Jade Empire - To buy or not to buy

[Linden]

The combat in JE is infinitely more satisfying than the que-up-actions-and-sit-back-while-your-characters-flail-around-like-retards combat in KOTOR. If we are comparing those two, I mean. At least Bioware had the good sense to not use D20 in JE.

 

[curry]

It's a decent action adventure game. Just don't expect any RPG shit and you'll be fine.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

It's a decent action adventure game. Just don't expect any RPG shit and you'll be fine.

...said curry about EVERY BIOWARE GAME RELEASED AFTER BALDUR'S GATE 2 EVER.

 

[Gurkog]

...said curry about EVERY BIOWARE GAME RELEASED AFTER BALDUR'S GATE 2 EVER.

and he was right every time.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

...said curry about EVERY BIOWARE GAME RELEASED AFTER BALDUR'S GATE 2 EVER.

and he was right every time.

Yeah, that's what I said.

 

[DalekFlay]

I just finished Risen 2 and I think it's time I finally give this fucker a go. If it sucks as much as I expect I'm blaming you assholes for mentioning it.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

I just finished Risen 2 and I think it's time I finally give this fucker a go. If it sucks as much as I expect I'm blaming you assholes for mentioning it.

Oh fuck off, you weak-willed faggot asshole.

 

[Xor]

JE isn't that bad. Well, it kind of is. But it's probably worth a playthrough if you're bored as fuck. The combat is tedious and unrewarding, as well as completely imbalanced once you get that one style that stuns people with lightning and Jade Golem form. Just play on easy, you're not missing anything on the higher difficulties. The moral choice system leads to some interesting opportunities for evil characters, and it's actually possible to tell whichever companion you're romancing to man the fuck up and become evil too, which is more character development than you usually see in a Bioware RPG.

The companions are all stock bioware cliches, there's the amoral berserker, the innocent childhood friend, the bitch, the Carth stand in, and a random 12 year old girl, among others. Overall the writing is a mixed bag, with some good moments and a lot of mediocre ones. The plot follows the same 3 act structure that just about every Bioware game does.

I give it a 2/5. Bioware's done worse.

 

[DalekFlay]

Christ my character skips around the world like a crack-addicted jackrabbit.

 

[DalekFlay]

I know this game sucks and all but does it at least open up in chapter 2? The opening chapter consisted of super small areas and linear paths. If it opens up a little I might keep going but as of right now it doesn't seem worth the effort.

Which is a shame as I like the look and world.

 

[Dreaad]

I know this game sucks and all but does it at least open up in chapter 2? The opening chapter consisted of super small areas and linear paths. If it opens up a little I might keep going but as of right now it doesn't seem worth the effort.

Which is a shame as I like the look and world.

Hmmm imagine KotOR except you don't get to choose which planet to got to.

 

[DalekFlay]

Hmmm imagine KotOR except you don't get to choose which planet to got to.

Well KotOR had some decently sized areas, so I guess I'll press on and see. Thanks.

 

[Aeschylus]

The areas do get quite a bit bigger in ch2, though I would never consider them particularly non-linear. They're basically the standard Bioware hub + 3 main quests design.

 

[Eyeball]

Don't get this. The setting is lovely and pretty, but the story is bland and the combat exceptionally clunky, dull and repetitive.

For a better modern kung-fu cinematic experience, get Sleeping Dogs. It's even a better RPG than Jade Empire.

 

[Multiple Sarcasm]

Well KotOR had some decently sized areas, so I guess I'll press on and see. Thanks.

Examples of Ch2 area maps:

Spoiler

How people used to play these confusing old games without a quest compass, I have no idea.
Thank god the lack of quest compass was simply a limitation of old technologies modern consoles have long surpassed.

 

[Roguey]

XBAWKS-ram plus Bioengine = that.

 

[DalekFlay]

Fuck those maps... god. I was going to load the game up today and run through chapter 2 but my enthusiasm for it just plummeted.

 

[RPGMaster]

Don't get this. The setting is lovely and pretty, but the story is bland and the combat exceptionally clunky, dull and repetitive.

For a better modern kung-fu cinematic experience, get Sleeping Dogs. It's even a better RPG than Jade Empire.

Criticising Jade Empire for a bland story then recommending Sleeping Dogs?

 

[Zed]

I've played and finished Jade Empire now.

The environment and art is good, the level design isn't.
The character ideas are good, the writing isn't.
The story is okay but lacks the support of good non-follower NPCs.

The combat is 3rd person beat 'em up. You may have one follower at a time, but you only control yourself in combat.
I thought there were a few fun encounters but overall the combat can be quite repetitive and tedious. It's gimmicky and exploitable.

The schmups minigame caught me by surprise. Better than hacking minigames at least. They're optional if you don't like them.

After playing this, I can now finalize my biolist. From best to worst:
BG2
BG1
DA:O
NWN (if counting mods, else put this at bottom of list)
JE <- hear it iz
SWTOR (yes, playing this mmo as singleplayer is a better CRPG experience than ME)
ME
KOTOR
ME2
ME3
DA2

I predict DA3 to be around the same level as NWN/JE/SWTOR.

 

[DalekFlay]

SWTOR (yes, playing this mmo as singleplayer is a better CRPG experience than ME).

I played through the Imperial Assassin's big main quest and it would actually have been a pretty decent singleplayer game if you took out all the bullshit MMO bloat.

 

[Xor]

I predict DA3 to be around the same level as NWN/JE/SWTOR.

You're way more optimistic than I am.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

list

Hmm..

From very good to infuriating, irredeemable shit:

Baldur's Gate 2
Mass Effect 2
Baldur's Gate
Dragon Age
Dragon Age 2
Jade Empire
Mass Effect 3
Knights of the Old Republic
Mass Effect & Neverwinter Nights
The Old Republic

SWTOR (yes, playing this mmo as singleplayer is a better CRPG experience than ME).

I played through the Imperial Assassin's big main quest and it would actually have been a pretty decent singleplayer game if you took out all the bullshit MMO bloat.

As far as I understand it, Imperial Agent is the only good thing in the game.

I'm inclined to agree but you still have to deal with the rest of the game just like every other class.

 

[Jarpie]

list

Hmm..

From very good to infuriating, irredeemable shit:

Baldur's Gate 2
Mass Effect 2
Baldur's Gate
Dragon Age
Dragon Age 2
Jade Empire
Mass Effect 3
Knights of the Old Republic
Mass Effect & Neverwinter Nights
The Old Republic

SWTOR (yes, playing this mmo as singleplayer is a better CRPG experience than ME).

I played through the Imperial Assassin's big main quest and it would actually have been a pretty decent singleplayer game if you took out all the bullshit MMO bloat.

As far as I understand it, Imperial Agent is the only good thing in the game.

I'm inclined to agree but you still have to deal with the rest of the game just like every other class.

I found Imperial Agent to be as fucking tedious as the couple others I tried (Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor and Bounty Hunter). All of them break up completely after the first chapter or so.

 

[Correct_Carlo]

Recommending or not recommending this game is really easy just because it's so similar in storyline and structure to KOTOR and pretty much every other post KOTOR Bioware game--only it's set in the east and martial arts flavored.

So, in short, if you like Bioware and want to play a Bioware beat-em-up RPG hybrid, then play this.

If you hate BIoware, don't bother

And for the record, I'd rate Bioware games (and their non-Bioware sequels) like so:

Baldur's Gate 2
KOTOR 2 (I know this technically isn't bioware, but still)
Mass Effect 3 (probably only person on this forums who thinks ME3 is the best in the series, but it really is)
Baldur's Gate
Mass Effect 2
Dragon Age: Origins
Mass Effect
Jade Empire
KOTOR (a fun game ofr its time, but it's incredibly tedious playing through it nowdays)
Dragon Age 2

(still haven't played NEverwinter Nights)

 

[DalekFlay]

Yeah I've played a little more and it's basically KotOR with (bad) action combat.

I might keep going. The aesthetic is really nice and I hear it's a shorter RPG.