John Crichton
First Post
Yup, a 8.4. Seems a bit low but I'll have to see based on the gameplay.driver8 said:
[Xbox] Jade Empire, you'll want to preorder
- Thread starter Welverin
- Start date
JRRNeiklot said:
No, no, all good -- it makes sense now that I know where you're coming from.
And yeah, I wouldn't mind playing (or making) a BG-2-style game -- but unfortunately, most of the customer base disagrees with you, which means that even if the point of the game isn't graphics, it still has to be 3-D and look as cutting-edge as any first-person shooter, fighter, or racer.
As for multiple party members and interaction... see you in a couple years when Dragon Age comes out.
And yeah, Gamespot's review is a bit low... IGN, Gamespy, Gamezone, and Teambox have been a bit kinder.
John Crichton
First Post
So, has anyone played the game yet?
Mine should be arriving shortly.
takyris - give it up, man. What do you think?
Mine should be arriving shortly.
takyris - give it up, man. What do you think?
Honestly, I'm not really the most unbiased opinion you're going to run into.
I think that it's going to be a good game for a ton of people, and a few people are going to be disappointed in it for reasons that are accurate but specific to them. It is possibly not the most complex RPG of all time -- I think that it IS the most complex RPG for the X-Box, but that is a slightly different situation. It's also not the most complex fighting game. I think it has places for fighting-game lovers to do cool things that the average RPG-lover will never spot, and it has places for the RPG-lover to unlock dialogue things and see cool bits that the fighting-game guy won't ever see. Because it's specifically intended to appeal to both markets and prove that RPGs don't HAVE to be strategy-fighting games -- that you can have an RPG that is also an action-game (or, for that matter a first-person shooter, or, heck, even a driving game or flightsim) -- it is probably going to irk purists at the far end of each spectrum. Fighting-game snobs will say that its fighting AI isn't complex enough to challenge them, and RPG snobs will say that they wanted more than they got.
On the other hand, the people who appreciate both types of games, or who like one type or the other but aren't purists about it, are most likely going to enjoy the game a whole bunch. And while I am on the record as a not-graphics, not-setting person... the game is absolutely gorgeous. The screenshots don't do it justice, and neither do the short movies, because in those bits, you're not controlling it. When you get to see something that beautiful and control it and walk over and look at the parts you want to see... that's something special. Even for me.
So with luck, it helps show some action-gamers that RPGs can be fun, while showing some RPG-gamers that fighting-games aren't just for that 13-year-old kid who always punks you in whatever version of Virtua Fighter they've got at the mall. I think it's got some really good crossover appeal, and anyone who's open to the idea of crossover, or who likes both genres, is going to really really love the game.
But as mentioned... not the most unbiased person, even with the not-working-on-it thing.
I think that it's going to be a good game for a ton of people, and a few people are going to be disappointed in it for reasons that are accurate but specific to them. It is possibly not the most complex RPG of all time -- I think that it IS the most complex RPG for the X-Box, but that is a slightly different situation. It's also not the most complex fighting game. I think it has places for fighting-game lovers to do cool things that the average RPG-lover will never spot, and it has places for the RPG-lover to unlock dialogue things and see cool bits that the fighting-game guy won't ever see. Because it's specifically intended to appeal to both markets and prove that RPGs don't HAVE to be strategy-fighting games -- that you can have an RPG that is also an action-game (or, for that matter a first-person shooter, or, heck, even a driving game or flightsim) -- it is probably going to irk purists at the far end of each spectrum. Fighting-game snobs will say that its fighting AI isn't complex enough to challenge them, and RPG snobs will say that they wanted more than they got.
On the other hand, the people who appreciate both types of games, or who like one type or the other but aren't purists about it, are most likely going to enjoy the game a whole bunch. And while I am on the record as a not-graphics, not-setting person... the game is absolutely gorgeous. The screenshots don't do it justice, and neither do the short movies, because in those bits, you're not controlling it. When you get to see something that beautiful and control it and walk over and look at the parts you want to see... that's something special. Even for me.
So with luck, it helps show some action-gamers that RPGs can be fun, while showing some RPG-gamers that fighting-games aren't just for that 13-year-old kid who always punks you in whatever version of Virtua Fighter they've got at the mall. I think it's got some really good crossover appeal, and anyone who's open to the idea of crossover, or who likes both genres, is going to really really love the game.
But as mentioned... not the most unbiased person, even with the not-working-on-it thing.
Well, I got home from work earlier today (well today is technically wednesday, but I"m talking about Tuesday April 12th) to a message on my answering machine that EB games had my copy in! I rushed off to go pick it up and came home to play it a bit!
It is graphically very nice, that is for sure. Very well done in that part! I'm not *too* far into it, but I did play it for a good 3 hours or so. So far, it's interesting. It's not what I expected fighting/style wise, but I think I'll still like it. I was hoping that eatch "combat style" would have like different "moves" that you could perform with it through a series of button combinations. That is **NOT** the case. What you have is a basic attack, a power attack, and a block. It's like a rock/paper/scissors thing. Block will block basic attacks, power attacks break through blocks, and basic attacks interupt power attacks (they take about 2 seconds to perfom - there is time to stop them/be stopped).
What it seems to me, is that you learn different styles, and you can "hot assign" them to the directional pad - up, down, left, right to switch between them. Instead of performing multiple button combos- you are suppossed to switch back and forth between styles while fighting. There are "support" styles that don't do any damage, but put "effects" on an enemy - like slowed, stunned, etc. "Martial" styles - just like they sound, beat the crap out of people. "Magic" styles - uses your chi. "Transformation" styles - you channel the soul of a beast and use it's attacks kind of? (I dunno, haven't used this one yet.. I have one, but haven't used it). And, "Weapon" styles - just like it sounds, for use with weapons. If you don't use a "weapon" style, you're attacking with your fists using the martial styles. Weapon styles use up focus.
Your character has three main stats, which you can play around with. Mind, Body, Spirit. These affect your secondary stats - health, Chi, Focus. You use your chi to use "magic" styles, and you can also use your chi to add extra dmg to your other attacks, and this will actually cause "support" styles to do dmg. You can also use your chi to heal yourself. You use Focus to use weapons, and you can also enter "focus" mode, where everything else is slowed down except for you.
Chi and Focus don't last too long, they run out fairly quickly when you use them. There are little shrines all over the place though, that you just run up to and meditate real quick (takes like 2 seconds) and they heal your health and chi, and there's another shrine that heals your focus.
So, that's the quick run-down of what I've encountered so far. There's lots of cool little stuff I've found so far, little side quests and such. You end up getting this amulet that you can stick gems into that can increase your stats, and you also can learn "techniques" - they are like permanent powerboosts that add a bit to your health/chi/focus. For instance, run around and read all of the scrolls in the starting town and you'll get a technique from your Master.
The plot is interesting, but pretty much definately forces your actions as far as I can tell. You *do* have a choice in how you want to respond to things, but of course I'm choosing the good-natured ones (it's how I am in real life, usually how I play most of my comp games like this).
I'm not very far into it, but it's definately captured my attention even though it isn't exactly what I was thinking/hoping it was going to be. For now, I like it, it's new, interesting, *beautiful*, VERY in-depth/detailed. It seems to be getting better as it goes along... we'll see if that continues and I really like it, or if takes a wrong turn and starts to suck. Somehow I doubt that, but we'll see.
Out of a rating of 1-10, right now I'm giving it a 7.5 - It doesn't rock my world, and wasn't what I was thinking/expecting, but it *is* interesting like I said, and *very* well put together.
Hope that helps ya'll a bit!
(oh yeah, I'm playing Monk Zheng)
It is graphically very nice, that is for sure. Very well done in that part! I'm not *too* far into it, but I did play it for a good 3 hours or so. So far, it's interesting. It's not what I expected fighting/style wise, but I think I'll still like it. I was hoping that eatch "combat style" would have like different "moves" that you could perform with it through a series of button combinations. That is **NOT** the case. What you have is a basic attack, a power attack, and a block. It's like a rock/paper/scissors thing. Block will block basic attacks, power attacks break through blocks, and basic attacks interupt power attacks (they take about 2 seconds to perfom - there is time to stop them/be stopped).
What it seems to me, is that you learn different styles, and you can "hot assign" them to the directional pad - up, down, left, right to switch between them. Instead of performing multiple button combos- you are suppossed to switch back and forth between styles while fighting. There are "support" styles that don't do any damage, but put "effects" on an enemy - like slowed, stunned, etc. "Martial" styles - just like they sound, beat the crap out of people. "Magic" styles - uses your chi. "Transformation" styles - you channel the soul of a beast and use it's attacks kind of? (I dunno, haven't used this one yet.. I have one, but haven't used it). And, "Weapon" styles - just like it sounds, for use with weapons. If you don't use a "weapon" style, you're attacking with your fists using the martial styles. Weapon styles use up focus.
Your character has three main stats, which you can play around with. Mind, Body, Spirit. These affect your secondary stats - health, Chi, Focus. You use your chi to use "magic" styles, and you can also use your chi to add extra dmg to your other attacks, and this will actually cause "support" styles to do dmg. You can also use your chi to heal yourself. You use Focus to use weapons, and you can also enter "focus" mode, where everything else is slowed down except for you.
Chi and Focus don't last too long, they run out fairly quickly when you use them. There are little shrines all over the place though, that you just run up to and meditate real quick (takes like 2 seconds) and they heal your health and chi, and there's another shrine that heals your focus.
So, that's the quick run-down of what I've encountered so far. There's lots of cool little stuff I've found so far, little side quests and such. You end up getting this amulet that you can stick gems into that can increase your stats, and you also can learn "techniques" - they are like permanent powerboosts that add a bit to your health/chi/focus. For instance, run around and read all of the scrolls in the starting town and you'll get a technique from your Master.
The plot is interesting, but pretty much definately forces your actions as far as I can tell. You *do* have a choice in how you want to respond to things, but of course I'm choosing the good-natured ones (it's how I am in real life, usually how I play most of my comp games like this).
I'm not very far into it, but it's definately captured my attention even though it isn't exactly what I was thinking/hoping it was going to be. For now, I like it, it's new, interesting, *beautiful*, VERY in-depth/detailed. It seems to be getting better as it goes along... we'll see if that continues and I really like it, or if takes a wrong turn and starts to suck. Somehow I doubt that, but we'll see.
Out of a rating of 1-10, right now I'm giving it a 7.5 - It doesn't rock my world, and wasn't what I was thinking/expecting, but it *is* interesting like I said, and *very* well put together.
Hope that helps ya'll a bit!
(oh yeah, I'm playing Monk Zheng)
John Crichton
First Post
Well, I can't really comment yet as I've only played a little but it's very cool to hear Nathan Fillion (Firefly) as the voice of Gao the Lesser.
Angcuru
First Post
I just finished the game. Like most BioWare games, the gameplay and plot were awesome, but the end is phenomenally disappointing. Short clip, BG2-style text-based "Where are they now?", roll credits. Meh.
Gameplay - WOW!
Plot - Awesome!
Length of Play - 30 hours. Disappointing.
Ending - Deep-fried koala vomit in a paper bag.
Played through as Honorable Whatsisname on the Path of the Open Palm, BTW.
Fighting styles are simple to learn and improve. You don't learn new moves, but your attacks are more effective. But with the variety of styles with varying degrees of power and effect, you'll be switching them so often that you won't care how simple they are. for Example: my Favored Combo of styles was:
Martial: Legendary Strike - powerful quick kicking stuff
Weapon: Longsword - agile stabbity slashity death
Support: Paralyzing Palm - paralyze your opponents, duh
Support: Spirit Thief - Steal your oppenent's Chi.
You can expect to completely Master two styles and gain considerable ability in two others, but not much else.
Characters are...interesting. Each has their own unique personality, two of which are extremely amusing. You can only have one follower at a time, either in attack or support mode. In attack they....attack. In support, each follower grants you a specific buff, but doesn't fight or get attacked.
I prefer this fighting system to that of BG or KotoR, as you are actually choosing and actively directing what your character does and how they fight, instead of lining up actions and waiting for them to happen. Plus you don't have Jedi standing still in the middle of a fight swaying back and forth when they aren't attacking.
Gameplay - WOW!
Plot - Awesome!
Length of Play - 30 hours. Disappointing.
Ending - Deep-fried koala vomit in a paper bag.
Played through as Honorable Whatsisname on the Path of the Open Palm, BTW.
Fighting styles are simple to learn and improve. You don't learn new moves, but your attacks are more effective. But with the variety of styles with varying degrees of power and effect, you'll be switching them so often that you won't care how simple they are. for Example: my Favored Combo of styles was:
Martial: Legendary Strike - powerful quick kicking stuff
Weapon: Longsword - agile stabbity slashity death
Support: Paralyzing Palm - paralyze your opponents, duh
Support: Spirit Thief - Steal your oppenent's Chi.
You can expect to completely Master two styles and gain considerable ability in two others, but not much else.
Characters are...interesting. Each has their own unique personality, two of which are extremely amusing. You can only have one follower at a time, either in attack or support mode. In attack they....attack. In support, each follower grants you a specific buff, but doesn't fight or get attacked.
I prefer this fighting system to that of BG or KotoR, as you are actually choosing and actively directing what your character does and how they fight, instead of lining up actions and waiting for them to happen. Plus you don't have Jedi standing still in the middle of a fight swaying back and forth when they aren't attacking.
Last edited:
ShrinkyLink
First Post
I really did expect more talk about Jade Empire here. I'm six hours into the game, and just love its very light touches, goofiness, and....well, fun.
I don't think Sessler is leaving X-Play, but things seem to change there on a daily basis, so who knows? It might be all about slide racing or Diane Mizota's lingerie next week.
As for Morgan Webb, sigh. Again, sigh.
I don't think Sessler is leaving X-Play, but things seem to change there on a daily basis, so who knows? It might be all about slide racing or Diane Mizota's lingerie next week.
As for Morgan Webb, sigh. Again, sigh.
John Crichton
First Post
Filter is one of the few G4 shows I like. Mizota is hot but it is really shameless fun. She is 10x better than Sarah Lane, who is becoming increasingly annoying on Attack of the Show.ShrinkyLink said:
Did X-Play do a Jade Empire review yet? Their God of War review was cool.
Similar Threads
- Guest 85555
- *Geek Talk & Media
