Jade Empire

A Canadian video game released in 2005, developed by BioWare and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox, later ported to Windows, iOS, and Android. Jade Empire is an action RPG with real-time combat, inspired by Chinese mythology. The game takes place in a fictional land resembling ancient China, where players assume the role of a martial arts student seeking to uncover the secrets of their past and stop a looming threat over the Jade Empire. The story offers a moral choice between two philosophies—The Way of the Open Palm (altruism and harmony) and The Way of the Closed Fist (power and dominance). The combat system allows players to switch between multiple fighting styles, including traditional kung fu techniques, magic-based attacks, and transformations into powerful spirit creatures. Jade Empire features richly developed characters, each with their own backstory, as well as romance options. The game was praised for its immersive world, engaging narrative, and combat mechanics but was criticized for its short length and a more limited RPG system compared to other BioWare titles.