Review Gamespot uppercuts Jade Empire

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Tags: BioWare; Jade Empire

<a href=http://www.gamespot.com/>Gamespot</a> wrote a pretty level-headed <a href=http://au.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/jadeempire/review.html>review</a> for <a href=http://www.bioware.com/>Bioware</a>'s totally not superficial take on Asian folklore, <a href=http://jade.bioware.com/>Jade Empire</a>. Citing simplistic combat and not enough Barbie dress up options for player avatars, the final score is a <b>7,8</b> out of 10.
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The choices sound interesting, but once you get used to the different types of enemies, it usually boils down to the same rote clicking. Each style has main and alternate attacks, as well as a power attack. You can also activate focus mode, which is essentially like bullet time. The majority of your attacks will use up one of your two sources of strength, chi or focus. On paper this sounds fine, but in practice, you merely lock on to an enemy and slash or punch him a few times, and he dies. If it's a larger enemy, maybe you'll use Toad Demon to poison him or Paralyzing Palm to stop him in his tracks and then slash him up without too much interference. Most encounters--even many boss fights--really are this simple. To help alleviate this carryover problem from the Xbox version, enemies in this translation block attacks noticeably more often, and there is an unlockable mode of difficulty available for players looking for a greater challenge. But the added level of difficulty it imparts doesn't make the combat more interesting. That's not to say it isn't enjoyable at a basic level, but it's relatively mundane.
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Funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung are not amused.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.gamespot.com">Gamespot</A>

 

[Elhoim]

You still collect amulet gems and have a large variety of combat styles to upgrade, but without an actual inventory to manage or gear to collect, Jade Empire feels less fulfilling next to more full-fledged RPGs.

So not having an inventory or loot make it less of an RPG... JE is not a full-fledged RPG, but not because of not having inventory or loot...

I know I´m being obvious, but these guys at Gamespot are idiots.

 

[Dhruin]

To be honest, it sounds like a reasonable thing to say to me and they are a mainstream site, after all. I have it on order and I think I'll miss any sort of inventory management. No, it's not the essence of an RPG but it is one element that potentially extends the depth of many RPGs.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I have to agree with Dhruin here. Absence or presence of an inventory is not the cornerstone of a CRPG, but inventory management can bring a level of character customization that, if well developed, at least invites players to try out different approaches to combat. An example would be The Bard's Tale - while it wouldn't save the game it's something that would help alleviate the excessive focus on combat.

 

[Volourn]

Whining about JE's (lack of) inventory is retarded. Boo fuckin' hoo. I'd take it's inventory over KOTOR's or even FO's shitty inventories which wer ejust disgustinbg.

Besides, JE never claimed to be a full fledge RPG. That's why it's called an Action RPG.

It's rpgness is superior to KOTOR's by far. And, it's combat which seems to be Gamespot's biggest complaint is 100x times better than KOTOR in every single way.

In essence, they're moronic . KOTOR is around 75.ish. JE is nearer to 90. Stupid SW fanboys.

 

[Globbi]

I never played JE but from what i read the combat is A LOT more than what is in 90% other games, stil it's a bad point of the game? Is it really so bad? What would he say about combat in Oblivion then?

 

[JarlFrank]

I never played JE but from what i read the combat is A LOT more than what is in 90% other games, stil it's a bad point of the game? Is it really so bad? What would he say about combat in Oblivion then?

Oblivion is better because Bethesda pay more bribes than Bioware.

 

[Elwro]

Battles aren't nearly as dynamic as the dialogue

Hey, that's interesting.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Whining about JE's (lack of) inventory is retarded. Boo fuckin' hoo. I'd take it's inventory over KOTOR's or even FO's shitty inventories which wer ejust disgustinbg.

Besides, JE never claimed to be a full fledge RPG. That's why it's called an Action RPG.

It's rpgness is superior to KOTOR's by far. And, it's combat which seems to be Gamespot's biggest complaint is 100x times better than KOTOR in every single way.

In essence, they're moronic . KOTOR is around 75.ish. JE is nearer to 90. Stupid SW fanboys.

I completely agree with Volourn. The end is fucking nigh.

 

[Ladonna]

I will wait until some of the hardheads have played it here before I touch this port.

Volourn hasn't said anything critical about the game, thus loses credibility when it comes to rating this. :wink:

 

[Vault Dweller]

I played the xbox version. If you have any questions, ask. It's not the most amazing RPG evar, but it's a much better game than KOTOR was.

 

[suibhne]

Whining about JE's (lack of) inventory is retarded. Boo fuckin' hoo. I'd take it's inventory over KOTOR's or even FO's shitty inventories which wer ejust disgustinbg.

Besides, JE never claimed to be a full fledge RPG. That's why it's called an Action RPG.

It's rpgness is superior to KOTOR's by far. And, it's combat which seems to be Gamespot's biggest complaint is 100x times better than KOTOR in every single way.

In essence, they're moronic . KOTOR is around 75.ish. JE is nearer to 90. Stupid SW fanboys.

I completely agree with Volourn. The end is fucking nigh.

Wow. Me too. :shock:

I haven't even played JE yet - it's sitting on my computer as a Steam pre-load - but I've seen plenty of videos of the combat. No matter how I might end up rating JE combat with first-hand experience, it's easy to see that it's far superior to KotOR, which featured possibly the worst combat of any RPG I've played in the last 10 years - hell, maybe ever.

 

[Ladonna]

KOTOR has worst combat ever? I guess its all subjective...But I would love to see a complete library of the CRPG's you have played suibhne. Its not the best game thats ever been seen, but its better than some.

Hmm, question for Vince....

Ok, Volourn talks up all this 'Roleplaying' that is in JE, what do you think? Are there any real choices?

 

[Texas Red]

Worst combat ever in KotOR? Did you perchance play the OC of NWN 2?

 

[suibhne]

Worst combat ever in KotOR? Did you perchance play the OC of NWN 2?

KotOR is far worse than NWN2. NWN2 may offer a treasure trove of AI stupidity and interface clunkiness, but it's still far more interesting than KotOR's combat system - and many of NWN2's combat flaws are patchable, whereas KotOR's are by design.

You might find me agreeing if you used NWN, which featured the same flaws without the depth of party control, but not NWN2.

KOTOR has worst combat ever? I guess its all subjective...But I would love to see a complete library of the CRPG's you have played suibhne. Its not the best game thats ever been seen, but its better than some.

Like what?

Fwiw, I was really thinking not just of all RPGs in the last decade, but big-name RPGs that have been highly reviewed. In that set, I think it's pretty hard to argue that KotOR isn't the worst, with the possible exception of NWN. Maybe you could toss PoR in that mix, but it was acknowledged as a failure.

 

[Elwro]

Is the level of JE's RPGness akin to Gothic? If so, I might grab it as I'll perhaps be able to employ some eXtreme discount options from CD Projekt.

 

[Llyranor]

JE's combat isn't particularly deep, but it's been pretty fun so far (pretty action-oriented, though). It's been more enjoyable than Bloodlines (which I found a tad too mindless, and the action quality of it wasn't enough to make up for that) and Oblivion (which is pure crap anyway), in any case.

 

[Volourn]

"I never played JE but from what i read the combat is A LOT more than what is in 90% other games,"

That simply isn't true. JE has about as much combat per hour as any other BIO game if not less. You certainly ain't gonna be fighting hundreds of xavrts at once. That's for durn sure.


"KOTOR has worst combat ever?"

Worst ever? No. But, pretty damn bad. Horrible, indeed.


"Volourn hasn't said anything critical about the game, thus loses credibility when it comes to rating this."

Sure, I have. Do a search on variosu sites including this one, IIRC. definitely on the BIO and Obsidian boards. I like JE a lot; but there are certainly things I've criticized about. I have never played a game that there wans't soemthing I disliked about it. Stop bullshitting.



"In that set, I think it's pretty hard to argue that KotOR isn't the worst, with the possible exception of NWN."

Anyone who thinks NWN's combat is worst than KOTOR is just plain fuckin' retarded. NWN's combat is one of the bets ever while KOTOR's is one of the worst. *shrug*


"Is the level of JE's RPGness akin to Gothic?"

The game world isn't wide open to explore, or travel; but choices ar eusually more varied and unlike G (at least 3) it's not just limited to choosing faction x vs y. And there are THREE dialogue skillz which are used quite often.

 

[Greatatlantic]

In terms of combat...

NWN1<KotOR=KotOR2<NWN2

Long story short, I don't like real time with pause, but I find it increasingly more palpable with more controable characters, and NWN2 had the largest parties out of the bunch.

 

[Volourn]

You are dumb. That was simple. Thank you.

 

[neuromantik]

I'm still going to pick up that game... looks fun.

 

[elander_]

Since we are talking of action games with a plot anyway:

NWN2 < NWN < JE << Tekken < Mortal Combat < Soul Calibour

 

[Volourn]

NWN series aren't Action RPGs or Action games, dumbass.


"Tekken < Mortal Combat < Soul Calibour"

Aren't these just fighting games? That's completely different than Action games and espicially Action RPGs.

P.S. JE's story and role-playing is better than either NWN.

 

[Globbi]

That simply isn't true. JE has about as much combat per hour as any other BIO game if not less. You certainly ain't gonna be fighting hundreds of xavrts at once. That's for durn sure.

What i ment in my post was that the combat sounds better. Not that it is more of combat but combat is more (but I'm not sure if correctly written in English so may be my bad )

 

[Vault Dweller]

Ok, Volourn talks up all this 'Roleplaying' that is in JE, what do you think? Are there any real choices?

Well, first of all, it's a Bio game. What that means is it's story driven to the extreme and you will have to experience everything step-by-a-fucking-step. You will go from point A to point B to point C. You may see things coming, but you can do nothing to stop/change them.

That doesn't mean the game is utter shit, of course. PST is also an uber linear game, yet nobody will call it a bad game. So, the role-playing. One of the difference between KOTOR and Jade Empire is that evil (the Dark Force) was represented in a lame way (basically you had to be a jerk), and the whole "I'm Revan! Fear me! Argh-argh!" angle was poorly supported (see the Korriban academy for details). In Jade Empire you will want to be "evil" because it makes a lot of sense, it's tempting, it's well explained, and in most cases, it's a pragmatic, reasonable approach.

For example, you will be offered an optional fight (training) against multiple opponents. If you win, you get a reward. One of the opponents is a wounded girl whose wounds must be taken care of first. A herb merchant gives you a choice - an expensive healing herb for the treatment or a cheaper herb that doesn't heal, but only takes the pain away. Therefore, she will be weaker and your victory will be assured.

Another example is a small town, suffering because a nearby dam had been opened, lowering the river. The people are suffering and waiting for someone to help them. You are approached by several interested parties - a captain of a ship that's grounded because the water is gone, and a wine trader who's making a fortune keepng people drunk. The trader wants you to destroy the dam controls and your response indicates that you see it not as a dumb evil act, but a helpful gesture encouraging people to find strength and move on, start again.