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It's a strange thing to consider, but I believe David Clayman may have underrated Jade Empire at a 9.9. There is no such thing as the perfect game, but there are a few rare gaming experiences that so transcend any failings, they might as well be considered perfect. KOTOR was easy to love, but it had a lot of faults. The genius of that game so outweighed the annoying issues that it remains a classic for just about every RPG fan. Guess what -- Jade's story is better, its combat system superior and its morality system is more complex than KOTOR.

If there's anything to work toward for a sequel, it would be to add far more Wuxia elements. I want fights atop the trees of a bamboo forest and running atop the heads of a villain's minions. The morality system, while more rewarding then KOTOR, is still much more enjoyable as a follower of the Closed Fist. The only thing an Open Palm is good for is a bitch slap. And that's about where my gripes run out.

In an industry where story is often secondary, BioWare continues to prove that a great story needs to come first. Yeah, the combat is sweet, the visuals are slick, and the mini-games are a blast, but when people talk about Jade Empire five years from now, they're going to talk about the story. There are so many twists and turns that no one will be able to anticipate all of them. I almost feel like going back and lowering the scores of every other RPG on Xbox. Yes, Jade is that good.

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