10 More Great Video Games Nobody Bought
5. Jade Empire
By the early to mid 2000s, BioWare had made a name for themselves crafting expert RPGs. Their usage of existing IP with Knights of the Old Republic and Baldur’s Gate tapped into existing fanbases and the quality of these titles had made their name worth keeping an eye on.
To release their first major original IP, the developers signed a deal with Microsoft to bring Jade Empire to the Xbox.
Based on Chinese mythology and martial arts, the game bowled many critics and gamers alike over with its incredibly unique combat system and a story that was way better than anyone was expecting. It was an underrated classic, despite graphical and power limitations presented by releasing for a system at the end of its life.
This, ultimately, was also what cut off Jade Empire’s legs. The Xbox was a system not particularly known for its RPGs and thus its strong showing at first saw it slip out of sight quickly. Moreover, the game was released in the spring of 2005, amidst talk that the Xbox’s sequel system was on the way which turned out to be revealed just shortly thereafter.
Gamers saved their money on this one which is a shame as it’s a real gem of the original Xbox and an interesting point in BioWare’s career before they found their Dragon Age and Mass Effect shaped groove.