RPGDot Network    
   

 
 
Citizen Zero
Display full image
Pic of the moment
More
pics from the gallery
 
 
Site Navigation

Main
   News
   Forums

Games
   Games Database
   Top 100
   Release List
   Support Files

Features
   Reviews
   Previews
   Interviews
   Editorials
   Diaries
   Misc

Download
   Gallery
   Music
   Screenshots
   Videos

Miscellaneous
   Staff Members
   Privacy Statement

FAQ
Members
Usergroups
Jade Empire Impressions
  View previous topic :: View next topic
RPGDot Forums > Console RPGs General

Author Thread
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
Jade Empire Impressions
   

Jade Empire is scheduled to hit shelves next month!

The april issue of OXM(Official Xbox Magazine) has a combat demo. There is also a video-clip in the "Features" section of that same demo-disc.

The combat is 100% real-time, you can pause and switch styles. The rest of the game(not shown in demo, but in video-clip) looks like a mixture of KOTOR and Final Fantasy. It appears that you will have access to an airship you can fly around. Dialogue looks like Baldurs Gate/KOTOR type trees.



Oh, if you pre-order the game they give you a "Special Edition" with 1 extra playable character! The cost is the same as the normal game.
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:41 pm
 View user's profile
Amelia
City Guard
City Guard




Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Ong's Hat, New Jersey
   

::waiting for PC port::
_________________
The real secret of magick is that the world is made of words. And that if you know the words that the world is made of, you can make of it whatever you wish. -Terence Mckenna
Post Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:32 am
 View user's profile
Davo
City Guard
City Guard




Joined: 03 Sep 2002
Posts: 146
Location: Massachusetts, USA
   

I played the X-Box demo for about 10 minutes last night. Nice graphics. The setting is very interesting. I wasn't sure I would like the Chinese setting, but it was a nice alternative to the faux-medieval worlds most games present. The part that I played seemed to be a "boss" battle with a horse demon. Looking good, I would say. I played with the character described in the demo as "balanced" (a female character) and lost the battle after taking away about 2/3 of the horse demon's life. Combat is very easy and fun. It's easy to see whether you're doing damage to enemies (a life bar appears over the enemy's head). I also had some chi powers that allowed me to launch magic attacks or heal my character. You have a chi bar that depletes as you use your magic/healing abilities and doesn't seem to recharge in combat. Character control was very responsive. I could make my character somersault over the enemy and move fairly nimbly to avoid attacks.

It's looking good, so far.
_________________
Apologize, v.i. To lay the foundation for a future offense.
Backbite, v.t. To speak of a man as you find him when he can't find you.
-- Ambrose Bierce, from The Devil's Dictionary.
Post Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:08 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Reviews are positive so far...

IGN = 9.9

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/602/602787p1.html

Gamespy = 5/5 stars

http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/jade-empire/602937p1.html

It should be in stores this week!
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:28 pm
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

April 22 is ETA here in Germany. I can hardly wait, it's my most anticipated game... mythical China is my favorite fantasy setting, anyway, and nothing beats sitting in a comfy living room chair with a wireless controller .
_________________
Jaz
Post Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:24 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

quote:
Originally posted by Jaz
April 22 is ETA here in Germany. I can hardly wait, it's my most anticipated game... mythical China is my favorite fantasy setting, anyway, and nothing beats sitting in a comfy living room chair with a wireless controller .

It's got great music and an interesting storyline so far. The frame-rate is more stable compared to KOTOR1&2(Xbox). The real-time combat is fun and has a yin/yang feel too it. I like the Open-Fist/Closed-Fist morality system. Conversations are your typical Bioware-style dialogue trees. The art-direction is really groovy. The graphics have a very lush and mythical dream-like quality. I can't wait to get off work so I can play it some more!

Jaz, what type of wireless controller are you using?



_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Thu Apr 14, 2005 5:37 pm
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

The Joytech 2.4 GHz Wireless Neo S. It's perfect for my small hands. On the other hand, hubby's huge hands and FIFA ruined the left stick quite some time ago so it's now jury-rigged with silicone. But one day I'll get a new one. There are still three non-wireless controllers left should it fall apart, but I like the feeling of freedom .
On a sidenote, I always thought I didn't like Bioware games, but that's not true - I seem to dislike games set in AD&D's Forgotten Realms which - for me - is the most unoriginal game setting ever created.
_________________
Jaz
Post Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:39 am
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

Got it yesterday (yes, I know I said April 22nd, but we sell the stuff ), and I really like what I have seen so far. Some of the voice actors in the localized version seem to be a little uninspired - both KotORs were better in this regard -, but apart from that minor gripe I'm quite satisfied with the game.
So far.
Strangely enough the cutscene with the captain/mage/assassin reminded me of Final Fantasy VII. Don't ask me why... and even stranger: it somehow reminds me of MK: Deception. The setting, the combat styles, sometimes even the dialogues... should I say it's a more refined version of MK:D?
Hehe, I know I'll walk the plank for saying this .
_________________
Jaz
Post Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:31 pm
 View user's profile
pauk
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Posts: 38
   

quote:
Originally posted by Amelia
::waiting for PC port::


I suppose this is an xbox-only game, no pc port, and Dragon Age by bioware will be released only for pc.

Has anyone tested Jade Empire with Cxbx or similiar xbox emulator? Is it playable and worth purchasing?
Post Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:32 am
 View user's profile
Remus
Overgrown Cat
Overgrown Cat




Joined: 03 Jul 2002
Posts: 1657
Location: Fish bowl
   

Impressive praises from GameSpy and IGN. After BG series, i'm not that impressed with NWN's single player campaign. But with KoTOR and Jade Empire, i guess Bioware had prove themselves as a most credible RPGs-maker in North America\English language game market.
_________________
Post Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:09 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

quote:
Originally posted by Jaz

Hehe, I know I'll walk the plank for saying this .

*sword to her back...

Indeed you will Jaz!!!


_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:14 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Thirteen hours in, and I find myself at the beginning of Chapter 3. If there are 7 or 8 chapters, then this game is much longer than the reviews would have you believe. Most reviews say it is a 20 hour game. Looks more like a 30 - 40 hour, KOTOR length game. The dialogue is quite humorous. Lot's of alchoholic characters! Interesting NPCs. Varied environments! Gameplay seems to be a mixture of KOTOR(Level-design), Fable(Leveling), Final Fantasy(airships), and Fighting Games(but not really as the combat leans more towards the turn-based side in a rock-paper-scissors/elements sort of way). Like KOTOR1&2, the characters are really chatty! There is definitely some replay value here!



Oh, and you PC gamers will be happy to know that you can skip the airship mini-games. You can use the "Evade" option. I remember reading all the complaints here in the KOTOR forum. Personally, I love the mini-games. They are like playing Galaga mixed with the power-up system of Gradius!
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:43 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Chapter 3 was really long. I have 22 hours logged and just made it to Chapter 4. I hear there are 6 chapters and the last 2 are quite short. I recently earned the Golem summon and love it. It's really fun to control a 20' stone-warrior and crush your enemies!



I am using Scholar-Ling. Her main focus is Spirit(Chi/Ki/Mental). She has White Demon & Tian's Justice maxed. Ice projectile, Fire projectile, Toad Summon, Golem summon are all about 30% - 50% maxed. I just started working on 1000 cuts. The combat gets more fun with the more styles you learn. You can map them to your d-pad. If you hold 2-seconds in any direction on the d-pad, a menu opens and allows you to map other styles on the fly.
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:20 am
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

Radiant Jen Zi is my first host. Not quite my style, usually I'm playing the Tiger Shen- types first, but I also prefer playing as a female first, and I like Jen Zi's looks...
_________________
Jaz
Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:04 am
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Just finished Jade Empire with Scholar-Ling as an Open-Palm character. Took about 26 hours for me. I did every Open-Palm quest and every shooter side-game(including all upgrades). About 75% of the way through the game I started skipping through the audio and just reading the conversations, so that may have cut my game-time down by 2 or 3 hours. My character was on level 22. My fighting styles of choice were...

White Demon - maxed
1000 Cuts - maxed
lawless Staff(Tien's Justice) - maxed
Jade Golem - 70%
Toad Demon - 60%
Ice Shard - 50%
Dire Flame - 40%

I'd like to play through again as a Close-Fist Furious Ming and explore some of the other 23 styles!
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:23 am
 View user's profile



All times are GMT.
The time now is Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:06 pm



Powered by phpBB © 2001 phpBB Group
 
 
 
All original content of this site is copyrighted by RPGWatch. Copying or reproducing of any part of this site is strictly prohibited. Taking anything from this site without authorisation will be considered stealing and we'll be forced to visit you and jump on your legs until you give it back.