Content deleted Content added
m Disambiguating links to Neverwinter Nights (link changed to Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)) using DisamAssist. |
IznoRepeat (talk | contribs) m change link to Baldur's Gate prepping for page move for WP:NCVG, gen fixes, replaced: Baldur's Gate → Baldur's Gate |
||
Line 40:
The game is set in the Jade Empire, a fictional far-eastern kingdom based on elements of Ancient Chinese history and [[Chinese mythology]]. Humans live side by side in the mortal realm with mystical creatures and monsters, while the heavens are ruled by the [[Jade Emperor|August Personage of Jade]] through a Celestial bureaucracy. Human sorcerers are able to harness the [[Wu Xing|Five Elements]] in their magic.<ref name="JadeIGNInterviewA"/> The two languages spoken in the Jade Empire are English and the ancient Tho Fan tongue; once common, its speakers have become scarcer in the Empire.<ref name="GSpyJadeC"/> In the Jade Empire's recent past, a devastating drought threatened to destroy everything, but the drought came to an end through the actions of Sun Hai, current ruling emperor of the Sun dynasty, leading to him being worshiped as the Empire's savior.<ref name="Manuel"/>{{Rp|2}} Key locations include the isolated village of Two Rivers, where the story begins; Tien's Landing, a former major port now shunned due to its dark past; the Imperial Capital, seat of Sun Hai and center of the Jade Empire; and Dirge, a ruined temple haunted by the spirits of its inhabitants.<ref name="JadeWorld1"/><ref name="JadeWorld2"/>
The protagonist, whose gender and name can be selected by the player, is a Spirit Monk rescued as a baby when the forces of Sun Li destroyed their tribe. Raised in the isolated village of Two Rivers, the protagonist has been trained in martial arts by "Master Li", who is in fact Sun Hai's disgraced brother Sun Li the Glorious Strategist. During their adventure, the protagonist is accompanied by and gains multiple followers. These include Dawn Star, a Two Rivers student who can communicate with the dead; Sagacious Zu, a hermit with a dark past; the Black Whirlwind, a dim yet quick-witted mercenary; Henpecked Hou, a former arena fighter-turned-bunmaker; Wild Flower, a girl who shares her body with the benevolent spirit Chai Ka and the wicked spirit Ya Zhen; Sky, a former thief seeking revenge against his daughter's killers; Kang the Mad, a genius inventor who is in fact the banished deity Lord Lao; Zin Bu the Magical Abacus, a celestial trader and member of the Celestial Bureaucracy charged with cataloging the destruction caused by the protagonist; and Princess Sun Lian, the daughter of Sun Hai who goes on covert missions using the alias "Silk Fox".<ref name="GSwalkthrough"/><ref name="JadeGuide"/><ref name="GSpyJadeB"/>
The main antagonists in ''Jade Empire'' are led by Sun Hai, current ruler of the Jade Empire. He is represented across the Jade Empire by Death's Hand, a black-armoured figure who leads the Lotus Assassins, a formerly monastic group who have turned to terror tactics to maintain order. Other characters include Gao the Greater and his son Gao the Lesser, who serve as the antagonists during the early narrative; Sir Roderick Ponce Von Fontlebottom the Magnificent Bastard, a [[musket]]-wielding British-accented adventurer with a [[white savior|white savior complex]];<ref name="usgamer"/> Abbot Song, the head of the Spirit Monk order at Dirge; and the Water Dragon, shepherd of the dead and a key guide to the protagonist.<ref name="GSwalkthrough"/><ref name="JadeGuide"/>
Line 57:
==Development==
===Basic concept===
''Jade Empire'' was developed by [[BioWare]], after it earned critical and commercial success with ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]'', ''[[Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]]'', RPGs based on pre-existing ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' and ''[[Star Wars]]'' fictional universes.<ref name="CVGjadeInterview"/><ref name="GSpyJadeA"/> The game, which began development in May 2001, was the company's first original RPG intellectual property.<ref name="GSpyJadeA"/><ref name="JadeBiowareInterview"/> The concept of ''Jade Empire'' had existed with company founders co-founders [[Ray Muzyka]] and [[Greg Zeschuk]] since they started BioWare alongside the plan that would lead to ''Baldur's Gate''; called a "dream project", their aim was to fulfill player fantasies of becoming a powerful martial arts master.<ref name="GSpyJadeA"/><ref name="JadeIGNInterviewD"/> The game was first developed and released for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Zeschuk later felt they should have held the game back and developed it for the console's successor the [[Xbox 360]].<ref name="Jade360"/><ref name="usgamer"/>
===Design===
Line 120:
Suzy Wallace of ''Computer and Video Games'' felt that the ''Special Edition'' managed to reach beyond its roots on the Xbox to become a good-quality RPG for PCs, despite dated graphics and gameplay pacing issues.<ref name="CVGpc"/> Fahay, returning to review the PC port, was disappointed at the lack of graphical polish and technical upgrades over its console counterpart.<ref name="EuroPC"/> GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd shared points of praise and criticism with the Xbox review, while also noting that the PC version had few noticeable enhancements over the Xbox version.<ref name="GSpc"/> GameSpy's Allen Rausch enjoyed the storyline and gameplay, but noted the game's "grainy" cutscenes and some technical issues.<ref name="GSpyPC"/> Steve Butts, writing for IGN, generally enjoyed the game but found the combat repetitive and noted a lack of new content.<ref name="IGNpc"/> Niel Booth, reviewing for PALGN, said that the game was enjoyable despite graphical and technical issues he raised.<ref name="PALGNpc"/> While sentiments towards the story and gameplay remained unchanged for the PC version, people noted that the original gameplay faults were heightened by the PC controls and that the graphics looked dated by modern gaming standards.{{efn|''Computer and Video Games'' (for PC),<ref name="CVGpc"/> ''Eurogamer'' (for PC),<ref name="EuroPC"/> ''GameSpot'' (for PC),<ref name="GSpc"/> ''GameSpy'' (for PC),<ref name="GSpyPC"/> ''IGN'' (for PC),<ref name="IGNpc"/> ''PALGN'' (for PC)<ref name="PALGNpc"/>}}
Later responses have continued to be positive. In 2010, the game was included in the book ''[[1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die|last=Mott |first=Tony |
===Sales===
Line 134:
In January 2007, BioWare staff announced there were no plans to develop ''Jade Empire 2''.<ref>{{cite web | title=BioWare Staff Comment | url=http://jade.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=546094&forum=108&highlight=sequel | accessdate=July 6, 2007 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20071014040918/http://jade.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=546094&forum=108&highlight=sequel | archivedate=October 14, 2007 }}</ref> However, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk stated in September 2011: "It's an IP, it's a setting that we were really passionate about, and we still are. Both Greg and I were big believers in the IP... We're just looking for the right way to deploy it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-24-bioware-drs-on-jade-empire-comeback|title= BioWare Drs on Jade Empire comeback |website=Eurogamer|accessdate=April 14, 2018|date=September 24, 2011}}</ref> In 2009, [[GamesRadar]] included ''Jade Empire'' among the games "with untapped franchise potential", commenting: "The original game had all the trappings of franchise material with engrossing characters, magnificent settings, and a unique take on martial arts-fueled RPG combat. But until hard evidence of a sequel's existence materializes, we’ll continue yearning for BioWare's one-off hit to attain franchise status."<ref>[https://www.gamesradar.com/123-games-with-untapped-franchise-potential/ 123 games with untapped franchise potential], GamesRadar US, April 30, 2009</ref>
Dakota Grabowski of GameZone listed Silk Fox and Death's Hand as #10 and #8 on their list of top ten BioWare created squadmates respectively.<ref name="Squadmates">{{cite web|url=http://next.gamezone.com/news/2011/09/27/top_ten_bioware_created_squadmates |title=Top Ten BioWare-created Squadmates |author=Dakota Grabowski |date=2010-01-08 |accessdate=2014-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519040852/http://next.gamezone.com/news/2011/09/27/top_ten_bioware_created_squadmates |archivedate=2014-05-19 }}</ref> Kimberley Wallace of ''Game Informer'' included Wild Flower in her list of best BioWare characters; she called her unique among Jade Empire's cast of interesting characters and said "part of what makes her such a delight is seeing this child's interpretation and perspective on all the complex issues you face and what the spirits are telling her to say. As the journey goes on, it becomes a game of the two disparate perspectives talking through her, but part of the fight is trying to give Wild Flower the freedom and life she deserves."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/08/15/the-best-bioware-characters.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 |title=The Best BioWare Characters |author=Kimberley Wallace |date=August 15, 2013 |work=Game Informer |accessdate=May 16, 2014}}</ref> Jason MacIsaac from ''[[EP Daily]]'' also rated Wild Flower as among nine of the best BioWare characters.<ref name="Venturing">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827222309/http://epn.tv/all/platform/gaming/xbox/you-must-gather-your-party-before-venturing-forth-the-9-best-bioware-characters-ever/|title=You Must Gather Your Party Before Venturing Forth: The 9 Best BioWare Characters Ever |author=Jason MacIsaac |date=April 23, 2012|accessdate=October 16, 2020 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827222309/http://epn.tv/all/platform/gaming/xbox/you-must-gather-your-party-before-venturing-forth-the-9-best-bioware-characters-ever/|archivedate=August 27, 2014}}</ref>
==Notes==
| |||