Well, the day that a lot of us were hoping wouldn’t come finally did. BioWare has been shut down by EA, and with it, the cancellation of the next Mass Effect game. BioWare has brought forth some of the best RPGs of the 21st century. Games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect helped shape modern RPG gameplay and world design, and it’s gut-wrenching to see this era come to an end. Mourning the closure of a studio that has crafted amazing games is never fun, but the silver lining is that it offers the chance to revisit the titles that made the developer so iconic in the first place.
It’s easy to just jump back into BioWare’s core RPG trio, but there is one game by the studio that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as the others: Jade Empire. KOTOR, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect always get the spotlight when it comes to the best BioWare games, but Jade Empire is a solid RPG experience that is well worth checking out.
After Over Two Decades, Jade Empire Remains a Charming and Fun BioWare RPG
It’s hard to believe that Jade Empire has been around for 21 years now. I was nine years old when the game launched, and it gave me some of the best gaming memories of my childhood. Granted, there are a lot of great 2000s games that give me that feeling, but what makes Jade Empire so special is that it’s one of the games that helped me get into RPGs in the first place. It’s a pretty streamlined and forgiving RPG, so that helped draw me in, but that shouldn’t deter longtime genre fans.
With its Chinese folklore-inspired setting and steampunk vibes, Jade Empire still has one of the most distinctive RPG worlds out there. Great RPG world design is essential to bringing a game in this specific genre to life, and even though Jade Empire has its flaws, BioWare nailed this crucial aspect.
Jade Empire Is an RPG That Doesn’t Overstay Its Welcome
- Jade Empire‘s main story takes about 15–20 hours to beat.
- A completionist run still only takes around 30 hours on average.
I understand that this is probably a drawback for those who prefer games that take a long time to beat. Life gets really busy, though, so if you’re like me, it takes a while to make it through a game’s main narrative. Long games definitely aren’t a bad thing, but options like Jade Empire are great because you can still appreciate the sense of accomplishment that comes with seeing a game’s credits roll while also avoiding sinking too many hours into play time. Jade Empire‘s short story length makes it an accessible way to honor BioWare post shut-down.
The first Mass Effect game’s main story is also relatively short compared to a lot of BioWare games, clocking in at around 17 hours to complete.
Jade Empire’s Gameplay and Story Might Not Be as Complex, But That Doesn’t Make It Any Less Fun
Jade Empire definitely feels outdated by today’s standards when it comes to specific features that have come to define what makes a good RPG. Character creation is limited, certain fighting styles can feel overpowered, and its more linear structure might be frustrating at first for gamers who specifically love RPGs with great exploration. Despite its hiccups, Jade Empire still has enough going for it to make for a fun time.
Jade Empire Gameplay Highlights
- An interesting story centered around martial arts
- Diverse martial art fighting styles to switch between
- Political intrigue
- An interesting morality system
- Awesome soundtrack and strong voice acting
Since it’s a one-off game, Jade Empire never got to reach the same heights as games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age. If a Jade Empire sequel ever came to fruition, it would have been great to see how the strongest gameplay features would have evolved, because there are a lot of great starting points that could have definitely been expanded upon.
Unfortunately, BioWare was stuck in a slump. The studio’s last three games, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, failed to meet the expectations of both critics and audiences.
Jade Empire might not be a perfect RPG compared to the options that are out there today, but it’s one of BioWare’s most underrated projects that never got to see the same success as the developer’s other hits. The next few days are probably going to see a lot of gamers going back down memory lane with some of their favorite BioWare games. It’s sad to see such an influential developer close its doors after several decades of gaming memories. Booting up Mass Effect, Dragon Age, or KOTOR is a great way to pay respects, but choosing to play Jade Empire for the first time or as a returning fan highlights a different side to the developer that has been overshadowed over time.
- Released
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April 12, 2005
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Engine
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Aurora Engine
