BioWare's Xbox action RPG 'Jade Empire' has been previewed at RPGFan. Here's a taste:Jade Empire, based on the Aurora Engine created for KotOR, is a simple game at first glance. With only three statistics and pre-created characters, Jade Empire has a system that is just as customizable as Dungeons and Dragons or White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade. Although the seven avatars are pre-created, players are able to mince their stats so that they have the character they want with a particular avatar. The three statistics, Mind, Body, and Spirit, directly affect gameplay; Body affects character strength and hit points, Mind controls the Focus ability, which is quite similar to Bullet-time, and Spirit controls Chi, the force of the body used to heal and cast spells. Similar to Feats and Skills, characters gain levels in different types of fighting styles, which range from the mundane martial arts styles to the more complex magical styles. |