The Paths of The Dead

Things have actually gotten a fair bit more interesting in Final Fantasy XII.  I finally got to do battle with Dr. Cid, and let me tell you, he's a very refreshing antagonist.  He hams it up pretty good, and fighting him is one of the high points thus far for sheer theatrics.  Oh, and he can attack you with a Tokamak.  That's right, Dr. Cid can smite his foes using a damn plasma bottle, the kind that is/was studied for nuclear fusion reactor research.  Wow.


The locations I've traveled to just keep getting more and more interesting, too.  The Feywood in particular was pretty fun.  It's all spooky and fogged up with magical mist, and holds one the niftiest puzzles I've encountered.  It managed to invert the usual 'enticing mirage of death' concept and actually use illusions to point the way you need to go.


The optional zones also have a good deal of merit; they have a tendency to require extra grinding to survive (but it's Final Fantasy, so grinding is tradition anyway), but more than compensate the patient player by giving you all sorts of extra goodies and loot items to play with.  I had let myself get a bit too focused on the main quest, and realized the errors of my ways early enough for the earlier, easier optional areas still worthwhile.  I'm still not quite up to the task for the lootsplosion that is the Nabreus Deadlands and the Necrohol of Nabudis (home of the glory that is the Zodiac Spear), but it shouldn't be too long now.


Oh, and speaking of extras, some luminous soul at Square came up with one the most unexpectedly awesome ideas I've seen:  The Nihopalaoa.  It's a high-end accessory that's obtainable after getting a few side hunts done and therefore can be nabbed with little fuss.  What is does is invert the effects of curative items when used by the wearer.  Sounds like crap, right?  Wrong!  This wonderful doodad turns your status-curing items into nasty status inflictors.  FF12 is that rare RPG where using status effects on enemies is worthwhile and actively encourages, especially against rare monsters and bosses.  Using a fully empowered Remedy while wearing this thing will inflict almost every status effect in the game with practically perfect accuracy.  It's the most efficient way I've seen to completely shut down major nasties I've seen in a long time, and gives you a shot at even vastly overleveled enemies.  I can't say I've seen anything this hilariously mean since FF7's W-Summon/Hades/Knights of the Round/Mime conga-line of death.  Just remember to pay attention, or you could wind up frying your own party members, that was totally embarrassing.


Well, it's time to be off again.  The Harvest Never Rests!