The game still contends with some frame-rate issues and really long load times. A few times in the game I changed my mind based on the NPC’s obvious emotional responses to their problems.Įven with the graphical improvements, it’s still clear that Jade Empire was built on the KOTOR engine since many of its flaws still show. Characters also show a little more emotion while delivering their lines – adding to their personalities and influencing your actions towards them. There’s something unsettling about seeing the same character five times in the same cantina. There are fewer clones running around the game’s world, giving it a better sense of diversity.
You still come across the random generic looking cave, but overall everything has its own feel.Ĭharacters also have their own unique look.
Compared to KOTOR, areas are much smaller, but boast much more variety. The entire look of the game is an amalgam of various Asian cultures, and offers some fantastic elements like flying machines. Thankfully, Jade Empire has its own style that feels both familiar and different. Going into the game, one of my biggest fears was the templated Asian-look found in most Kung-Fu movies.
The one area where Jade Empire really stands out when compared to KOTOR is the visuals. Considering Jade Empire is built on an enhanced version of the Knights of the Old Republic engine, comparisons between the two are unavoidable.
