Jade Empire

[glen55]

I love it.  Full disclosure: I'm a Bioware fanboi.  But isn't everybody?  They just make great games, and this one is no exception.

Yes, it's on rails - all Bioware games except DAI are on rails.

The RPG elements are not as strong as in some other Bioware games, but they're not dramatically lighter.  It's actually one of my favorite BW stories - watch for the scene with the ghost children about half-way through - if it doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you are probably not a nice person.

It's Bioware's only melee action game, and the combat is very good.  IMO, you can just count on good combat from Bioware.  It's also Bioware's only game that allows you to have sex with two women at once -  :D - unfortunately, no visuals . . . but they do make it a difficult achievement, which I think is very true to life.

Bioware hasn't made a good mini-game since pazaak in KOTOR.  The arcade flying game in Jade Empire SUCKS - don't waste time on it.

If you want to make the game harder, don't take the jade golem upgrade.  It sure helps with the hard boss battles, but the fights just aren't as much fun.  However, if you want to win that last fight in the arena, it sure will save you some time on those thousand reloads.

Finally - and I played it on the XBOX and possibly this doesn't survive in the port - there is no level cap (that I'm aware of) but the game only provides a set amount of experience - WITH ONE EXCEPTION.  Unfortunately, it has been too many years for me to describe it well, but there is an area where you go up a hill and there is some kind of temple on top.  From a little googling, I think it is the "sickened forest" area.  Anyway, there are a couple of intermediate areas on the hill path where you fight something like 3 spirits each and THOSE AREAS RESET if you leave and come back.  So, depending on what kind of glutton for punishment you are, you can run up and down those hills for hours: boring as hell, but you can make enough XP to get several extra levels that you simply cannot get any other way.  I don't know whether this was a mistake in the game or they left this opportunity in intentionally.  Anyway, it's the only way you can get both the jade golem style AND all the good perks for one of the regular fighting style - otherwise, it's either or.

[Gusington]

Still haven't played this and I actually paid money for it. Will get to it one day.

[FarAway Sooner]

Finally - and I played it on the XBOX and possibly this doesn't survive in the port - there is no level cap (that I'm aware of) but the game only provides a set amount of experience - WITH ONE EXCEPTION.  Unfortunately, it has been too many years for me to describe it well, but there is an area where you go up a hill and there is some kind of temple on top.  From a little googling, I think it is the "sickened forest" area.  Anyway, there are a couple of intermediate areas on the hill path where you fight something like 3 spirits each and THOSE AREAS RESET if you leave and come back.  So, depending on what kind of glutton for punishment you are, you can run up and down those hills for hours: boring as hell, but you can make enough XP to get several extra levels that you simply cannot get any other way.  I don't know whether this was a mistake in the game or they left this opportunity in intentionally.  Anyway, it's the only way you can get both the jade golem style AND all the good perks for one of the regular fighting style - otherwise, it's either or.

Dude, this vaguely resembles the South Park episode about World of Warcraft.

[Rayfer]

Finally - and I played it on the XBOX and possibly this doesn't survive in the port - there is no level cap (that I'm aware of) but the game only provides a set amount of experience - WITH ONE EXCEPTION.  Unfortunately, it has been too many years for me to describe it well, but there is an area where you go up a hill and there is some kind of temple on top.  From a little googling, I think it is the "sickened forest" area.  Anyway, there are a couple of intermediate areas on the hill path where you fight something like 3 spirits each and THOSE AREAS RESET if you leave and come back.  So, depending on what kind of glutton for punishment you are, you can run up and down those hills for hours: boring as hell, but you can make enough XP to get several extra levels that you simply cannot get any other way.  I don't know whether this was a mistake in the game or they left this opportunity in intentionally.  Anyway, it's the only way you can get both the jade golem style AND all the good perks for one of the regular fighting style - otherwise, it's either or.

Dude, this vaguely resembles the South Park episode about World of Warcraft.

Or the new Rob Lowe TV comedy....The Grinder.

[BanzaiCat]

I've tried to get into Jade Empire a couple of times, but just can't.

[Gusington]

How come? Talk to me.

[BanzaiCat]

It doesn't feel nearly as epic as the KOTOR titles. That's not to say it's a bad game. I'd like to play and finish it eventually...it's just that it loses my interest after a while as it's very limited and two-dimensional quest-wise. I'm applying 10+ years of game logic to this perception now, which isn't fair at all to Jade Empire. One could make the same argument for the KOTOR titles, especially KOTOR 2 (which didn't feel nearly as epic as KOTOR 1 in my opinion).

[Gusington]

^That's your olde man talking.

[Arctic Blast]

If you're expecting a wide open environment full of side quests to explore, you're not going to find it. If you're expecting to be able to develop your martial arts into the sort of badass you want to play as, you might like it. It is very action-oriented, as you'd expect from a game with that setting.