"Creative, and more original than people give it credit for. By far."

I bought Jade Empire from some information gained in a catalog, but I could have sworn it was going to be like KOTOR or KOTOR II. I was pleasantly surprised in the best of ways.

Overall Gameplay: 8/10:

Fighting: 6/10: This is where it's not as awesome as it could be. Sure, it filters skill into the entire concept of fighting in the game. However, the moves are repetative and the same for that style you're using. Combining styles is an excellant way to mix it up, and to kill your enemies faster. Some of it seems quite far-fetched, however. For example, any of the characters in the game are able to do the most acrobatic of jumps and such, from a woman weighing about a hundred pounds at the most to a man who clearly weighs well over two hundred. Your combatants quickly grow worthless in fights, making you use the Support mode for them, which allows them to meditate and help you win instead of physically being there. If you think the gameplay isn't challenging at all, try Grand Master Difficulty, if you can get through the game on that difficulty without dying at all, on your first try, I will laugh and call you a liar.

Dialogue and Conversations: 10/10: This is clearly what is bringing the overall gameplay up to what I have it at. The romance plots are very in-depth, you can make the person you're attempting to romance believe what you believe, think what you think. It's not like Knights of the Old Republic II where you can make someone completely Darkside and yet you STILL lose influence from Darkside decisions, not realistic at all. The choices you can make are very, very complicated compared to what you can do in KOTOR or KOTOR II. Dialogue is one of the best parts of this game, and talking can save you as often as fighting can.

Good vs Evil System: 10/10: Another thing that brings the game up in overall gameplay. The choices this time around are MUCH more complicated than the first ones. Ultimitely, the user does end up getting the same result most of the time. What people don't get is, that the Open Palm is not "Good" and the Closed Fist is not "Evil". Followers of the Open Palm believe that giving to and helping the weak is their true purpose, and they will help anyone who is weak and needs protection, and that no one is beyond redemption. Followers of the Closed Fist believe that strength is the ultimite virtue, this means that they would rather leave someone to fend for themselves instead of helping them, believing that they can become stronger as a result, they believe the weak deserve to die, and that is why they kill. The difference between the Closed Fist and "evil" is as such: If someone in the wilderness was dying of hunger and you could save them, an evil person wouldn't help because he simply does not care, someone of the closed fist path would want them to be strong and survive on their own.

Choices that would normally be like "kill this person or not" are like "do I give the girl a herb that will actually heal her wound, or one that will deaden her pain so I can beat her group sparring record and leave her crippled".

Graphics 10/10: Graphics and visual effects involve beautiful environment effects and absolutely stunning attacks and enemies for you to fight. Everyone is detailed, down to the simple peasant you can't even talk to.

Sound 10/10: The sound effects are brilliant, you can hear perfectly anything from a gunshot to a dragon breathing fire with near-perfect clarity.

Story Overall: 8/10

Plot: 8/10: The plot could have done better, but the actual overall story is actually quite good. The choices obviously play a big role in the story, and those choices are genius. The real part of the plot that is interesting is the climax, which I have added a seperate category for, is excellant, not the typical RPG ending. The plot starts with you in a small town called Two Rivers, training under the watchful eye of your Master Li. Soon, though, you will discover some things that will link you to the fate of the whole of the Jade Empire. You end up in the Imperial Palace, facing down a foe you would least expect to have to fight. The plot will send you to death and back again, something I've never seen before.

Climax: 9/10: No one has EVER done one like this, not to my knowledge. The surprise has quite a bit of foreshadowing, but I doubt there has been a single person who has forseen completely.

Replayability: 10/10: I have gone through about seven playthroughs myself, and it would take many more hours to get in all of the dialogue and choices I could make. As well as embracing all the sides, possibilities, and romance plots there are. I still want to do more playthroughs just to find out all there is to know about the game. There are still areas of potential I haven't even tapped yet.

Overall: 9/10
I'm afraid that if you want to get in all of the sidequests you possibly can, then you will need to buy the game rather than rent it. Even if you want to only play through once, you will need to buy the game, it's replayability is brilliant, and I highly suggest you buy it. Even so, some people like different kinds of games than others, so you should rent it first, get through the first part of the game, and then see if you want to continue.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/02/07