The instructions were there, but I just didn't see them, lol. Second time, I wasn't able to active Reid's ability either; Didn't get it right till the third time. Nah, that's only available after you finish the game, isn't it? I probably wasn't ready for it either. My party's level was around 63.
Do you bother using Chat or Max, btw?
Yeah, actually, you have to have finished the game once, and played again up to the point where you can cross between the two worlds freely (in other words, when you can visit the Orbus Barrier), then only you can access Nereid's Labyrinth. But, if you have saved BEFORE fighting Nereid, and haven't overwritten the *New save file there, there's a glitch you can use to, er, cheat the game into thinking that you've finished a SECOND game up to that point. Ergo, you can load back to the point before you fight Nereid, and go to the Labyrinth. Here, let me just quote: :P
After you've created a NEW save file, it will say something like this: *Inferia
the * means it's a new game (from the start) but now you can understand Melnic
(Meredy's language) right from the start, as well as some other stuff.
When you're taken back to the title screen, choose to load the save file you
just created. As the Intro FMV is playing with Galenos walking in a forest,
press Start. You'll see Reid walk in in-game graphics. Press Start+Select+L+R
all simultaneously (altogether) and you'll be taken back to the Title Screen.
Now choose to load the save file just before the boss (NOT the newly created
one). When it's loaded, choose to save OVER it.. -so just save as if you were
saving after having done a section of the game. Note how your save file now has
a * in front of it as well. That means you've just cheated the game into
thinking you've reached this far in a second playthrough, and you now have
access to an Optional Dungeon: Nereid's Labyrinth and some other stuff too.
Neat, huh? :P And now you can spam Maxwell Extensions too! :D
But yeah, I'd advise to go over L70 (at least) for the Labyrinth. Also, note not to exceed L100, as (the walkthrough said) the bosses there will slaughter you. I don't know the truth value of this, though.
Chat or Max... Well, no. :P Mainly, no. I used Chat once in the Nereid's Labyrinth (in there you can only use one character per floor. There are 6 floors, and you won't be able to use the same character twice, so you'll have to use at least Max or Chat once. There was a boss in there - the Earth Elementler - that I used Chat against. Eternal Hammer kind of killed the Elementler, provided you get to use it first before he casts a spell)
Max, I only used him between times (to test the Canceler item: NEAT. :D) and that one time in Sekundes's battle (that battle was goddamn hard because he doesn't fall down. Elemental Master ROCKS in this battle, then again, provided Max is given enough time to execute it.)
And I kinda love my second playthrough, because this time around I got better stats, with max HP and MP and team near L100. :P I wonder what is the max level, though? Do you know? Seems it's not L100 because Farah is well, already L101. lol.