I -- a die-hard Bioware RPG fan -- was decidedly "ehhh" when I heard about this "console RPG port" coming out on the PC. Still, I gave it a shot, trusting Bioware's reputation, and a major gap in my life for another engrossing RPG. I have been rewarded -- Jade Empire on the PC is a deep, VERY original, immersive RPG. As an action-RPG, it's far more in-depth into the RPG-style character development & story than "Titan Quest", or "Dungeon Siege". That said, it's certainly not "Oblivion". It fits squarely in the middle. The story is really quite engrossing, and the NPCs are classic Bioware -- they all have distinctive personalities and traits. You can quest and fight with one NPC at a time, choosing from any you've met along the way at any time. Your "buddy" doesn't really have any affect on the game, other than providing dialog points and someone to distract enemies (but they don't seem to be significant in affecting the outcome of battles -- they don't kill baddies). Also, you do not control the stats or leveling of your cohorts, unlike in Knights of The Old Republic. The "action" elements vary. The RPG-style combat is fun and somewhat tactical, but not pausable like it was in KOTOR. You can choose the difficulty level, though, so if you find it overwhelming, you can easily make combat stupidly simple. They have some "minigames" within the context of the RPG, and those are fairly pathetic, but thankfully, skippable. As for character development, you don't have a traditional "inventory", so this game won't satisfy people that enjoy the "goodie grabbing" in some RPGs. Still, character development is rich, as you select from many fighting styles and attributes for those styles. In short, if you like KOTOR, buy this one!
Other Helpful Reviews for Jade Empire: Special Edition (PC GAMER)
My confidence in Bioware was a bit shaken after playing Neverwinter Nights. I expected more from the main campaign but they failed to deliver "the goods". The good thing is I picked up Jade Empire and despite some doubtf... Read Full Review
I was impressed by the story of the game, the gameplay is not that much difficult once you get the hang of it, and the graphics are not that good considering its an rpg, but the story itself kept me in front of the pc fe... Read Full Review
