Jade Empire: SE - Looking back

[HiddenX]

Gamepressure looks back at Jade Empire:

BioWare always wanted to develop game like this. Jade Empire was their first original RPG

Quite a few people may have already forgotten about Jade Empire. The brand is currently dead, but it was once the apple of BioWare's founders' eye. And it's hard to believe that they eventually abandoned this interesting world.

Contents:
- BioWare always wanted to create Jade Empire.
- Demons, gods, mad scientists - in this world, we cannot get bored
- Plot is also quite something
- Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer
- What about the fight?
- How to play Jade Empire today?

Martial arts stimulate the imagination of many people. For some, fascination is fleeting, for others it lasts for years, and sometimes even a lifetime. For me, the greatest period of interest in this topic was at the beginning of the 2000s. It was also an interesting time for games. For the purposes of this article, however, we are only interested in one studio - BioWare. It was on a roll then, releasing hit after hit. One of the games from the golden era of this developer is Jade Empire, which allows us to play as a martial arts master.

BioWare always wanted to develop Jade Empire

BioWare always wanted to develop game like this. Jade Empire was their first original RPG - picture #1
Everyone needs our help, whether they are gods, demons, or humans. Source: Jade Empire, developer: BioWare
BioWare is a studio that probably doesn't need an introduction. No matter what people think of their games, this is one of the industry's veterans that brought the world iconic series like Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age. They developed Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, and Neverwinter Nights. Classics with a capital C.

Once they completed the licensed games for Dungeon & Dragons and Star Wars, BioWare began a project that had been developing in the founders' minds since the studio's beginning. Jade Empire was the brainchild of Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk (via IGN). They wanted to give the player the opportunity to play as a martial arts master. Ultimately, the game was released in 2005 for the original Xbox. This seems like a strange move, because the Xbox 360 was released just a few months later. After years, Greg Zeschuk admitted in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz that polishing the game and waiting for the new Microsoft console could have benefited this title.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

More information.

 

[SSIGuy]

I have pretty fond memories of this game and wish it had seen a sequel. It felt, even at the time, that it didn't get the attention it deserved.

 

[mercy]

Loved the game! Sagacious Zu! :D The asian girls were really attractive.

 

[Carnifex]

Great game, I'm not sure I'd ever replay it yet the one journey through was memorable.

 

[JDR13]

It was interesting, but I don't feel like it was one of Bioware's best games. Those action sequences where it turned into a vertical shooter were really weird.

 

[Shagnak]

Liked the setting; disliked the game. I was so so disappointed in the gameplay.
And then the shoot em up travel sections. Ugh.

 

[Carnifex]

Oh yes, parts of the game are terrible yet the story is what hooked me. The mechanics in some parts really made no sense whatsoever.

 

[bjon045]

The only bits I really remember are the shoot-em up sequences and near the end of the game I got a fighting style that let me turn into a giant jade statue which destroyed everything with a couple of hits. I think it was a 6 or 7/10 game for me. Highly forgettable.