TransGaming announced Monday that it has published a Macintosh version of Bioware’s Jade Empire Special Edition. Available for download through GameTree Online, TransGaming’s e-commerce site, Jade Empire Special Edition costs $39.95.
Jade Empire is an action role-playing game developed by the same game creator that made “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.” The game draws its inspiration from kung-fu movies and Chinese mythology. You can choose from one of six main characters to play, stepping into the role of an aspiring martial arts master. Each character sports a different expertise and different discipline.
As with Bioware’s other action RPG games, Jade Empire has you decide how your character will evolve and how the story itself will unfold as you make choices that affect your outcome — you can either become a hero or villain depending on the decisions you make. The game is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.
TransGaming is the developer of Cider translation technology that enables Windows games to run on Intel-based Macs. As such, Jade Empire Special Edition for Mac requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or 10.5.4 or later; Intel Core Duo processor, 1024MB RAM; ATI X1600, Nvidia 7300GT or Intel GMA X3100 or better 3D graphics processor (Intel GMA950, found in older MacBooks, Mac minis and some iMacs not supported), 4.8GB hard disk space.
While this is the first Bioware game to get the Cider treatment, it’s the latest collaboration between TransGaming and Bioware owner Electronic Arts. TransGaming has previously collaborated with EA to bring seven other games to the Macintosh, including Maxis’ upcoming game Spore, expected to be released in September. Unlike those other games, however, TransGaming is publishing Jade Empire itself through GameTree Online.