Before they became a household name with games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, the RPG experts at Bioware took players on a journey to the Far East for an action-packed and visually stunning adventure that is still a must-play to this day.
That game is Jade Empire, and the world would be a better place if it returned.
What Is It?
Jade Empire is an action RPG set in a fantasy version of Imperial China filled with spirits and assassins, as players fight enemies with a variety of martial arts, weapons and magic. The game originally appeared on the first Xbox in 2005 as an exclusive, but later made its way to PC and Mac. Players create a character and choose a fighting style before being swept up in an epic tale that will bring them face-to-face with the Emperor of the Jade Empire. Combat is fast-paced and in real time, and all the staples of a classic Bioware RPG are here, including romance options, dialogue trees and a morality meter.
What Makes It Great?
It's a Bioware RPG. Almost by definition it's at the top of the genre and does nearly everything right. Just as in 2005, Jade Empire's gameplay still feels fresh. While Bioware experimented with more action-oriented battles in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire perfects the idea. It truly feels like an action game first (in a good way!) That doesn't mean the game lacks all of the familiar RPG features you expect from a Bioware title. Players still invest points in new abilities and stats while exploring the game world and its populace. Along the way NPC characters join the player in their quest as party members, each with their own motivations and unique personalities. It's classic Bioware, but in an original setting whose world is hard not to get swept up in.
And what a world it is. Bioware truly delivers on the eastern adventure setting. From the music to the environments, the world of Jade Empire is easy to lose yourself in. Bioware even went so far as to invent an entirely new language for their game. Like the light side/ dark side system in Knights of the Old Republic before it, Jade Empire also features two opposing ideologies that are attached to various decisions throughout the game, in this case the Way of the Open Palm and Way of the Closed Fist. The Way of the Open Palm advocates harmony and the idea that a person should not go beyond their station in life, while the Way of the Closed Fist encourages individuals to be self-reliant and rise above their beginnings, often through violence. The two philosophies in the game feel more morally "grey" than their Star Wars counterparts, and can be seen as a direct influence on the Paragon/ Renegade morality system found in Bioware's Mass Effect trilogy.
Why It Needs A Reboot
Jade Empire was a foreign yet familiar experience that critics poured praise upon, but a follow-up never appeared. Bioware went on to make the first installments in the two franchises that now have become synonymous with the developer-- Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Dragon Age: Inquisition, the developer's latest game, won multiple Game of the Year 2014 awards. The studio is currently working on the as of yet untitled Mass Effect 4.
With Bioware bigger and stronger than ever before, there's never been a better time for Jade Empire to be given a second chance at franchise status. The game's rich world and history mean there are still plenty of ideas left to explore for a sequel. Bioware could take everything they've learned from Dragon Age: Inquisition to deliver a beautiful open world for players to explore and interesting characters to meet. Top it off with the martial arts combat Jade Empire is known for and it would be a welcome change of pace from the tactical combat of Dragon Age and the shooting of Mass Effect. Jade Empire still stands apart as one of Bioware's finest, and given the developer's recent success, there is little doubt that a sequel to one of their most overlooked titles would be anything short of incredible.
More Games That Could Use A Comeback:
Reboot This: IO Interactive's Freedom Fighters
