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Jade Empire for Xbox is the Long Awaited RPG
Xbox RPG fans have been growing in anguish for more RPG’s to come out ever since the day Xbox was released for sale. But as the time passed by and Playstation kept on putting out new games Xbox was putting RPG’s on a backburner. The few meager attempts were made to create RPG’s for Xbox but failed repeatedly. The hope was dying for any improvements to come about when Jade Empire finally hit the market.
At first the players were cautious. The last RPG put forth on Xbox was Sudeki and was not at all what everyone expected. Jade Empire, it seemed, was doomed for the same disappointing fate. But it managed to prove otherwise!
The game was a long awaited reward that RPG players got for sticking with Xbox that long. It present players with a variety of options and could be played with different characters for different results. The gameplay is very fast paced and easy. In the beginning the player is presented with a choice of what will be the main character’s main attribute. Game ending will depend on the character choice the player makes in the very beginning of the game. Free will is part of the play as well. In essence it means that character’s actions and replies to various questions posed in the game will define the way the character is perceived and in which direction the game will go. There is more than just one way to play Jade Empire. You could choose to be good and pursue the “right” things or you can choose to be extremely bad and be viewed as “evil”. You can also choose to be more realistic and be a little bit of both depending on the situation.
If you are thinking of getting the game, or own it already, it would be a good idea to play it a few times, just to see how different actions and different characters will shape the story.
The battle system, even though it is not what most conventional RPG players would call favorable, is quite interesting. It incorporates the true elements of RPG like magic and item usage but happens in real time, without any real control over other members in your party. The only option you are allowed within this battle system is to choose whether you want the supporting characters to be fighting or stand on support. The battle system is probably the only downside of the game, as it is new school and therefore is deemed as less favorable by the old timers. It’s not hard though and even grows on you by the time you get somewhere half through the game. The story is also interesting, one that makes you want to follow the game and play it continuously without interruptions. The ending can be surprising, maybe somewhat disappointing but overall makes sense. The game is definitely worth trying by anyone who calls themselves an RPG fan.
