Jade Empire: Special Edition: Review

For two long years, owners of personal computers patiently waited for Canadian wizards from BioWare You will be able to port the Xbox blockbuster, Asian oriented RPG – Jade Empire – on RS. Enchanted by sweet -haired reviews "Pisishniki" could not stand it and gave the last blood to bottomless bins Microsoft, And all for only one goal – to touch "Jade empire". But here a holiday came to our street. DVD edition of Title, and even with the addition Special Edition In the name, it came out with the Games for Windows icon on the box.

Jade Empire: Special Edition – This is, first of all, the stunning imagination of a fairy tale served so skillfully that you involuntarily begin to admire the BioWare scriptwriters. The local plot is densely welded on an amazing mixture of mythological demons and martial arts. The key supports of the story, characters, are registered with love and attention. Each hero has in reserve a unique life story and several individual characteristics of character inherent only to him, due to which the process of attachment to all protagonists occurs. However, if you recall the previous creations of the studio, then the above will be perceived for granted – the developers were able to keep the quality bar at an unattainable height.

However, two years – a fairly long time. No matter how sad it may be, but the project during the porting was covered in small "cracks", And even despite a number of improvements – modified artificial intelligence, several new styles of battle – the game does not look as brilliant as at the time of the release on "black box".

Enemies really behave much smarter, but this fact did not affect the general complexity of the battles in any way. Fighting is still enough and easy, and at the end of the campaign – and tiring. The process of searching and collecting precious amulets necessary to modernize the combat styles presented in the game. Complications arise due to the lack of actual equipment in which it would be possible to systematize the obtained artifacts and identify all their weak and strengths. The settings of the battle, of which there is terribly little. Thus, a funny picture is obtained – Jade Empire, it seems not even action/advent – the choice of battles are too scarce – and not a purebred RPG – click and knock on the keyboard very often. The game was stuck somewhere in the middle, without reaching its golden part. And it’s a pity, the potential was there.

Still Jade Empire: Special Edition – A very good game that can give many hours of platonic pleasure to those who decided to stay at the monitor screen. Surprisingly, the defector from the console of the last generation demonstrates a beautiful video sequence. Throughout Singe, you will admire the fascinating landscapes and charming characters more than once. True, it was not without minuses. Models of key protagonists, sometimes, look very mediocre, at times the eyes grab the missing textures – in a word, the game will not fit as a benchmark for your top video card. However, Jade Empire colorful and full of life. At the same time, the engine is surprisingly shuust and is not demanding on the insides of the system. Even on medium-sized configurations, the game gives an acceptable number of frames per second and does not suffer from a disease of long downloads, unlike the Xbox version.

The creation of a colorful atmosphere is also promoted by sound. The moans of converging blades and other combat symphony are made at an average level, the main thing here is the stunning voice acting of the heroes (in the English -speaking version -. author). The voices of the actors involved in the work on the project firmly entrenched in each character, endowing them with a bright personality. What does it are more impressive – that there is simply a majority of this, and not one of this is difficult to listen. The soundtrack, consisting of eastern tunes, organically joined the game.

IN Jade Empire You will have to choose a lot. Avatars will not be faced with a large number of choice of decisions of a situation more than once or two. Any accepted action is entered into the category of good or bad. Commit vile acts, betray friends – and you are provided with the knowledge of the dark side "strength". Help every person you meet, transfer grandmothers across the road – comprehend the benefits of good. In most cases, the notorious choice occurs in the window of dialogs written on a grand scale and grace. For example, one day you will fall into a situation where it will be possible to poison a strong enemy before you get into a duel with him. It sounds not very noble, true? You can do without it – to warn the victim about the impending conspiracy, thereby preserving your honor, and having received a new combat style for a sweet. Each time the decision will influence further passage and storyline. Also from belonging to "Good" And "evil" the number and types of battal styles depend. The fact that in practice the notorious bads are successfully applied to adherents of light, and vice versa. It is worth recognizing that this fact is a good incentive to repeated passage.

The battles do not pass as dynamically as dialogs, although all the makings for creating fascinating fighter fighters were in their hands. As you deepen into the wilds of the story, you will study more and more styles that can be hung on "Hot" keys and quickly change in the heat of the fight. The number of available fighting methods compared to the edition for Xbox, has increased from four to ten – including: Legendary Strike, Dual Swords, Ice Shard, Jade Golem, Storm Dragon. For a RSV version, developers saved two new styles – Iron Palm and Viper. However, although they are officially and are exclusives, alas, nothing fundamentally new to the combat system of the game, alas, do not bring. From the variety of styles, eyes can scatter, but the harsh reality will still take its. There is not enough scarce Expirence to pump all available skills. It is much better to choose two or three and concentrate on their study.

At first, the variety of styles seems interesting Admiral Shark Casino, but as soon as you get used to various types of enemies, the battles will come to a series of mechanical clicks on the mouse. The left key is responsible for a standard blow, an alternative attack and a powerful poke, a breakdown block, are assigned to the right. In addition, you can activate the automatic focusing regime on the target and be worried with the effect of slowing down time. The key is responsible for treatment "Shift", By pressing which mana is regenerated in health. There is another type of energy – qi.

On paper, everything is seen very tempting, but in fact everything is different. The algorithm of the fights is simple like twice two. Approach the enemy, pitch the required number of times by "rodent" And you rob more warm corpse. For particularly thick adversaries are recommended for use "Bullet Time" and reincarnations into demons, for example, – Toad Demon. Most of the clashes – even numerous fights with bosses – are very easy. Slightly straightens the situation, the accused AI and hardcore complexity, in which players are forbidden to put a block. However, interest in the battles from the game on Uber Hard for some reason does not wake up.
It is no secret that most of the prefix ports are intended for three-armed mutants, the benefit of playing on a 100-button manipulator is simply impossible. WITH Jade Empire things are completely different. BioWare seriously approached the issue of Title transfer to personal computers. Management tandem of keyboard and mouse works perfectly. The most common commands can be fixed on "hot" keys, which further simplifies the gameplay. At the very beginning of the battle, your character is automatically focused on the nearest enemy. Thus, the whole power of the prostagonist attacks will only be directed at him. Skillful use of autofocus greatly facilitates life. Igrodels managed to cope with another classic disaster of console projects – a wayward camera. The invisible operator always occupies the most profitable and convenient position behind the mighty shoulders. If you prefer to use a gamepad, then there is no reason to concern. Jade Empire It also cooperates with this class of game manipulators, especially since initially it was dragged under the joystick.

Surprisingly, there is no armor in the game at all. Moreover, the character can carry only one weapon – if you buy a new sword, the old one is thrown into the garbage. The local Khabara substitute – precious stones inserted into the amulet on the body of a protagonist, with which you can and should pump various RPG parameters. In general, the role system is implemented at a primitive level. You should not expect any revelations in the form of dozens of perks and an inspiring variety of classes – this is not a mention here.

Jade Empire: Special Edition – a game that strikes with his attention to the little things. As the main quest passes, the number of companions traveling with you will constantly increase. As has already been repeatedly mentioned in the article, all characters are vivid individuals, and in the manner of past creations BioWare are not deprived of skeletons in cabinets. True, the sense of them in battles is no. But in the intervals between battles associates "Annealing" Not childish. A certain share in the gameplay brings a mini-game a la Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: air ship between cities.

The issue of acquisition Jade Empire: Special Edition should be put as follows. If you already over and down the nephritic empire on Xbox, do not part with money, because nothing fundamentally new to the game was added. And here and there the campaign passes in 20 incomplete hours. Well, if you do not exchange your native RS for anything in the world, then feel free to run to the nearest store. Juicy graphics, an exciting plot, indescribable oriental flavor – for this it is worth tolerate boring battles. And not every day on our platform comes masterpieces from BioWare.

Pros: colorful video sequence;bewitching Asian surroundings;a worthy plot;Perfect characters;accessible management;stability.
Cons: the same type of battles;Liquid RPG-component.