A mechanically flawed but aesthetically beautiful rpg
Jade Empire is martial arts-themed RPG from famed game creators Bioware. It has its share of flaws, but also many redeeming elements. Let me cover the flaws first.
The biggest flaw in the game is the combat system. Like Greg Kasavin notes in the GameSpot review, you can literally use the same tactic on every enemy. You basically just attack an enemy and jump over him when he comes at you. Rinse and repeat.
Your styles don't acquire new moves as you level up, and the combat does become repetitive. Also, there are some glitches in the game, as during one boss battle the sound went out of sync. The load times are very, very long and the environments lack interactivity. You can choose your responses to characters in many scenarios, but the choices come so often and there is so much dialogue that it hampers the momentum of the game. Also, the game is too easy, as some styles can utterly debilitate your enemies (I beat the last boss on my first try).
However, the game does have many redeeming qualities. For one, the graphics and art style are quite gorgeous. Nicely modeled architecture reflecting the imperial Chinese era mixed with glowing sunsets and swaying, grassy landscapes really bring the world to life. The story is also pretty good, and the characters are generally entertaining and interesting. And despite the repetitiveness of the combat system, it can be fun if you like martial arts.
All in the all, Jade Empire is a solid foundation for further sequels, but it does have its flaws. I'd say that if you are into the setting and folklore of ancient China, and enjoy RPG's, give Jade a try.
