Such is the case with Final Fantasy and The Darkest Hour. I can't offer any reasonable explanation, but I just like them. There's something else they have in common- invisible enemies.
On a basic level, the idea of an invisible enemy is terrifying. It was part of the mystique of ninjas, back in the day- an invisible swordsman. It's even scarier now, with the proliferation of automatic ranged weapons. So, what else is there to do except examine various incarnations of the concept, and then translate it into RPG elements?
I'm also going to be referencing an episode of Samurai Jack. Invisible robots, yaddah yaddah.
The first thing, usually put in for fairness, is a means of detection. Something which is completely invisible, all the time, is just unfair. FF had bio-stuff flares, TDH had lightbulbs and other electronics, and SJ just watched for footprints and threw oil onto them. Depending on how human the enemy is, there may be other indicators- shadows, doors opening and closing, SOUND, and general bad feelings.
The other common feature is a general safe area. FF had domes surrounded by energy fields (and you have to get scanned for infection when you come in), rendered useless by someone making a power-play with the shield generator. Darkest Hour had Faraday cages and any glass enclosure, which has a nice scientific feel to it. Samurai Jack had to defeat all of them with a robotic arm and some serious prayer powers.
"I'm pretty much a bad-ass time traveling warrior/cleric"
One thing which needs to be mentioned is the consequences of losing to the invisible enemy. FF takes the prize on this one. When a phantom 'offs someone... No, I'm not going to spoil it. Go watch the movie, or find a clip of it.
The aliens from Darkest Hour just un-made anything living they touched. Transmute person to ash. It was pretty vicious.
So, ultimately, there's three things that go with any invisible enemy:
- Way to detect it (the sketchier, and easier to get false-positives from the better)
- Some kind of shelter (not armor- what's the point after that?)
- Unique, spectacular executions. Someone getting lifted into the air, then eviscerated, is some extremely powerful imagery, and a good fear tactic.
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Now, a bit of narrative. An invisible enemy is the embodiment of a predator, or a coward, depending on how it's used. Once the mask comes off, that's when the players will make their judgement on what it really is. Was it an alien, or just humans in advanced stealth armor? What were its targets? Was it even trying to attack, or just deliver a message? Can the players reverse-engineer this technology?
The pacing with an invisible enemy is key. If they just show up and kill people, it's nothing special. Draw out the encounter. Make the players sweat. And remember- it most likely knows it can't be seen. This opens up its tactical options tremendously.
The victim side of the encounter is where the action is at. It's race to figure out how to detect it and kill it. Sprinkle sawdust on the floor, then find out the footprint isn't human? Chilling. Shooting at chest-level doesn't hit it? Unnerving. It only moves if you look at it? Terrifying.
Make up some rules for it, then let it loose. Just don't forget there's a fine line between horrifying and irritating.
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