therealxteboy
02-19-2004, 10:34 AM
Jade Empire (Xbox)
An idea 10 years in the making.
Jade Empire has been an idea 10 years in the making for BioWare's co-CEO's Greg Zeschuck and Ray Muzyka. In development for roughly two-and-a-half years, the two men were excited to finally unveil their hard work to anxious crowds at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
"More than anything, before embarking on Empire we had to build the BioWare brand—as well as refine our own development techniques—to the point where we could launch our own intellectual property project," Zeschuk says. It might sound strange, but this is, in fact, the first time BioWare has created its own universe, which simultaneously serves as both a rousing proposition for its fans, as well as a harsh reminder of the industry's currently overwhelming dependence on licensed content.
Of course, Empire's "original universe" draws heavily upon the literature and mythology of ancient China to create "a China that might have been if the stories were true." The world's ambiance is reminiscent of those found in Zhang Yimou's 2001 film Ying Xiong (Hero) and Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
In Empire's opening scene, an enormous bronze city floats at the precise astrological center of the Jade Empire, and streams of impossibly clear water flow from stone dragon fountainheads to the countryside below. Assassins prance effortlessly along intricately ornamented rooftops, summoning ancient powers and spirits. A small martial-arts school in the rural Golden Delta provides the game's initial setting, where you are asked to investigate the mysterious appearance of spirits and ghosts in the region around the school.
In terms of actual gameplay, perhaps the most interesting element in Empire comes in the form its combat: BioWare has abandoned its pseudo turn-based formula in favor of a dynamic, real-time combat system, more reminiscent of a fast-paced fighting game than the PC-style RPG tactics of the company's previous games.
The approach is nothing if not ambitious: Each of the characters will be able to switch among any of three distinct styles (martial arts, weapons, and transformation/summoning, with four to seven moves per style) at any given moment, giving battles plenty of potential for unexpected, emergent gameplay. Combined with BioWare's trademark branching story paths and six character archetypes to choose from (expect Knights of the Old Republic-esque depictions of good versus evil), as well as two separate, parallel worlds of light and dark, Empire should provide one of the most epic interactive adventures ever to traverse an Xbox video cable.
check here for some screenshots,http://www.xbnmag.com/slideshow2/0,4617,a=108927,00.asp
An idea 10 years in the making.
Jade Empire has been an idea 10 years in the making for BioWare's co-CEO's Greg Zeschuck and Ray Muzyka. In development for roughly two-and-a-half years, the two men were excited to finally unveil their hard work to anxious crowds at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
"More than anything, before embarking on Empire we had to build the BioWare brand—as well as refine our own development techniques—to the point where we could launch our own intellectual property project," Zeschuk says. It might sound strange, but this is, in fact, the first time BioWare has created its own universe, which simultaneously serves as both a rousing proposition for its fans, as well as a harsh reminder of the industry's currently overwhelming dependence on licensed content.
Of course, Empire's "original universe" draws heavily upon the literature and mythology of ancient China to create "a China that might have been if the stories were true." The world's ambiance is reminiscent of those found in Zhang Yimou's 2001 film Ying Xiong (Hero) and Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
In Empire's opening scene, an enormous bronze city floats at the precise astrological center of the Jade Empire, and streams of impossibly clear water flow from stone dragon fountainheads to the countryside below. Assassins prance effortlessly along intricately ornamented rooftops, summoning ancient powers and spirits. A small martial-arts school in the rural Golden Delta provides the game's initial setting, where you are asked to investigate the mysterious appearance of spirits and ghosts in the region around the school.
In terms of actual gameplay, perhaps the most interesting element in Empire comes in the form its combat: BioWare has abandoned its pseudo turn-based formula in favor of a dynamic, real-time combat system, more reminiscent of a fast-paced fighting game than the PC-style RPG tactics of the company's previous games.
The approach is nothing if not ambitious: Each of the characters will be able to switch among any of three distinct styles (martial arts, weapons, and transformation/summoning, with four to seven moves per style) at any given moment, giving battles plenty of potential for unexpected, emergent gameplay. Combined with BioWare's trademark branching story paths and six character archetypes to choose from (expect Knights of the Old Republic-esque depictions of good versus evil), as well as two separate, parallel worlds of light and dark, Empire should provide one of the most epic interactive adventures ever to traverse an Xbox video cable.
check here for some screenshots,http://www.xbnmag.com/slideshow2/0,4617,a=108927,00.asp