It is hard to believe it has been two decades since Bioware took us on an epic tour through the Jade Empire. But then I remember how long the franchise has been dormant and see Bioware in shambles under EA's handling. It suddenly becomes a lot easier to believe.
Jade Empire took the formula that Bioware honed to perfection in Knights of the Old Republic and applied it to Chinese mythology. It had the same morality system, but instead of lightsabers and Force chokes your character dispatched foes with martial arts prowess.
It was the studio's first original role-playing IP, and the Spirit Monk's journey was a joy to behold. In keeping with RPG tradition, the hero knows little of their own backstory. They've been trained since they were an infant by kind Master Li, who of course knows far more about the hero's chosen one status than he's been letting on.
The Jade Empire's ruler has been sending out Death's Hand Assassins to make all manner of trouble, and the hero has to decide how to stop all this chaos. Jade Empire boasts some of the best characters Bioware has ever given us, and I don't make that assertion lightly.
Among your motley crew of cohorts is Henpecked Hou, a former arena fighter who is now a baker. He'd rather run headlong into danger than face his wife at home. Wild Flower is a small child under the thrall of two warring spirits. As is customary in Bioware games, you'll be as motivated to complete their journeys as you are to find your own path in the world.
As I battled Death's Hand, I thought we'd be returning to this universe again and again. Sadly, Jade Empire didn't sell as well as Bioware had hoped. How in the world was that possible? Bioware's April 2005 launch put it in the final throes of the original Xbox's lifespan. Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk told the My Perfect Console Podcast he'll always believe things could have been different.
"It was the worst advice, absolute moronic advice from them," Zeschuk said of Microsoft convincing Bioware to launch at the end of Xbox's life cycle instead of being an Xbox 360 launch title. "The stupidest thing ever."
Zeschuk thinks with the marketing and buzz received around a new console launch, Jade Empire could have stood alongside Mass Effect and Dragon Age as powerhouse RPG franchises. The Bioware founders always wanted to go back to this universe, but it never materalized.
Now, following the disappointing sales numbers of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Bioware are wondering if we'll ever see an installment for any of our favorite games from the legendary creators again. Reports have Bioware with less than 100 members on staff.
While the formula the developer gave has gone on to influence countless games, including current hits such as Avowed and The Witcher series, Bioware itself has been stripped down like a stolen car. If you can track a copy of Jade Empire down, it's well worth the experience. We'll always wonder what could have been if Microsoft had believed in the franchise as much as Bioware did.