Jade Empire Interview

ComputerAndVideoGames.com has published a new article-style interview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka, in which the joint CEO offers quite a bit of feedback about Jade Empire. Here's a taste:
"The number of combos is kept fairly limited as we wanted this game to appeal to action and RPG fans. Jade Empire isn't a fighting game; it's more of an action-RPG but fighting fans will enjoy it. The tactical depth comes from choosing the right attack and the right style on each opponent," Muzyka explains. "When you consider that this accessible control system is more or less the same for all styles in the game, you realise that the game is both intuitive and deep."

The innovative features just keep on coming. "Focus mode, the yellow 'clock' you'll see on the interface in the final game, allows you to slow down time for your opponents. This, along with health and magic Chi energy, is one of your three secondary abilities. It's a precious resource as many opponents can be felled when time slows down. You turn focus on and off using the Y button - it's really simple to use, yet you need to carefully hold some in reserve for those enemies that end up being more difficult than you initially expected."