7. Knowledge For Knowledge's Sake
It's no question that games promote research. They have the power to turn the most narrow minded person into someone who values "knowledge for knowledge's sake." Many a gamer has reached a point where they have to put the controller down, sit back, and ask themselves "what made the designers/writers choose that particular structure/name?" A quick Google search will prove that it was more than just a snap decision, but rather an informed design choice. This is especially evident when observing early concept art for a given game. These concepts could be inspired by anything from religions, cultures, mythologies, and more. So here we have Final Fantasy XII, a game so riddled with pointless factoids that most of it is likely to fly right over your head. But battling through the Phon Coast, you'll likely run into a creature called a Pyrolisk. It'll probably use a self-destructing attack called Kamikaze on you, that could potentially wipe out your whole team. If you don't become so hung up on the overwhelming defeat, you might be able to make the World War II connection here. The Japanese self-imposed creed that was utilized during WWII was known as Kamikaze because Japanese pilots would fly their planes straight into American planes. Suicidal, yes, but if it meant bringing down the enemy, that's what they were willing to do. And thus, the Pyrolisk was born. Pointless factoid, yes it is, but you are still smarter for it. Remember that.