As the description says, lots of this game is about spoofing famous fantasy franchises, but the story still remains interesting enough to stand on its own and be a worthy contender with the great point-and-click adventures of the mid-late 90's. Highly recommended for all fans of point-and-click adventures in general and fans of classic LucasArts fare and Discworld games in particular.
Bioware really outdid themselves with this game back in the day, while taking a big chance by not using the typical wRPG elements, instead going for an Eastern theme. And it paid off. The setting is timeless, the environments are beautiful, the characters mostly very memorable and the story compelling. The only thing I found slightly at odds with the polish of the rest of the game, was the combat which is slightly on the easy side and can be repetitive at times. But on the whole, it's an immersive experience that should not be missed, especially if you enjoy wuxia/wulin movies like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, or The Forbidden Kingdom. I've tried many other recent wuxia/martial arts-themed RPGs and MMOs, and found nothing as beautiful and compelling as this. Also, if you find the combat repetitive, and also for other small game fixes, you might want to check out the "Jade Empire In Style" mod package which adds 20 new combat styles that were cut from the game or previously only available to enemies, as well as new essence gems and lots of other little tweaks.
