your main char. This game give a new look at the follower it's like a combination of fable and kotor which i like cuz you aren't controling your followers you mearly guide them you tell them if you want them to attack with you or just giveyou bonuses i personaly like this very much and always have them set to support so games not too ez and still very fun

[Heksefatter]

I found JE to be a good game, nothing more.

1) The character-creation is too simple. Three attributes is not enough. I prefer to play as a small, smart smooth-talker (which is why I loved being a scoundrel in Kotor). But here, basically your only attributes are combat attributes, with social skills DERIVED from your combat attributes.

2) Why on Urth can't you have more than one follower with you? That doesn't make any sense.

3) Why do your followers fight with the skills of a mailbox?

4) The characters. Am I the only one who saw the HUGE similarities between Carth Onasi of Kotor and Sky? (Perhaps with a bit of Mission Vao or Imoen mixed into Sky).

5) The plot wasn't that brilliant. I died laughing from the 'flaw in your style' plot twist. After all I was a completely different fighter when that was resolved that at the beginning.

6) The morality system. There was little difference between the Open Palm and 'good' and the 'Closed Fist' and evil. That would not necessarily matter, if it was not obviously the intentions of the game designers that there should be a difference. And why are evil persons supposed to be so rude?

7) Not enough side quests.

When that is said, JE is still a good game. Because:

1) The fighting is OK. for pathetic little losers like yours truly, who really don't know how to play action games.

2) The basic story IS OK. Not great. Not good. But still OK.

3) Some of the side quests were brilliant. The theatre-quest, the find-a-husband-quest and the debate quests were fantastic.

4) Some minor characters were wonderful. Particulary Minister Sheng, who had his cat viciously threatened! He is the true leader of the Jade Empire, and he has 'sageliness within, kingliness without'.

5) I liked the shooter. It was so out of place that it actually provided a huge laugh.

[silverybane]

Although I've only begun, personally I really like this game. It's fun and the graphics are to say the least superb. Some dialogues/quests are quite funny (ex. Flower of the Field quest in the beginning, husband quest in Tien's Landing). It has some action in it, and the combat style's nice.

Things I didn't like: the minigames are rather... disappointing. Also during the dialogues, I cannot get used to the gestures of the character...

Overall it's a very nice game so far

[MasterEwok]

yea what was up with the shooter seems like an old school Nintendo engine lol 1943 or something like that.