10 Painfully Overlooked Video Games From Iconic Studios
6. Jade Empire (2005) - BioWare
Although some recent missteps have muddied BioWare’s reputation, it’s games like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Baldur’s Gate II that have gave them their legendary standing within the games industry.
Before they skyrocketed to acclaim with Mass Effect, however, the developers released Jade Empire, a 2005 Xbox exclusive which has since slipped into the realm of obscurity for most players in the years since.
An RPG inspired by Chinese mythology, the plot sees players take on the role of the last Spirit Monk as they set out on a quest to defeat a tyrannical emperor and rescue their close friend and tutor in the process.
Containing ancient spirits, assassins, and godlike beings, Jade Empire and its world is as grand and as full of detail as any of BioWare's other RPG outings, and it's all the better for it.
Moreover, a karma system based on what dialogue choices players make throughout their adventure helps shape the course of the narrative, with a fluid combat system making players feel like a martial arts master.
Despite receiving universal acclaim on release, middling sales figures stopped Jade Empire getting a sequel, with it now only being fondly remembered by those who played it.