Jade Empire: Special Edition

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 304 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 217 out of 304
  2. Mixed: 68 out of 304
  3. Negative: 19 out of 304
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  1. EdS.
    Dec 27, 2007
    7
    Lite fun and lots of action; beautiful to look at.
  2. wiz0floyd
    Jun 22, 2011
    7
    Great game overall. Had some crashes on Windows 7 and these keep it from scoring higher.

    Plot: Quite good. Nothing less than what I expected from a Bioware game. Without spoiling it, there's a couple of great surprises that seemed fitting. I never felt like they were contrived or forced. Gameplay: Good. I used Leaping Tiger and the lightning one almost exclusively. Made the boss fights    Great game overall. Had some crashes on Windows 7 and these keep it from scoring higher.

    Plot: Quite good. Nothing less than what I expected from a Bioware game. Without spoiling it, there's a couple of great surprises that seemed fitting. I never felt like they were contrived or forced.

    Gameplay: Good. I used Leaping Tiger and the lightning one almost exclusively. Made the boss fights too easy. I'd have expeced the bosses to be immune to support styles. Still fun though.    … Expand
  3. AlienSpaceBats
    Sep 18, 2013
    7
    A very short (finished in 11 hours) easy and streamlined RPG for the console market, though it almost seems as though BioWare wanted to make something like Final Fantasy. Gameplay is a mix of real-time hack & slash combat and exploration/dialogue similar to that seen in KOTOR. The story dips at its mid-point, and has little that stands out, but is worth riding out for the excellent finalA very short (finished in 11 hours) easy and streamlined RPG for the console market, though it almost seems as though BioWare wanted to make something like Final Fantasy. Gameplay is a mix of real-time hack & slash combat and exploration/dialogue similar to that seen in KOTOR. The story dips at its mid-point, and has little that stands out, but is worth riding out for the excellent final quarter. Can be difficult to invest in and properly role play with the cookie cutter character creation and static game world, which also harms replayability. Nonetheless, a solid game. Worth mentioning: versions purchased on Steam require a checklist of workarounds, particularly on newer machines/OS.… Expand
  4. squidgee
    Dec 11, 2013
    7
    Jade Empire tells an intriguing story with developed and personalized characters. Unfortunately, the game is marred by frequent crashes and various glitches. The pixelated text doesn't help and it overall seems like a product that's very rough around the edges. Another thing that's not particularly appealing is the outdated visuals. It may've looked good back in 2005, but with the specialJade Empire tells an intriguing story with developed and personalized characters. Unfortunately, the game is marred by frequent crashes and various glitches. The pixelated text doesn't help and it overall seems like a product that's very rough around the edges. Another thing that's not particularly appealing is the outdated visuals. It may've looked good back in 2005, but with the special edition released in 2007, it just doesn't compare to games released in the same time.

    Combat is simplistic enough and works for the most part, but is hindered by an annoying camera angle. Often times, particularly towards the end of the game, boss/mini-boss fights had me resorting towards kiting which became very tedious. Styles are certainly unbalanced, where some are clearly more inferior or superior than others.

    To sum it up, a decent game. The game plays best in chapters 1, 2 and 3 where there's a great deal of intrigue, open environments and a plethora of side quests. The game kinda falls off from chapter 4 onwards, where it becomes completely linear and it feels as if the story is being dragged out. Took me 25 hours to complete after doing the main quest and most side quests.    … Expand
  5. jim109109
    Jan 10, 2013
    7
    Has a rock paper scissors fighting system, which works well despite some unbalanced spells. The story is fun and unfolds as you want it to. The last time I've had so much fun making choices was in Fallout 3. Time and again Jade Empire permits you to chose how you act...sometimes leading to disastrous consequences. I've walked the "evil" path and haven't regretted it. The story is hit andHas a rock paper scissors fighting system, which works well despite some unbalanced spells. The story is fun and unfolds as you want it to. The last time I've had so much fun making choices was in Fallout 3. Time and again Jade Empire permits you to chose how you act...sometimes leading to disastrous consequences. I've walked the "evil" path and haven't regretted it. The story is hit and miss, having so much dialogue in the game is a double edged sword. The entertaining parts of the game are great but toward the end things get especially tedious. I had some great moments in Jade Empire, those priceless 10/10 moments where you just want to make love to your USB ports, however I can't say the entire experience was great.… Expand
  6. Flinnbo
    Aug 1, 2012
    7
    I find Jade Empire quite hard to review really, because I wanted to enjoy it so much but I feel somehow let down by it. I found most of the first half of the game to be significantly boring but this is probably because I'm one of those people who has to read *every* dialogue option with *every* npc that can talk in case they have something unique to say. Unfortunately I learnt the hard wayI find Jade Empire quite hard to review really, because I wanted to enjoy it so much but I feel somehow let down by it. I found most of the first half of the game to be significantly boring but this is probably because I'm one of those people who has to read *every* dialogue option with *every* npc that can talk in case they have something unique to say. Unfortunately I learnt the hard way that this was not the case, and that everyone literally says pretty much the same list of things albeit slightly differently to fit their characters. About halfway through the game I started skipping a *lot* of dialogue options and this is when it became a lot more enjoyable for me. Thankfully your team members do each have their own storylines and their dialogue options were more fruitful, which was great. The combat mechanic of the game is tricky to review. It starts off difficult because it is unlike anything in any bioware game I've played before, but then you gradually start to realise that it is very easy to exploit. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody managed to finish the game without using the block function a single time. As a result most fights weren't very exciting, especially towards the end of the game. They probably would have been if I had mixed up my styles a bit, but I found no incentive to. The story of the game was good, and lasted a lot longer than I was expecting thanks to a few twists in the plot, but towards the end there were several loading screens telling me that my choices would has dire consequences that I should consider carefully, but I don't actually recall making any decisions at the end. Perhaps it was just my general play-through which influenced it, but it was underwhelming to say the least. The environments that the game is set in are okay, although there are very few to explore so you quickly get quite bored of being in a certain place, especially considering the detail of your surroundings are hampered by outdated graphics. All in all though it's an enjoyable game, especially if you can get it in a steam sale. I managed to get it for around £3 which makes the pounds-per-hour ratio (around 25ish hours) much better than most games I've bought recently. The characters and story are worth that money alone, and the rest of the game can be enjoyed equally as much so long as you don't expect too much from it.… Expand
  7. lutteres
    Nov 2, 2013
    7
    Bioware games are known, visuals aside, for their unforgettable characters and imersive story telling, unfortunately this is not always the case in Jade Empire.
    Presentation: 7
    In teams of presentation, Jade empire still looks good to the “modern” eye, the art work is appealing despite being a bit cartoonish, the animations are fluid and the menus are easy to navigate (atleast on the GOG    Bioware games are known, visuals aside, for their unforgettable characters and imersive story telling, unfortunately this is not always the case in Jade Empire.
    Presentation: 7
    In teams of presentation, Jade empire still looks good to the “modern” eye, the art work is appealing despite being a bit cartoonish, the animations are fluid and the menus are easy to navigate (atleast on the GOG version). Although, I experienced a few annoying graphic glitches between loading times, but nothing major.
    Sound: 6
    The sound effects are just average, like in previous bioware games.
    The soundtrack is surprisingly bland and occasionally hard on the ears.
    The voice acting is a mix bag, because Bioware decided it was a good idea to cast american voice actors instead of asian ones. Why is this bad? Because, when I'm exploring a fantasy Asian world, i'm not expecting the NPC's to speak perfect English, it kills the immersion for me. Other than that the voice acting it self, is sill above average.
    Characters an Story: 6
    The Characters are also a mix bag, Wild Flower is the only character in the lot to be remotely original, the rest are just a compilation of badly written stereotypes with uninteresting back stories and inconsequential roles. The only other character worthy of mention is Sir. Roderick, because he's just one of the most hilarious characters I have ever seen in a video game, unfortunately you can't recruit him, go figure!
    The Story it self is ok though. But don't expect nothing spectacular or memorable like in KOTOR or Mass Effect.
    Gameplay: 6
    As customary, in Bioware RPGs, you can recruit party members to aid in combat, but only one can accompany you, though it's possible to switch between the rest at any time. The problem is, other than giving you stat bonuses, your companions are utterly useless, mainly because their I.A is borderline inept.
    The I.A. in general, is also very easy to exploit. To win, you will only need to master 3 styles: Paralyzing palm fallowed by Leaping tiger and/or Dragon sword, which makes the rest of the fighting styles completely useless. Their are also “Harmonious Combos” you can use, by pressing the left and right mouse buttons at the same time, but I rarely used them myself because they take to much time to trigger.
    Their is also no customization options what so ever, you can only choose between a set of predefined characters. The only variables are the fighting styles you can master and the points you can attribute to Health, Chi and Focus.
    The combat system is fun to a certain degree, but it shows limitations when you ramp up the difficulty, mainly because of the iffy controls and wonky camera.
    Nonetheless, Jade Empire still has some cool ideas under the hood, for example: you can switch between styles during a fight to vary your strategy; you can use magic for long range attacks; you can use a combination of flips and rolls as well as slowing time to avoid enemy attacks and also turn yourself in to a freaking daemon or animal!
    Value: 8
    It took me 30 hours (flat) to beat this games without skipping any dialogs and completing ~95% of the side quests. And by the way, it is always fun to replay it a second time as an evil guy, lol!
    Other than that, there is no modding community to speak of, so after the second play through there is no point replaying it again.

    Final Thoughts: If you're looking for a hardcore rpg game, you'll better skip Jade Empire. But if you liked Knights of the old republic and Neverwinter Knights, you might want to give this one a try.

    Final Score: 7    … Expand
  8. logothing
    Dec 8, 2013
    7
    Worth it?: Overall, this game is worth about $10 (US).

    Graphics, Sound, Interface: The characters models, backgrounds, and CG work aren't so bad as to be distracting, but they are dated (as this game is from 2005). The style is an odd mix of western cartoon and stereotypical Chinese, and while this isn't bad or distracting, other games from this generation, like LOZ: The Wind    Worth it?: Overall, this game is worth about $10 (US).

    Graphics, Sound, Interface:

    The characters models, backgrounds, and CG work aren't so bad as to be distracting, but they are dated (as this game is from 2005). The style is an odd mix of western cartoon and stereotypical Chinese, and while this isn't bad or distracting, other games from this generation, like LOZ: The Wind Waker, were much stronger in the art department. Overall the art direction definitely seems content to take a back seat to the rest of the game.

    The music, voice acting, and sound effects are all solid. There isn't really much to comment on, other than the sound team did a good job. Again, there wasn't much to laud, but there wasn't much to criticize, either.

    The interface, for the PC version, can be confusing at first. I used a mouse and keyboard, and sometimes I was stuck using trial and error to find what I wanted. This definitely is not an intuitive setup for the game. I cannot comment on gamepad controls. The menus are streamlined, but they are also a bit confusing. Sometimes it would have been easier to look online than to navigate the menu for the purpose of a recently acquired item.

    Story:

    The story is really in two main parts. The first part takes up most of the game, and does a good job pacing you through to its conclusion. There is lots of intrigue to be had, and very little slowdown at the beginning. Towards the end of the first part, however, you start to run into some pacing issues. Despite this, there isn't much to hinder most players from wanting to get to the goal here.

    The second part of the story is a train-wreck. I will not post any spoilers, but ending this game was neither enjoyable or rewarding. Really, I just wanted to reclaim the space from my HDD and be done with it. Luckily this last segment is only about three or so hours of game play.

    Battle System:

    The battle system fails, but shows a lot of promise. You really want it to do better, and at the start of the game it seems like you will end up having a rewarding experience with the style switching and real-time movement. It just doesn't pan out.

    Overall: I'm being a bit harsh here, but it's because the first five hours of the game made me hopeful and sparked my imagination. The last bit of the game crushed that idealism. I'm giving this a seven because there was so much the team could have done to make a great game. Indeed, it is painful that the last bit of the game is so bad, and I thus I am choosing to weigh the better parts a bit heavier.    … Expand
  9. TheSerenity
    Apr 15, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has the potential to be a fantastic game, but being one of Bioware's earlier releases, it did not have the necessary refinement to be considered an elite game.
    The feel of this game which is a result of the environment and the music was really well done and it does feel like you are in ancient China. The combat was very exciting and a lot of fun to experiment with a variety of different fighting techniques, and although the controls were a little clunky and difficult to actually control, I had a lot of fun with the combat.
    The story was also very intriguing. It had one of the better stories that I have come across in a RPG game.
    However, I had some issues in particular with your companions. Having a companion fight with you did not really add much to the game aside from that they distract some enemies. But more importantly, the characters were not really explored in depth and although they did get a backstory, it didn't feel particularly interesting. In later games, Bioware would have companion quests which I believe would have really improved the game. This is because near the end there is a moment where all your companions work together to save you as a result of you supposedly being an incredible leader. However, nothing you do in game really should inspire such loyalty. The companions were really bland for me in this game, which really detracts from the experience. The volume of which you pick up companions was also an issue. There was definitely too much companions in too small amount of time that you never really develop a connection or an interest in your companions.
    The final battle is also a little disappointing, although this is because I have been spoilt by some of Bioware's epic conclusions to some of their other games. I understand what they were trying to achieve so this isn't too significant of an issue. The game however was a little short and I believe it could have been made a little longer, and add some interesting subplots and complications. Also like I mentioned more quests involving companions would have been wonderful.
    Overall, I enjoyed this game even though the graphics were incredibly outdated when I played it and the companions were really disappointing. I do wish however that Bioware can somehow reboot this franchise. If they are able to implement some of what they did with the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises, it could make for a very refreshing and intriguing franchise because of the unique environment and story    … Expand
  10. RagingPoet
    Aug 6, 2018
    7
    Jade Empire feels a lot like Knights of the Old Republic in oriental setting, though it has simplified RPG and item systems and very dull action combat. But plot, characters and choices are still great.
  11. Frankeyowski
    Feb 22, 2021
    7
    fabuła dobra. Grafika obrzydzająca, ale grafika nie jest najważniejsza. Cieszę się że mam tą gre od brata ale gdyby BioWare się bardziej do niej przyłożyło (np. Więcej możliwości) to wracałbym do tej gry z rozkoszą. Daję ocenę 7/10
  12. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    Pretty fun RPG carried by its setting. World is beautiful and unique to western RPGs, I really loved the unique flavor it added. Zones are unique and feel interesting. Leveling up and combat both different from prior bioware entries in interesting ways, but both feel half baked and easy to break. Game ends up very easy as a result. Excellent narrative twist, but otherwise forgettablePretty fun RPG carried by its setting. World is beautiful and unique to western RPGs, I really loved the unique flavor it added. Zones are unique and feel interesting. Leveling up and combat both different from prior bioware entries in interesting ways, but both feel half baked and easy to break. Game ends up very easy as a result. Excellent narrative twist, but otherwise forgettable story. Characters hit or miss.… Expand
  13. kni-kawgittis
    Feb 28, 2007
    6
    Unfortunately, after years of uninhibited revolutionizing of the RPG genre, the quality bar has been raised to staggering heights. Games like Bethesda's Oblivion seem to have implanted a new standard for RPGs in our minds that just isn't representative of other gamemaker's abilities. While Jade Empire is loved by hardcore fans, i would equate it with the butchering of Unfortunately, after years of uninhibited revolutionizing of the RPG genre, the quality bar has been raised to staggering heights. Games like Bethesda's Oblivion seem to have implanted a new standard for RPGs in our minds that just isn't representative of other gamemaker's abilities. While Jade Empire is loved by hardcore fans, i would equate it with the butchering of Tribes 3 by Vivendi Universal. Fans of this game will come to dislike it and abandon it. the game has improved at the most basic roots: the storyline and graphics, a key part of RPGs is there, however, even more basic gameplay functions are lackluster and make me want to play Oblivion instead to suit my RPG needs. All in all, a 6.8 says its playable, but in my mind, a waste of time in a busy world.… Expand
  14. theshonen8899
    May 23, 2011
    6
    If you had trouble playing Mass Effect you will probably have trouble playing Jade Empire. I'm a huge fan of KoToR, Mass Effect 2, and Dragon Age Origins but Jade Empire only resembles these games in it's technical aspects. The narrative is bland and the setting/characters are an alarmingly stereotypical depicting of Asian culture. The PC version also has many technical problems with theIf you had trouble playing Mass Effect you will probably have trouble playing Jade Empire. I'm a huge fan of KoToR, Mass Effect 2, and Dragon Age Origins but Jade Empire only resembles these games in it's technical aspects. The narrative is bland and the setting/characters are an alarmingly stereotypical depicting of Asian culture. The PC version also has many technical problems with the nearly impossible to navigate menu. Personally I think the graphics were pretty good for it's time but that's coming from a KoToR background. Basically, if you are KoToR fan like me who was expecting a similar game in Jade Empire, you may be disappointed.… Expand
  15. Shiki
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    A purely action-based game made by a company which had no experience in making action games. And it shows. Nothing truly stands out in JE, it's not bad to the point of hating it, but it's not good to the point of loving it either. Just lukewarm.
  16. faceless-1
    Jul 22, 2013
    5
    I really tried get into jade empire, but i really couldn't get into it. JE is really mediocre game, setting and combat style are ok, but NPCs and the game play are nothing special.
  17. Broyax
    Mar 27, 2017
    5
    Une histoire de fantômes chinois... pas trop mal écrite avec quelques rebondissements certes classiques mais assez efficaces. Une avalanche de dialogues le plus souvent soporifiques et une fin qui traîne terriblement en longueur. Quelques bons moments également dont une quête qui fait penser à ce bon vieux KOTOR... Des personnages têtes à claques dans l'équipe et qui ne la fermentUne histoire de fantômes chinois... pas trop mal écrite avec quelques rebondissements certes classiques mais assez efficaces. Une avalanche de dialogues le plus souvent soporifiques et une fin qui traîne terriblement en longueur. Quelques bons moments également dont une quête qui fait penser à ce bon vieux KOTOR... Des personnages têtes à claques dans l'équipe et qui ne la ferment jamais... un système de combat en temps réel qui souffle le chaud et le froid même si une pause est disponible... C'est tout cela Jade Empire !

    Musique sympathique et très couleur locale, VF de très bonne facture. Graphismes fort réussis et fluides (si on a pris soin de désactiver le fpsclamp des 30 im/s dans l'ini) : c'est presque aussi beau que Dragon Age Origins (à part les personnages). Le jeu marche bien en mode compatibilité sous windaube 7 (après avoir installé DX9 ! -sic-) mais le disque dur n'arrête pas de gratter au bout d'un certain temps : pas mal avec 12 Go de ram !! il faut plutôt y voir le mode de compatibilité de windaube 7 qui fait n'importe quoi. On retourne alors sous windaube xp : et là, aucun souci !

    Curieux sentiment : ce Jade Empire est très caricatural au final, son monde est très caricatural, très caricaturé, sans doute à l'insu de l'ignorance de ses développeurs, c'est parfois presque aussi niais qu'un jeu japoniais. Inquiétant. Pas le meilleur jeu de rôle Bioware donc... mais pas le pire non plus.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

38
#38 Best PC Game of 2007
34
#34 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007
10
#10 Most Shared PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. IGN
    86
    Like the PC version of "Knights of the Old Republic" before it, Jade Empire is a remarkable RPG that, apart from better graphics and load times, really has little to separate it from the Xbox version from two years ago.
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  2. GameSpot
    78
    The long-awaited PC version of Jade Empire retains the great story and setting of the Xbox original, but the streamlined combat and core design haven't aged quite as gracefully.
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  3. 1UP
    70
    Compelling narrative and crippled combat make Jade Empire a case of form over function -- and depending on what you want from a single-player RPG, that might be totally OK. It's short (in the 20-hour neighborhood for first-timers) and sweet; just don't let the premise trick you into expecting gameplay that isn't altogether there.
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