Body determines your health, Chi powers certain magic abilities and Focus lets you use weapon styles or enter slow motion. Characters will level up and earn points to spend on their basic attributes and combat styles. Though the ethical choices are the main thrust of the actual roleplaying you'll find in this game, there are a few other touches that add to the RPG feel. Similarly, it's entirely possible for a player to occasionally make decisions contrary to their overall philosophy without completely compromising their identity. There are so many of these ethical decisions throughout the game that it's very easy for a player to switch from one extreme to the other during the course of the game. It is, in fact, pretty much the entirety of the game's roleplaying element. We'll admit that the Closed Fist choices are a bit obnoxious at times (or openly repugnant) but that's part of the fun of roleplaying. It's a very satisfying system because the choices for either side are usually reasonable and compelling. Adherence to one alignment over the other rewards the player not only with practical rewards like money but also with new story elements and fighting styles. Though not technically presented as "good" or "evil" in the context of the game, it pretty much amounts to the same thing. Players who believe in helping the NPCs of Jade Empire will embrace the Open Palm philosophy while those who prefer to let these NPCs fend for themselves (or worse yet, actually take advantage of the helpless) will drift more towards the Closed Fist side of the spectrum. ![]() As with Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire continually asks the player to weight their actions and conversations towards one of two ethical extremes. Happily, they will have a fair degree of moral freedom. As such, players of Jade Empire will feel like much more of a part of the story they just won't feel like they have any narrative freedom. While it can feel somewhat restrained, particularly for Elder Scrolls fans, it allows the designers to script a story that focuses more on the main character than on the world around them. Players are taken from point A to point B with very little opportunity for side trips or a shuffling of destinations. Unlike a "go where you will" game like Oblivion, Jade Empire has a very linear and focused story. ![]() We don't want to give any of the specifics away, but the story is instantly captivating with enough twists and surprises to sustain your interest all the way through to the end. Starting as a young but promising student in a provincial martial arts school (complete with a wise old master and numerous other characters from martial arts movies), the player will be thrown into a story involving a mysterious drought, imperial bureaucracy, palace intrigue, drunken masters, stray ghosts and dozens of other amazing elements. Jade Empire plays out over the course of some 20-24 hours and embraces a wide variety of themes and types from Asian history and mythology. (The twenty or so loading screens that you encounter in the Arena will definitely make this apparent.) Two extra combat styles have also been included, allowing the player even more options when those pesky horse demons just won't listen to reason. To begin with, high end PCs will allow for much better graphics and considerably shorter load times. ![]() The PC version does have a few new additions. The same great story and great action have been preserved here and it's all rendered with BioWare's signature polish and sophistication. The PC version of Jade Empire is almost exactly identical to the Xbox version, which is to say, it's pretty awesome.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |