where is truck-kun when I need them
The urge to be transported into a game is very high indeed. I love how the plot tied together at the end, but I wish I saw them more scenes with them together at the end. GIVE ME CLOSUREEEEE! I want to see cute, happy moments of them together. But anyways, I love the male lead's backstory. I cried many times to him and I broke down when the female lead started missing her father. This was so silly and fun, I love it so much. <3Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Ruined by the ending.
I was guilty-pleasure watching this, because the acting was kinda not great but I have a soft spot for half-demons and cultivators. I was willing to look past the fact we forgot about dear old dad as soon as they hopped on the boat, and about Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi inspiring no feelings in me at all, and even the whole second love interest storyline (really? the half-brother? and everyone just accepted that she switched up in the blink of an eye from being repulsed to in love and engaged?) but that ending...of course, it's one of those. Modern-day uglier-with-short-hair ML has been secretly in love with her forever and he just so happens to be her favourite author, seriously? Ruined the entire thing for me.Was this review helpful to you?
So annoying.
Visually, the costumes and sets were appealing, but the script failed to capture the depth and complexity of the period. The plot relied too heavily on clichés, and some historical details felt inaccurate or oversimplified. Performances were uneven, with certain roles coming across as one-dimensional.The storyline started with potential but quickly became predictable and repetitive. Character development felt shallow, and many emotional scenes lacked impact due to forced dialogue. The pacing dragged in several episodes, making it hard to stay engaged. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity.
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Very entertaining with beautiful vfx and great fantasy world building
First of all its available on Youtube ;) +1 point alreadyAnd i found out mid binge watching that this is inspired from a chinese manhua/comic that i have read
All characters look so good in the fantasy world. And the vfx was pretty good.
The main characters being enemies to lovers is my thing, i ate it up so hard.
it did get crazy with plot twist and intense lore but it was fun. But i have to say, i enjoyed the first half of the drama more than the second half, maybe because the story was only focused on our four main characters . The second half had new characters, was more intense.
Mu sheng, the male lead.. he was the reason i watched this drama in the first place. He looked really good. And he potrayed the tsundere character very well.
the background music and bgms were very good especially the one they play during romantic parts or cute moments (with the flute i think)
I do the female lead had a childish character but it fitted with the story and the manhua character. Its bearable but i do like the sister Mu Yao more ;)
Overall fun rom com fantasy drama that is rewatchable. Must watch in my opinion.
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Pretty Good - to a Point - Still worth the watch
This was really good but not great. To be fair, I’m not a huge fan of Chinese historical/fantasy dramas (I like Korean series like this a bit more), even the ones where a character gets pulled into another world and the story splits time between modern and ancient settings—they’re rarely my first pick. Still, this show was entertaining enough to keep me watching all the way through. The interplay between the characters was genuinely fun, with great banter and dynamics that carried a lot of the episodes. I wish there had been more demon-fighting action spread throughout—like more good guys kicking demon butt against various lesser demons leading up to the climax—and less emphasis on the drawn-out buildup to the one big final battle with the Resentful Woman (the major demon antagonist). The whole story centered on that huge confrontation, which I understand was the big moment, but with the game-like setup (system tasks, bindings, levels), I expected more progressive plot flow with multiple smaller demon battles along the way. As a "Demon Hunter" fan, those action sequences were a highlight for me, and the show’s visuals in those moments were often stunning. Yu Shuxin’s performance as Ling Miaomiao was her usual bubbly, exaggerated, silly style that a lot of people criticize, but it genuinely fit the character—a modern girl who’s suddenly thrust into this serious demon-hunting world and reacts with humor and chaos.I especially loved Ling Miaomiao’s relationship with the little bamboo demon; it added such a sweet, heartfelt layer.
Mu Sheng’s initial coldness and hardness toward her was compelling; I do love the classic trope of the icy, dangerous male lead who only softens for the female lead, Ling Miaomiao. That said, his constant willingness to murder her was a little tough to fully get past. Yes, it was all within the novel/game world, and she knew the “plot,” but from his perspective it was real, so it made her falling for someone capable of that feel a bit complicated.
I seriously loved Ling Miaomiao’s dad in the novel world—such a warm, lovable character. I wish he’d had way more screen time. I also would have liked if he had somehow still been alive when she came back to reality.
Liu Fuyi (the second male demon hunter) felt a bit flat early on—he didn’t appear much at first, and when he did it was mostly “my master” loyalty with little personality shining through. He became more defined and interesting later, which helped. But I had no attachment for him early on. He felt expendable in the beginning like a character that could have lost a battle and it wouldn't have much mattered. Had he been a developed a little more early on then his relationship in the later episodes would have been all the more compelling.
The humans-falling-for-demons (or demon-related beings) trope was harder for me to buy into. I know Eastern fantasy lore treats “demons” (yao) differently—not always purely evil like in Western stories—so I mentally recategorized Mu Sheng more as a tragic demi-god type to make it work for me personally. Otherwise it is a struggle to accept "nice" demons or just misunderstood demons if I accept them as such. I have to give them another category in my own mind to get past that.
One recurring confusion (shared by a lot of reviewers) is whether this is a book or a game world. It references both constantly—sometimes it feels like she transmigrated into a novel she read, other times the system tasks, levels, and bindings scream otome game. From what I’ve seen discussed online, it’s fundamentally a novel transmigration story with heavy game-like system mechanics, which is super common in this genre and explains why it feels like both.
I recently read that the Chinese government has been cracking down on cold-CEO-marries-impoverished-girl Cinderella tropes for setting unrealistic relationship expectations among young women. If that’s the case, I’m not sure how the completely fantastical idea of a human falling for a kind demon is any more grounded—we all have our priorities, I guess!
No regrets watching it at all—it was fun and well worth the time. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre, loves the actors, or wants a mix of romance, comedy, and fantasy action. I’d probably mention to close friends that the ending is disappointing so they’re prepared, but I wouldn’t spoil it for others. Would I watch it again? Probably not—the ending drags it down too much for a rewatch.
Detailed Spoilers
The biggest disappointment for me—and it seems for a huge chunk of the audience—was the ending. They spent shockingly little time on Ling Miaomiao’s return to reality. We find out Mu Sheng was essentially the author (or the real-world inspiration behind the story), and their brief school interactions hinted he already liked her, but the “reunion” is literally just him calling her name. It felt like the entire romance was being reset without giving us any payoff or development in the real world.
That lack of closure hit especially hard with the little bamboo demon—her relationship with him in the novel world was one of my absolute favorite parts, and seeing him in reality with just a passing moment of déjà vu and no real tie or future connection was heartbreaking.
The water demon scene was a massive highlight for me: the kidnapping, Mu Sheng coming to the rescue, the world literally flipping, and the gorgeous black-and-white world with pops of color in the costumes and scenery—it was visually stunning and one of the most memorable sequences in the whole show. More moments like that would have been perfect. That was what I felt like I signed up for in the whole set up of the premise. Them fighting progressively harder demons. And main girl gaining power over time. It went a bit different than that.
So disappointed that it didn't seem she was going to have real relationships in real time with all the characters she had built connections with in the game/novel. There was that déjà vu moment with the bamboo demons, but there’s no real follow-through. Presumably Mu Yao, Liu Fuyi, and others are based on real people he drew from, but we get zero closure on whether Ling Miaomiao ever reconnects with their counterparts or rebuilds those friendships. The friendships were genuinely fun and added a lot to the show, so dropping them entirely felt like a waste. And what about everyone left in the novel world? It felt so real while she was there. So, it genuinely felt like they were all just left hanging.
Another major frustration: the leads never share a proper kiss until a weird, brief moment in a special/post-credits scene. Without that physical moment, the romance never fully felt “sealed”—they came across more like super close buddies than a couple in love. A little intimacy goes a long way to sell the emotional stakes. Many reviewers echo this complaint, noting that while the second couple (Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi) got actual kiss scenes and more chemistry, the main leads conspicuously avoided it. Speculation points to possible actor preference (Zhang Linghe has had limited on-screen intimacy in some projects), production choices, or censorship—Esther Yu clearly has no issue with kiss scenes in her other dramas. Whatever the reason, it left the romance feeling incomplete for a lot of us.
Overall, a fun, addictive watch with great tropes and characters, but the rushed ending and lack of romantic payoff kept me from feeling it deserved to rate higher.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Bittersweet Landing: Great Premise, Half-Baked Execution????
I kind of have a mixed opinion about this drama. I liked the premise, but somewhere in the middle it went off-track and ended bittersweet. 😶🌫️😶🌫️*I really liked the ML character. 😍😍He thought he was a supporting character in the game that he had created, but he certainly underestimated his potential. The entire story is about him learning to love himself, being confident, and facing reality.
*ML's acting was amazing. He did a good job in portraying the emotions. Be it his childlike behavior, the innocent looks, or his pitiful face, one cannot stop loving him. His costumes and his white hair look were the best...😍😍
*The FL's character was supposed to help the ML realize his emotions and help him face reality. She did help him, but her character didn't stand out. Also, her childlike acting and her voice were kind of annoying, but still digestible.
*The second couple had stories of their own, but the stories didn't have an impact. It was kind of bland. I really liked the Bamboo Shoot character. It was cute and energetic. The music was also good.
*I think this drama is overrated. I felt most of the elements in this story were half-baked. It all started as a game, but in the middle, the game turned out to be some fantasy drama, and in the end, it finished as a melodrama. 😅 But anyway, I liked the emotional twist in the end.
OVERALL: A BORING GAME THAT ENDED WELL 🚶♀️🚶♀️....
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Amazing story and acting, uneven ending
This is an amazingly creative writing, a very unusual Chinese xianxia trope, which is a high praise.Acting, cast, music are all on point. There are some episodes first half that’s more draggy than necessary but for most part you can’t skip. For this I deducted half point.
The other half point deducted is the ending. It could have been done better. Don’t worry it is a good ending but having invested 31 chapters, we deserved more closures to all the characters.
Overall highly recommended and enjoyable. This year is truly a good year for cdrama watchers.
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why in the world did i watch this sooner?
i really regret not starting this sooner because this drama is excellent. i love the plot and how everything is connected in the end. i love the main four characters, even though not all of them are great actors by my standards. that being said, the chemistry between them is amazing - not just between the couples, but among all four. for the first time in a long while, the secondary couple actually feels meaningful and not just there to fill time. the cinematography and costumes are also fantastic. if you're hesitant to watch this, just do itWas this review helpful to you?
Visually amazing drama but...
A solid 8* drama. The cinematography is so good,and the plot is very engaging but I feel like the romance was lacking. It's not "Love Game In Eastern Fantasy" it's more like "Quests In Eastern Fantasy". Cause rather than the romance it focuses more on the adventures. But they make it up with the visuals,so good! And Ding Yuxi was really good at portraying as an anti hero. I gave it 8 star only because of ESTHER YU. She acted more childish than an actual child,CuiCui. It took me alot of patience to continue watching it. Ling Miao Miao was supposed to be cute and smart,not cringe and childish. I've read the manhua,LMM was actually cute and not at all cringe,but Esther Yu made it her mission to make the character cringe.Pros-
Amazing cinematography
Visually amazing
Good Acting by Ding Yuxi(ML)
Plot is very engaging
CGI top notch
Good direction
Cons-
For a drama named "Love Game.." it lacks romance
Esther Yu's cringe acting and voice
Villains suddenly turned good(-_-)?
Unsatisfactory ending
Osts are not worth remembering
If you can get past these,give it a try. It's a good drama!
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Entertainment at it's finest!
My curiosity was worth it! The rave about this drama made me curious and it was worth it! It was wholesome and entertaining! The story has an unexpected depth into it, but it somehow fumbled in the end, it would have been nice if they polished it even more to give proper and satisfying closure. But I guess they wanted to add the charm of an open ending. But I must say it takes a lot of skill and talent to be able to reach and convey that aspiration of open endings. I must say in the story an open ending was only a tease they could've packed it up nicely but the decision to go to the former has added popularity and intrigue to the already entertaining story.I must say the 4 leads chemistry is the best! That's really hard to achieve cause not a lot of dramas with main and 2nd leads have successfully achieved such chemistry! They all work well effortlessly good together that they even have reality show just for the fans of this drama alone!
If you are looking for a break from the usual costume dramas this one is a must try. Entertaining with bits and pieces of lessons to live by!
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If not for the ending..
I started this drama because of Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi’s chemistry offscreen, especially during that award show. I’ve also heard people recommending this drama, which is why I gave this one a try.Honestly, I was getting bored of the “getting sucked into another world” plot and did not find this particular one interesting either. However after watching the first episode, I instantly got hooked! I would say that this drama is a light option of its kind (the demon slaying, magic costume type of drama). Among similar-themed costume dramas that I’ve watched, this one had the perfect balance of romance, comedy, familial relationship, and demon slaying plot. The story was not draggy and was well-written. I find it interesting how Miao Miao was transported into a game and had to complete missions narrated by the game operator. The game theme is definitely a fresh and entertaining concept for me.
In terms of acting, I’ve got nothing to say other than all the actors did an incredible job! Even Lu Yu Hao did an amazing job at portraying the cute Cui Cui. Esther Yu was so adorable when acting as Miao Miao. I even find myself saying that she’s cute multiple times. Also, Ding Yuxi’s facial expression was art! His facial expression was so captivating especially his eyes and eyebrows. I have to say that among his dramas that I’ve watched, Mu Sheng is his best character. I also want to give a shout out to Zhu Xu Dan and Yang Shi Ze. Zhu Xu Dan has such pretty eyes and she was perfect for the role of Mu Yao. Yang Shi Ze was also so manly and dependable as Liu Fu Yi. Not to mention, the make up, hairstyle, and outfits of all the actors was perfectly executed. They all looked so good!
Everything was perfect until the ending. I guess the writer just gave up. I remember looking forward to the ending and the plot twist that other people mentioned. The excitement gradually decreased when the team went to rescue Mu Yao. Then I started repeating “huh?” when Miao Miao asked the game operator to repeat the scene (?) so Mu Sheng won’t die.. Ugh, messy. Not to mention the plot twist in the end. Everything was so rushed I didn’t have to time to process it. Also, I am aware that time travel dramas often have open endings so I learned to not put expectations on the endings, however Love Game in Eastern Fantasy was so promising, which is why I ended up looking forward to them meeting again in real life but yep, was disappointed (again) with the ending.
Although so, I really enjoyed watching this drama. I even binged it in one sitting. The ending definitely sucked but everything else was worth the watch!
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drowning in this drama
What an amazing drama! Though it's a common plot in fantasy novels, the direction that this drama takes it makes you want to keep watching more and more. I'm 27 episodes in and i feel like this is one of the perfect castings and perfect stylings as well -- especially for ding yuxi, he looks STUNNING in this styling; shuxin always looks pretty regardless but this styling elevated it even further. I love that this drama doesn't put the supporting or 2nd leads to the side but helps build up their stories and it's definitely helping the story! I'm actually using this drama in my senior thesis so I'm really enjoying catching small details for it. I think this is honestly one of the best costume dramas of the year!Was this review helpful to you?
