Jade Empire?

[Gabanuka]

Just a quick query about the game, is it any good on PC and how many hours will I get out of it. No idea why but I'm in a monky mood. And I guess you can talk about the game here if you want.

 

[Llil]

It's fine on PC. The pre-rendered cutscenes are really low quality compared to the rest of the graphics, because they didn't bother making them better for the PC version, but other than that there's not really any problems I can think of.

I don't remember exactly how many hours it took me to beat for the first time, but if I had to guess, it was probably around 30h. I could be wrong, though. The scale of the game is kind of small compared to some other Bioware games, and there's only a few locations, but the game still managed to fool me into thinking it's bigger than it actually is.

It's more of a story driven action game than an RPG, but that's fine, as long as you're not expecting a deep RPG experience.

 

[DustyDrB]

I'd say it's my least favorite BioWare game. It's still decent, but pretty unremarkable as a whole. I was excited about the setting, but they really didn't do anything interesting with it. The combat is a snoozefest. The story does get good pretty late in the game, though.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I liked Jade Empire at the time, but it is, in retrospect, pretty terrible on any platform. The writing is weak and arguably racist (and your character is more of a standard RPG protagonist than an actual monk), the combat is hilariously bad, etc. The setting (steampunk China) is pretty cool in theory, though.

EDIT: OTOH, the game wins my "least shitty Bioware persuasion mechanic" award for having a persuasion mechanism that is basically just stat check for relevant stats. So like if you're intimidating someone, it's checks body+spirit, if you're charming someone it checks body+mind, and so on.

 

[Weaver]

Huh, it's strange to see people agree with my thoughts on it, considering the accolades it seems to receive. I attempted to play it long after it was released and I felt it was a very weak offering from Bioware.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Huh, it's strange to see people agree with my thoughts on it, considering the accolades it seems to receive.

Yeah, just checked the metacritic page and it's like at an 81%. Really? A cultural appropriation sim with stunlock sim and dating sim elements gets 8/10? Not surprising, given the general quality of games journalism, but still...

 

[Smertnik]

The direct combat is quite fun, I remember liking it a lot, and the setting is rather original. The story is the usual run-of-the-mill BioWare stuff. As for the length, I think it took me about 20h to complete it. Could have been more, it's been quite a while. Overall a very decent game and definitely recommendable.
Also to my knowledge it's the only BioWare game that lets you have a threesome.

 

[Ingwer-Orang]

*Fanboy Mode on*
Well in my humble opinion it is one of Biowares best offerings.I cant help it,but i love the story,gameplay, music,gameplay,actually everything about Jade Empire. *Fanboy Mode off*

But to answer youre question:
Compared with console version they added some content,so i guess the port is ok.And if i recall correctly you will get 15-20 hours fun out of it.

 

[wintercoat]

The direct combat is quite fun, I remember liking it a lot, and the setting is rather original. The story is the usual run-of-the-mill BioWare stuff. As for the length, I think it took me about 20h to complete it. Could have been more, it's been quite a while. Overall a very decent game and definitely recommendable.
Also to my knowledge it's the only BioWare game that lets you have a threesome.

In DA:O you can have a threesome with Isabella and Zevran. And if you're in a relationship with Leliana and you hardened her, you can even have a foursome.

 

[Smertnik]

In DA:O you can have a threesome with Isabella and Zevran. And if you're in a relationship with Leliana and you hardened her, you can even have a foursome.
Oh, right, totally forgot about Isabella.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I liked Jade Empire at the time, but it is, in retrospect, pretty terrible on any platform. The writing is weak and arguably racist (and your character is more of a standard RPG protagonist than an actual monk), the combat is hilariously bad, etc. The setting (steampunk China) is pretty cool in theory, though.

EDIT: OTOH, the game wins my "least shitty Bioware persuasion mechanic" award for having a persuasion mechanism that is basically just stat check for relevant stats. So like if you're intimidating someone, it's checks body+spirit, if you're charming someone it checks body+mind, and so on.

I went through the same thing.

Cept for the racist thing, I wasn't enjoying the second playthrough as much. I realised it was mainly because that once the plot is revealed there is a lot less of it. It is one of those cases where you enjoy the story and setting despite the mechanics.

I think it is a good candidate for Bioware to make a new one of with their new honed skills under the belt.

I don't know - it's not like their plotting/morality system/world-building skills have improved that much. The problem with the "appropriate all the things" style of worldbuilding that Bioware seems to love is that it's deeply problematic when the things in question are appropriated from a colonized culture.

Although the combat system might get better - I can't possibly imagine how it could get much worse.

 

[Kahunaburger]

The general setting has been established so they can focus a bit more on personal char build (their main skill. I dont really remember any of the chars from jade empire, but i remember the plot) . Combat given an overhaul. The DA engine can be repuposed for it making a combat system that they failed in DA2. Full personal action driven without the grouping. A look at KoA might be a good idea for inspiration of combo between combat and lvls.

I don't doubt that a good combat system could be made to fit a setting that mixes martial arts, magic powers, and early gunpowder weapons. I'm just skeptical about Bioware's ability to make that combat system.

 

[80Maxwell08]

I've been debating getting that Pc version for a while since I do wonder what that extra content is supposed to be. I actually like Jade Empire a ton more than any of Bioware's work that I have played. Though my first Bioware game was KOTOR so make of that what you will. Still I find it fun at least.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I think if Bioware actually sat down, used the original as a template, then expanded on it in pretty much every direction, they could make a combat engine with legitimate depth and greatness. Unfortunately, they seem to be subscribing more and more to the "Press a button, something awesome has to happen!" school of design.

I think this is the issue - to make the combat system Jade Empire should have, the controls and challenges the player faces should be fine-tuned, balanced, and tight. That just does not appear to be Bioware's M.O. That said, it might be cool if the Mass Effect team made an industrial-age cover-shooter set in pseudo-China. Real China had some crazy awesome weapons, like shotgun polearms, multi-stage rockets, semi-automatic crossbows, flamethrowers, grenades, and so on.

For me, the biggest problem with a Jade Empire sequel would be the writing. All the good writers have left now, and I can't see the likes of the DA2 writing department able to come up with a nuanced, thematic, multi-path take on mythical China. They'd probably just limit it to the Imperial City and have the Emperor revealed to be a young boy made out of sparkles.

I've got a horrible picture in my head of the sort of pseudo-China setting David Gaider (i.e., the guy who unironically used the phrase "militant Islamic borg") would design.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I dunno. I'm pretty sick of cover shooters at this point. I think if they made a Jade Empire sequel like you describe, people would just see it as Jade Effect. As cool as all those Chinese weapons were, I still think that Bioware would have a better shot making another kung-fu RPG. It really is quite an untapped market, and done right, could be so unbelievably awesome. Imagine levelling up a character, and discovering you can choose between a new nunchaku combo or being able to run up bamboo as your next perk. I think I'd die from too much 'squee'...

Oh yeah, I'm all for a wuxia RPG. I was just thinking to myself "what's the least bad combat system Bioware has made in the last decade..?"

My perfect-world Jade Empire 2 would play like a cross between Street Fighter and Spirit Engine 2, though

 

[Zipa]

The direct combat is quite fun, I remember liking it a lot, and the setting is rather original. The story is the usual run-of-the-mill BioWare stuff. As for the length, I think it took me about 20h to complete it. Could have been more, it's been quite a while. Overall a very decent game and definitely recommendable.
Also to my knowledge it's the only BioWare game that lets you have a threesome.

In regards to your spoiler : dragon age origins does to.

 

[Wayneguard]

It plays just fine on PC. I currently have 49 hours out of it (2 playthroughs). It really is a great game; an under-the-radar gem of biowares that doesn't get the respect that the dragon ages and mass effects do.