Post by nikkolas on Aug 12, 2016 10:55:41 GMT
At this point, I have completed every BW game except the Baldur's Gate duology, Neverwinter Nights and that Sonic game. While I love the power of choice, few "climactic" choices in these games have been really interesting or given me any sort of pause.
Not until I played Jade Empire, which was the last BW game I completed. It is a game where BW set up clear moral ambiguity and then just shot it, threw it down and trod all over it. It's really disappointing and it's why I ignore what BW intended and reinterpret the options the game gives me.
These are the facts: 30 years ago, the Jade Empire was struck by drought. Crops withered, loads of people starved, it was the epitome of a nightmare for such an agrarian, largely pre-industrialized society. (I'm unsure if the tech in the game itself all comes from the Water Dragon or not) This went on for ten years straight.
The Emperor Sun Hai, wishing to preserve his empire and save his people, ordered his brother to find a way to "fix" this. He did. With a single great sacrifice, the Empire was not only saved, it thrived and grew stronger. This sacrifice was the death of a monk order so that the emperor might seize the power of a "god." This god was the Water Dragon and by tapping into her divine power and body, the Long Drought was ended.
Fast forward to the game, specifically the end of it. You are given the choice of taking this power for yourself. Emperor Sun Hai had been driven mad by lingering in this world after his death and the betrayal by his brothers. He was no longer fit to wield such power. His conniving brother who stole the Water Dragon's power is better but still probably not that great by most standards so he too must be stopped. And after he's dead, the power can be yours. All the empire has come to rely on this water. Cutting it off would have potentially disastrous results for everyone across the land. Is it really worth taking this risk? And for what, because some glowy floaty lady said so?
That is the crux of the issue and the failures of JE's writing. It presents the Water Dragon as all-wise, all-good and supremely benevolent. Yet she does nothing but talk down about mortals and human beings and extol the superiority of her own kind. The Sun Brothers meanwhile are cast as the worst kind of villains; selfish, greedy, treacherous, murderous fools. Maybe the Brothers Sun weren't the best lot but what they did was not only bold and daring, it saved a great many lives. It put the reins of history back in the hands of man. Or really, maybe this was the first time these reins were in human beings' hands at all in this universe.
Jade Empire gave me the option of characterizing my Spirit Monk as..well, a humanist. Damn the spirits and demons and gods! Let humans settle human affairs. Why should they bow to the whims of fates when they don't have to? If you have the capacity to be the one in control, why allow yourself to be a victim for the sake of musty old traditions? You can make Dawn Star and Silk Fox realize this. You know the old saying "life isn't fair?" Well you and the girls and Sun Li learn to make it fair.
That's my take on this. What did you all think of Jade Empire's central dilemma? Which side did you favor and why?
P.S.
It was a very good game.
P.S.S.
My final decision. Sorry for bad visuals but my comp sucks and I didn't want 2GB file size. It explains a fair amount. Also great music and voice-acting.
Not until I played Jade Empire, which was the last BW game I completed. It is a game where BW set up clear moral ambiguity and then just shot it, threw it down and trod all over it. It's really disappointing and it's why I ignore what BW intended and reinterpret the options the game gives me.
These are the facts: 30 years ago, the Jade Empire was struck by drought. Crops withered, loads of people starved, it was the epitome of a nightmare for such an agrarian, largely pre-industrialized society. (I'm unsure if the tech in the game itself all comes from the Water Dragon or not) This went on for ten years straight.
The Emperor Sun Hai, wishing to preserve his empire and save his people, ordered his brother to find a way to "fix" this. He did. With a single great sacrifice, the Empire was not only saved, it thrived and grew stronger. This sacrifice was the death of a monk order so that the emperor might seize the power of a "god." This god was the Water Dragon and by tapping into her divine power and body, the Long Drought was ended.
Fast forward to the game, specifically the end of it. You are given the choice of taking this power for yourself. Emperor Sun Hai had been driven mad by lingering in this world after his death and the betrayal by his brothers. He was no longer fit to wield such power. His conniving brother who stole the Water Dragon's power is better but still probably not that great by most standards so he too must be stopped. And after he's dead, the power can be yours. All the empire has come to rely on this water. Cutting it off would have potentially disastrous results for everyone across the land. Is it really worth taking this risk? And for what, because some glowy floaty lady said so?
That is the crux of the issue and the failures of JE's writing. It presents the Water Dragon as all-wise, all-good and supremely benevolent. Yet she does nothing but talk down about mortals and human beings and extol the superiority of her own kind. The Sun Brothers meanwhile are cast as the worst kind of villains; selfish, greedy, treacherous, murderous fools. Maybe the Brothers Sun weren't the best lot but what they did was not only bold and daring, it saved a great many lives. It put the reins of history back in the hands of man. Or really, maybe this was the first time these reins were in human beings' hands at all in this universe.
Jade Empire gave me the option of characterizing my Spirit Monk as..well, a humanist. Damn the spirits and demons and gods! Let humans settle human affairs. Why should they bow to the whims of fates when they don't have to? If you have the capacity to be the one in control, why allow yourself to be a victim for the sake of musty old traditions? You can make Dawn Star and Silk Fox realize this. You know the old saying "life isn't fair?" Well you and the girls and Sun Li learn to make it fair.
That's my take on this. What did you all think of Jade Empire's central dilemma? Which side did you favor and why?
P.S.
It was a very good game.
P.S.S.
My final decision. Sorry for bad visuals but my comp sucks and I didn't want 2GB file size. It explains a fair amount. Also great music and voice-acting.
