A somewhat shallow combat system shouldn't deter you from experiencing an otherwise solid RPG with great a great story
You'll start out by having to choose a certain type of character. The visual customization for characters is a weakness of this game, and is noted right away as you pick your starting class. You can choose between balanced, magic, fast, or heavy. You'll start with different attributes and attack styles based on which one you choose. Later styles and magic spells can be learned down the road throughout the story of the game, and some of them are only earned if you have the proper alignment of either open palm, or closed fist (light, and dark). Some martial art styles are slow but powerful, while others are very fast and less devastating per hit. You can also learn magic spell styles such as a flame or ice throwing attack, and demon styles which allow you to take on the form of various demon like creatures, all with different attacks. When you level up, you'll get to choose 3 new attributes between mind, spirit, and body. You'll also earn an exponential amount of points to add to your style attacks. You can Most styles make you choose between speed, power, and more powerful chi strikes. Chi strikes are added to your attacks for more power by pressing the black button. This will consume your spirit a little over time, as will any magic or demon style you choose to use. Increasing body will give you more health, while spirit and mind will increase your mana and focus power. The focus power is represented by the yellow meter on the upper left, and will drain when you press Y to go into focus mode, which is similar to bullet time. Your focus will also be drained every time you attack with a weapon style such as a staff or sword. There are also support styles that deal no damage, but can be effective with status changes. For example, you can use a style to slow down enemies, one to drain mana, and another to shock your enemies and damage them a little over time as you fight.
Each style only has 3 attacks though. When you tap A three times you'll use the weakest attack that usually has 3 quick strike combos. Pressing X will activate the strong attack which is more powerful and can break through enemy shields, but is typically slow to develop. You can also block incoming weak melee and projectile attacks by holding B to shield yourself. The third attack with each style is usually an area of effect move, but deals no damage in most styles. It's used to knock back enemies and get a better position in combat. Some magic and demon styles have higher and better attacks in this mode, and they're all used by pressing A and X together at the same time. Certain enemies are invulnerable to certain styles, so the game kinda forces you to level up more than just a few of them, and you usually have to switch styles many times during combat. You can switch styles by holding down the D-up of the direction that you want that style to correspond to, so you can have 4 of them hot buttoned for quick access throughout the game.
Other moves include tapping B to roll left and right, and leap back and forth with jumps and handsprings to get better positions in combat. You can also stun enemies for a short period by hitting them while doing a jump/evade move, which will come into play in almost every fight for most people.
You'll start out fighting alone, but you'll also collect many followers throughout the game who will aid you in combat. You can switch their tactics in the pause menu under the followers section. Most followers have the option between combat, in which they will typically use weapon styles to fight enemies, or support mode.
When you have a follower in support mode, they will enhance your abilities with meditation to do things like increase your mana, life, or focus a little over time. This works well with the mana regen, because you can consistently use chi strikes or magic styles while running out of chi very slowly. The downside
to support mode is that every single enemy focuses on only you, making the battle more difficult in that aspect.
You do have the option to change the difficulty of the game any time you want as well. There are 4 different difficulties, all for which are perfect for the setting that the individual player prefers. The difficulty will change for combat, and you can also change the difficulty for the ship mini games. The airship mini games play like an amped up version of space invaders. You'll get a single shot gun to use against enemy ships by tapping A, which can be upgraded to 2 and even 3 prong attacks when you collect an orange sphere from the field. There are also special attacks that you can use with the right trigger button such as a stinger missle and an energy shield. Using these abilities will consume your chi, but it can be refilled by simply destroying enemies. These missions are completely optional and are located in between certain plot points... usually every time you need to use your ship to move around.
Throughout the game you'll collect gems which can be socketed into the amulet you gain early on. Each gem has it's own benefits, such as health, mana, focus, +3 , or + to conversation skills such as charm, intuition and intimidation. Some gems will boost some categories and give penalties in others, so you have to choose carefully based on the next fight, or your personal preferences. Gems can also be bought and sold from merchants for silver, along with training scrolls which add permanent bonuses to your character after you purchase them. These, like the gems, also have penalties in some cases.
Conversations with NPC's are similar to KOTAR, and some of them will effect your alignment towards good or evil based on the actions you take, and responses you choose to use. You can use the conversation skills to push certain scenarios forward, and in some cases unlock secret sequences.
All in all Jade Empire is a classic RPG with a great alignment and progression system that any fan of the genre should check out. Some people may not like the limited variety in the combat system, but there are MANY styles to choose from as you purchase or collect them throughout the game, so it's really not that big of a complaint after you reach the near middle of the game. The lack of customization of the starting characters is really the game's biggest weakness besides the combat, and it would have been nice to be able to at least change the faces and colors of the uniforms. If you get into it early though, you won't be disappointed, and Jade Empire will be amongst the more favorable gaming experiences in your memory until the day you die.