Jade Empire Preview

Yahoo Games Domain brings us the latest preview of BioWare’s Jade Empire, based upon some firsthand time with the Xbox RPG. Here’s a little something to get you started:

The team’s basic approach to crafting the plotlines, large and small, plays into the morality system. Once a basic situation crops up, the question becomes, “How do we put a twist in? How can this be more than just fetch and retrieve?” On an individual plot by plot basis, they tried to make sure that each one had alternate resolutions and repercussions.

Early in the game, players will come across a good example, when the opportunity arises to competitively spar with some fellow students. One of the key participants has been injured, and before she can fight, you’ll have to buy some healing herbs. But there are two kinds — one heals, while the other only dulls her pain. Buy the latter, and the girl will be crippled as a result of the fight, which has notable repercussions down the road. To make things more complicated, you can give the herbs as a gift, take the girl’s offered repayment, or even gouge her on the price to make a profit.