Jade Empire

Jade Empire is an original action RPG from the Canadian studio BioWare, which decided to abandon the established fantasy and sci-fi settings typical of its previous projects and set the story in a fictional world inspired by ancient China, its legends, and martial arts traditions. The player takes on the role of a student of a local martial arts master who, after a series of tragic events, sets out on a journey uncovering a vast conspiracy threatening the very core of civilization and the balance between the world of the living and the world of spirits. Unlike KOTOR's paused, tactically oriented combat system, Jade Empire bets on combat unfolding fluidly in real time, where the player switches between different fighting styles — from hard striking techniques through acrobatic moves to weapon handling and even magical elemental techniques — with each style having its own set of combos and tactical advantages against different types of opponents.

Switching styles right in the middle of a skirmish is at the core of the gameplay: something different works against an armored opponent than against a nimble group of attackers, and the game encourages the player to gradually build their own favorite combination of attack, defense, and enemy debuffs. A key element of the story is the moral choice between the philosophy of the Open Palm, emphasizing compassion and self-sacrifice for others, and the Closed Fist, championing strength and personal power regardless of consequences, and these decisions affect available abilities as well as the development of relationships with companions who react differently to the choices. Dialogue written in BioWare's tradition offers room for persuasion, threats, and negotiation, and many conflicts can be resolved without weapons as well.

A beautifully stylized art direction drawing on Chinese painting and mythology, accompanied by music in the spirit of traditional East Asian instruments, gives the game an atmosphere unlike anything else in the Xbox catalog. Commercially, Jade Empire was not among the console's biggest hits, but it was all the more warmly embraced by critics and players seeking something other than classic European fantasy. Today the combat system feels noticeably simpler than veterans remember it, but the world, dialogue, and overall impact of the story still hold their power, and the game remains an often-overlooked yet highly valued gem.