Jade Empire

Jade Empire Description

It's no secret that games often imitate the trends and pre-occupations of the better established film industry. Just as Hollywood grows obsessed - and bored just as quickly - of one setting or another, the games industry has its own fads, and these often take their cue from the silver screen. Far more intriguing than an endless parade of WWII and Vietnam shooters, however, is a game that seeks to emulate the magic and grace of blockbusters from China like Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Jade Empire is this game. Developed by Bioware, the well-respected software house behind action RPG titles like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire is set in a huge imaginary country inspired by Chinese myth and legend. You take the role of a young martial arts master, at a time when restless spirits indicate that the empire is in danger of collapsing. Naturally, much of the gameplay is driven by martial arts action. As a proficient master, you have the ability to learn and choose various styles of combat. Switching between different hard, soft, fast and slow styles will give you the edge in duels. Set in an imaginary world, the game takes greater license than even the mystical films that inspired it. Your character can charge up their magical powers to unleash pretty but devastating attacks. Skills you learn from those whom you defeat allow you to transform into a supernatural being as well. You also have access to a range of weapons which you can master, if you practice hard enough. A visually impressive game, Jade Empire drops the player into various different settings, from snowy and forbidding mountains at one end of the country to imperial gardens and palaces at the other. And as well as the human characters you'll meet on your journey, there are spirits and magical beasts aplenty. The first serious attempt at creating a visual extravaganza inspired by the Orient.

Innovative fighting system - As players journey through "Jade Empire," they can upgrade their starting combat style or learn entirely new styles, depending on their gameplay preferences. Gamers can learn more than 30 different fighting styles, each with unique strengths and weaknesses, including martial arts styles (Centipede, Mantis), magic styles (Paralyzing Palm, Fire), and weapon styles (Twin Axes, Halberd, and improvised weapons like chairs). Each fighting style is a package of up to seven moves, each with their own speed, power, and form that ranges from punches and kicks to weapon strikes, mystical powers, and even transformations into supernatural monsters. Combat is fast-paced martial arts action characterized by rapid style changes as players and enemies alike seek out their opponents' weaknesses.

Roleplay as a martial arts master - Jump into the story right away with a pregenerated martial artist, or create a custom character tailored to specific play preferences. Each character has a unique appearance, custom voice set, and a powerful combination of fighting styles and ability scores. Focus on strength, speed, or magic, or build a character with a balance of all three. As their characters progress, players can focus on a narrow channel of fighting styles and become dominant in these forms, or study a wide variety of styles adaptable to many combat situations. Players must choose whether to act for good or evil, and their decisions have consequences that precede them throughout the land, and impact their game experience.

Epic story set in mythical China - Set in an ancient, mysterious world based on mythical China, players train under their master's watchful eye and learn powerful martial arts and mystical powers. When danger threatens, players travel across the world, from the harsh mountains of the Land of Howling Spirits to the lush gardens of the Imperial City. In their adventures, players face powerful human and supernatural foes, learn exotic and magical martial arts, and discover the darkest secrets of the world. Only by mastering the greatest fighting styles and defeating the most powerful enemies will players earn their place as a master of martial arts in the world of "Jade Empire."

Rally followers to your cause - The "Jade Empire" is filled with complex and fascinating characters. Some are simple citizens of the Empire, but not all sit passively by. Many powerful figures have interests in the players' activities and quests. Some are enemies, but others may join the players' cause and act as loyal agents. Players can send these agents on special missions across the game world. Each agent has a different personality and skills, requiring players to think carefully about which one to send on each mission. Some problems call for strength and courage, others for diplomacy, and still others for stealth and subterfuge. Players must decide carefully who to send, since the price for failure is high.