From the creators of KotOR comes... Jade Empire

[OB1]

Holy sweet mother of all that is good in this world, this game looks awesome! Wow, I couldn't have asked for anything more from Bioware. Take one of my favorite games this year (KOTOR), add one of my favorite mythologies (ancient Chinese folklore), and what do you get? Jade Empire!

[A Black Falcon]

Looks interesting... but Bioware better focus on the PC version of KOTOR first. And this better not be X-Box only!

[OB1]

From what I remember, the deal with MS was that they'd make one X-Box and PC-only title (KOTOR) and then one X-Box-exclusive, so I'm guessing that this won't be coming out for the PC.

[Great Rumbler]

Yes, this game does look very nice and since it's from Bioware that almost guarantees that it'll be an awesome game.

[OB1]

Mark this up as my most-anticipated game of 2004 after Metroid Prime 2, the next GC Zelda, MGS3, and Fable. And Mario 128 if that ever comes out.

[A Black Falcon]

Well then Bioware are stupid console sellouts... :p

[OB1]

So they're evil because they like money?

[A Black Falcon]

Yup... and because I want to be able to get this game! :(

They sure are trying to alienate their hardcore fans...

[OB1]

You can get an X-Box for a measly $180, maybe even less pretty soon. That's less than you'd spend on a new video card.

And what about Blizzard? They alienated their console fans by leaving for the PC. I want a new Lost Vikings, damnit!

[Dark Jaguar]

Just get Lost Vikings for GBA man! Most likely if that sells WELL that'll be the platform all the future Lost Vikings games come out on. They'll at least be porting the second Lost Vikings game to GBA eventually. Plus, RTS games SUCK with controllers instead of mice, and split screen? *shudder*

Eh anyway, I now think I'll get this instead of KOTOR, though I was just about ready to buy that. This game seems to have everything KOTOR had but like a million times more. If I had the money, I'd get both, and I might actually do that if I love JE enough (there, I'm first to use this acro :D).

And Fable, at least according to the latest date at the XBox.com site, is supposed to be out this winter.

You know, just a wish that I have no hopes of being granted, but it would be nice if Jade Empire had online play. Not massivly multiplayer or anything like that, but a team of people controlling individual characters in a group playing through the game that way, just like in D&D.

[OB1]

That would be very cool.

Get KOTOR this year and Jade Empire next year. JE won't be out until fall 2004, and KOTOR is a really great game.

And I want a new LV game, not just a port of the first one.

Fable won't be out until sometime next year.

[Dark Jaguar]

Well, they are being very unspecific about the time, but I would hope that if they say winter that means they are going for a release before Christmas for obvious reasons... I'm fully aware that's only a maybe, but hey at least it's a maybe.

So ya already have Lost Vikings eh? Well, if you also already have Lost Vikings 2 on SNES then I guess it'll be a while before an actual original LV title comes out. Sad isn't it? Well, for me it's not so bad having never played either of the first two so they'll be new to me, but having had to wait through all manner of Super Mario ports for Nintendo to finally (maybe) make a brand NEW 2D Mario game, I know how frustrating it can be.

Yeah, I know it'll be a long time before JE comes out. It's just that there's a LOT of games out that I just don't have and I have no idea which ones I should get with my very limited funds at this moment. So, I was just considering putting off getting KOTOR if something better is coming out next year. I could at least focus on other stuff that's out now anyway. Of course, I may just cave and get KOTOR anyway :D.

[A Black Falcon]

I'd love to see sequels to Lost Vikings (well there was one, so Lost Vikings 3... :) ), Blackthorne, or a new racing game... that would definitely be cool. But Blizz is different... they changed their name, changed the genres they focused on... Bioware didn't do that, they're still making RPGs... that's different.

Oh yeah... get Blackthorne. Great game... :)

Also, $180 isn't 'measly'...

[OB1]

For a whole console? Sure it is!

And DJ, there's as much a chance of seeing Fable come out this year as there is for Metroid Prime 2. Almost.

[A Black Falcon]

I've only bought three consoles before with my own money (parents got me my GB and GBC) and two of them were the N64 for $100 and the GBA for $60... so yes, that is a lot.

[Dark Jaguar]

Well if it's got a January release, as opposed to MP2's release of, I dunno, MAYBE next fall, I'd say there's a greater chance. But, all things considering, release dates almost never get pushed up, so January here we come, unless they decide to add some feature.

[OB1]

Big Blue Box actually said "Spring 2004", I believe. Not just "early 2004".

[Dark Jaguar]

Then we have a lot of conflicting reports. Who to trust? Well, I kinda lean towards the official release date at XBox.com, but then again, Nintendo's web site has never been one to be up to date :D.

[Great Rumbler]

Originally posted by OB1
Big Blue Box actually said "Spring 2004", I believe. Not just "early 2004".

Barring anymore delays, that is.

[OB1]

Why would you trust the official X-Box site over the developers themselves?

[Great Rumbler]

Yeah, I'd think that the developers would know more about when it's actually going to come out.

[OB1]

Peter Molenixiouivx or whatever his name is said that "it'lll be out when we're done with it", so early 2004 is probably pretty doubtful as well.

[Great Rumbler]

Unfortunately, I think you're right. All I can say is that when they finally release it it better be the best game ever or I will be very dissapointed!!

[OB1]

Yeah!

[Dark Jaguar]

I thought "Big Blue Box" was some gaming news site. I had no idea what the name of the game's developer was until now :D. Somehow I managed to completely miss that info.

[A Black Falcon]

Peter Molyneux... I don't know. Black and White didn't impress me at all... I didn't play it, but it didn't look that great. And plenty of people agreed... Gamespy put it quite high on their 'most dissapointing games of all time' list because it had been so, so hyped before it came out. It was an achievement in some ways but wasn't a complete great game... I just hope that the game's ambitions don't bring it down like happened to that game.

[Dark Jaguar]

The same could very well happen to Jade Empire, which is already being hyped up a whole lot all over the net.

[OB1]

Peter Molyneux is not in charge of Fable's development. The two Carter brothers at Big Blue Box are. Molyneux is just supervising or something like that.

[Great Rumbler]

Big Blue Box is a division of Lionhead Studios.

Peter Molyneux... I don't know. Black and White didn't impress me at all...

Didn't he make Dungeon Keeper? That game rocks.

[A Black Falcon]

Well... maybe. Bioware has fallen victim to the curse of the overhyped game before... unless people forget Neverwinter Nights? Like Black & White it was a good game... it just didn't live up to the promise that had made it so hyped. It was also on Gamespy's most hyped list, actually...

I played the Neverwinter Nights demo. It seemed alright, but it just doesn't live up to the promise of a game as good as Baldur's Gate with great multiplayer and a very good, usable DM mode... the DM tools are extremely hard to use and the single player game, while alright, just isn't as fun or as challenging as Baldur's Gate...

[OB1]

Well Jade Empire is going to be a lot like KOTOR but without the Baldur's Gate combat system and in a Chinese setting, so anyone who has played KOTOR knows what to expect.

[A Black Falcon]

But since the combat system is the heart of all RPGs, and Bioware has only ever made D&D RPGs... I don't know how they'll do on their first try on their own... remember, Neverwinter Nights was their first RPG without the help of Black Isle and look how that turned out...

[OB1]

Yeah that's true, but hopefully they'll just keep it simple enough so that it doesn't suck, especially since it's their first try at this kind of combat.

[A Black Falcon]

What kind of combat? What will this game have for a combat system... and what about parties?

[Dark Jaguar]

Try reading the IGN article. It seems you can switch styles mid-battle and that's a lot of the strategy. That's it in a nutshell. I should hope it's simple enough for most to get into but still amazingly deep for those who like that sort of thing. From what I understand, it'll still be very D&D-like, but with martial arts combat and a little more action in battles.

And um, Gamespy's overhyped game thing SUCKED. Gamespy was just trying to "entertain", not provide real insight. I mean, DONKEY KONG COUNTRY was called a bad game! I heard a news channel say something HORRIFYING the other day. They said they provide the most ENTERTAINING news! I knew it! They are EVIL if it's entertainment they care about in news!

[OB1]

I know!

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, it wasn't exactly the best list. But their points on Neverwinter Nights and Black & White were pretty accurate...