Rarely does a game have such a phenomenal pedigree as Jade Empire. Hailing from the hallowed halls of Bioware, Jade Empire has been lovingly crafted in the same foundry as some of the finest role playing games ever created, including Baldur's Gate 1&2, Neverwinter Nights, and Knights of the Old Republic to name but a few.

The world of Jade Empire is an original universe created by Bioware veterans who have spent long years toiling away in other people's backyards - it is the world they have always wanted to create and work in. And now the fruits of this labour of love are but a few excruciating months away. We recently had a chance to go hands-on with a nearly complete build of Jade Empire, and were blown away by what we saw.

If you're new to gaming or only just awoke from a coma, Jade Empire is an all-new RPG from Bioware set in a fantasy world greatly inspired by ancient Chinese myth and legend, where kung fu and killer demons are commonplace, and good and evil silently struggle across the land. Your adventure begins by selecting a character from around half a dozen choices, ranging from lighting-fast martial artists to tough fighters to magic wielders. The story commences in a sheltered school, where your protagonist is excelling in his or her studies. Before long however, the school is attacked and things go downhill from there.

As with any good RPG, the foundation is a solid, enjoyable story and to spoil it would be a sin. Suffice to say your fledgling fighter will be drawn into a web of intrigue and danger spanning the Jade Empire on your quest to become a master of martial arts. This journey will of course require you to introduce the faces of evil to your feet and fists as you come to understand your role in the greater scheme of things, and eventually make a lasting impact on the Jade Empire itself. Sounds like all the usual ingredients for a successful but by-the-books RPG, so what makes Jade Empire stand out?

In a word, combat. Forget the stilted, turn-based interactions of KOTOR, or the clumsy melee of Morrowind; fighting in Jade Empire is one of the smoothest, coolest looking events of any Xbox RPG. Try to imagine, if you will, a delicious blend of Sudeki's sense of impact and the epic, mixed with the sheer grace and cinematic flair of Prince of Persia. Landing an attack and narrowly dodging one aren't reliant on some sort of arcane arithmetic or dodecahedron dice-roll: this is all about your own skill and reflexes and their ability to keep your hero alive in the game. Nor is this a fighting game bogged down with more combos than your local KFC- you can chain a few powerful moves together, yes, but Jade Empire is much more about diversity, timing and tactics than memorising than mashing buttons.

The opening sequence of the game acts as a tutorial designed to ease you into the intuitive controls, which revolve around a normal attack, heavy attack, dodge/block and focus mode. Mastery over these simple controls will be second nature to most gamers, but the real challenge comes from integrating these skills with the variety of fighting styles and abilities your character can learn as they journey through the Jade Empire. Each warrior starts with two styles, and can learn heaps of others, ranging from unarmed and armed combat, support styles, to more exotic things like shape-shifting and demon forms that really pack a deadly punch. Learning how to combine the plethora of styles with the real-time combat will be a challenge indeed, but the end result is an elegant, brutal ballet.

This beauty is made possible by the truly stunning visuals that Bioware have created for their game, which has a distinctly Oriental feel to it. Those who have seen Koei's Dynasty Warriors series may feel a slight sense of familiarity with the ancient Chinese costumes, yet this is no period piece, and the most stunning artwork comes from the unreal elements of the game, namely the demons and unearthly creatures you will encounter. The animation is superb, and watching your character's deadly dance take down a lumbering ogre for example is a sight to behold.

As well as playing through the opening section of the game, we were given the opportunity to jump in at a much later stage and take a powerful character into a series of arena battles that become available as you progress through the world. Similar to those found in KOTOR, this optional distraction will allow you to gain fame, fortune and followers if you succeed. While Jade Empire's protagonist does have some acquaintances, these play a much smaller role in the game than those who played KOTOR might be expecting- Jade Empire is really about you, and your actions in the game.

Naturally then, the development of your character is of prime importance in the world of Jade Empire, and free of the restrictions of Dungeons & Dragons rulesets, Bioware have striven to provide an intuitive system that is both deep and accessible to all kinds of players. Your protagonist has three primary skills that affect all other abilities, and these are body, mind and spirit. Points gained from level ups can be spent on these and secondary abilities, which include your health, focus and chi, as well as your ability to charm or intimidate other people during conversations. Additionally, you can advance individual fighting styles and forms to make them more powerful or less costly to invoke, allowing for a broad range of playing styles without becoming too overwhelming.

Complimenting the amazing graphics is Bioware's usual bar-raising sound and music. Like KOTOR, every line of dialogue is fully voiced in the game, except your characters responses. The voice acting is a bit of a mixed bag, with lots of dodgy Asian accents to be heard amidst a few standout voices. The music seemed a little subdued in the areas we encountered, though it did kick it up a gear when combat ensued.

Little information was given about the overall length of the game, with the distinct impression being that Jade Empire should be measured by the enjoyment in provides rather than by hours and minutes. That's fine with us too, because Bioware's exacting standards appear to go beyond their past classics, which should put Jade Empire at the top of every Xbox-owning RPG fan's most wanted list!

Jade Empire is currently undergoing classification with OFLC, and pending the result should be on shelves in May. While we could not 100% confirm the release of the Collector's Edition in Australia, indications are strong that it will be released concurrently with the standard edition of the game.

Article by Dominic Rozenberg