This review may contain spoilers
Mind-blowing Games, Need more games
To be honest, I expected more from this season. I wanted to give it a 10/10 before, but I was a little disappointed. Still, it’s great to watch and fantastic overall.
Episode 1
There’s a new character named Ryuuji who is obsessed with Borderland stuff. I didn’t really like him at first. Then he plays the game to enter the Borderland, and they show the first game, Old Maid (ババ抜き / Babanuki). It’s a short and simple game, not bad for the beginning.
The pacing is a bit slow, maybe a little boring, but still okay to watch because it takes time for Arisu to get to the Borderland. You have to be patient.
Episode 2
Sacred Fortunes (御神籤 / Omikuji) is a brilliant game. Players draw fortune slips with questions. Answer correctly = safe. Wrong answer = fire arrows fall, the number depending on how far your answer is from the correct one. Some slips hide clues like directions or safe spots.
The scene was terrifying, 100 million arrows raining down felt like a meteor shower. I wish this game lasted longer; it was over too fast.
Then the game Zombie Hunt (ゾンビハント) starts. There are three types of cards: Zombie, Shotgun, and Vaccine. It turns a simple chase into a brutal mind game of trust and betrayal. It was complicated to understand at first, but really good, with an unexpected twist from Arisu.
Episode 3
The episode starts with zombies again, then a short game scene called レーザー迷宮 (Rēzā Meikyū). Honestly, I was a little disappointed, it was too short. It had potential to be the best game with its colorful lasers.
After that, Runaway Train (暴走列車 / Bōsō Ressha) is wild. Eight train cars, half with poison gas, and only five chances to save yourself. Watching them gamble with the canisters had me stressed, one wrong choice and you’re done. The game is simple but I expected scarier moments because it’s on a train.
Episode 4
The episode continues Runaway Train briefly at the start. I still don’t like the flashbacks about Ryuuji, they make the pacing slow. Then comes Tokyo Bingo Tower (東京ビンゴタワー / Tōkyō Bingo Tawā) and Kick Can (缶蹴り / Kan-Keri), alternating between each other.
Tokyo Bingo Tower is insane and scary. People who fear heights, like me, will feel goosebumps. Who can even do that? It’s a hard game requiring strength to reach the top, and after pushing the bingo button, you must avoid falling iron balls.
Kick Can is intense too. Players must return the can to the base within 60 seconds or it explodes. Every time someone picks it up, the timer resets but shortens by 5 seconds. There are only 10 cans, so only 10 people can clear the game. If the can hits the ground or walls too hard, it explodes instantly. I loved this game, when it exploded, I was shaking because I couldn’t watch directly. It looked cool in the end, especially with the exotic Yakuza tattoos.
Episode 5
Possible Futures (可能性の未来 / Kanōsei no Mirai) has 10 players. Each starts with 15 points and moves through a 5×5 grid of rooms (A1–E5). Entering a room shows a vision of the future (good or bad), but subtracts a random number of points. When a player hits 0 points, they’re out.
I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad game. It’s mostly a psychological trap. I was hoping for something more dangerous, like getting shocked or hit to enter another room, similar to the first game in Season 1, Episode 1. Not bad though.
Episode 6
The previous game ends, and they survive, but I was disappointed again, no more games appear. I thought the 10 players would battle the Joker in a final game, but they didn’t. Instead, a disaster hits, flooding covers Tokyo, Usagi is swept away, and Ryuuji tries to save her. Arisu also tries to save her. Honestly, this weird moment didn’t sit well with me.
Then a mysterious figure appears, I don’t know if it’s the Joker or a Grim Reaper. I expected another game, but it didn’t happen. Arisu succeeds in saving Usagi, and that’s the end.
At the end of the episode, there’s an interview with Arisu’s team from the previous season, which was unexpected. The last scene shows a girl named ALICE in America. Hopefully, they don’t continue in America.
What I Like
The games are smart, complicated, and require both brain and strength to complete.
Fresh, mind-blowing games.
Teamwork is emphasized, they work together, unlike in previous seasons.
Punishments effect for breaking rules or losing make the games dangerous and exciting (fire arrows, exploding cans, etc.).
What I Don’t Like
I expected more terrifying games and more episodes.
Ryuuji’s character is annoying, obsessed with Borderland and Usagi. Even though he saves them sometimes, he’s still unpleasant and unstable.
No character has the iconic or memorable presence like previous seasons (like Chishiya).
The talking and flashbacks make the pacing a bit slow
The last episode has no game.
Is it worth watching?
If you enjoy game dramas, yes, but lower your expectations. There’s a little talking and flashbacks, and fewer games than expected.
Episode 1
There’s a new character named Ryuuji who is obsessed with Borderland stuff. I didn’t really like him at first. Then he plays the game to enter the Borderland, and they show the first game, Old Maid (ババ抜き / Babanuki). It’s a short and simple game, not bad for the beginning.
The pacing is a bit slow, maybe a little boring, but still okay to watch because it takes time for Arisu to get to the Borderland. You have to be patient.
Episode 2
Sacred Fortunes (御神籤 / Omikuji) is a brilliant game. Players draw fortune slips with questions. Answer correctly = safe. Wrong answer = fire arrows fall, the number depending on how far your answer is from the correct one. Some slips hide clues like directions or safe spots.
The scene was terrifying, 100 million arrows raining down felt like a meteor shower. I wish this game lasted longer; it was over too fast.
Then the game Zombie Hunt (ゾンビハント) starts. There are three types of cards: Zombie, Shotgun, and Vaccine. It turns a simple chase into a brutal mind game of trust and betrayal. It was complicated to understand at first, but really good, with an unexpected twist from Arisu.
Episode 3
The episode starts with zombies again, then a short game scene called レーザー迷宮 (Rēzā Meikyū). Honestly, I was a little disappointed, it was too short. It had potential to be the best game with its colorful lasers.
After that, Runaway Train (暴走列車 / Bōsō Ressha) is wild. Eight train cars, half with poison gas, and only five chances to save yourself. Watching them gamble with the canisters had me stressed, one wrong choice and you’re done. The game is simple but I expected scarier moments because it’s on a train.
Episode 4
The episode continues Runaway Train briefly at the start. I still don’t like the flashbacks about Ryuuji, they make the pacing slow. Then comes Tokyo Bingo Tower (東京ビンゴタワー / Tōkyō Bingo Tawā) and Kick Can (缶蹴り / Kan-Keri), alternating between each other.
Tokyo Bingo Tower is insane and scary. People who fear heights, like me, will feel goosebumps. Who can even do that? It’s a hard game requiring strength to reach the top, and after pushing the bingo button, you must avoid falling iron balls.
Kick Can is intense too. Players must return the can to the base within 60 seconds or it explodes. Every time someone picks it up, the timer resets but shortens by 5 seconds. There are only 10 cans, so only 10 people can clear the game. If the can hits the ground or walls too hard, it explodes instantly. I loved this game, when it exploded, I was shaking because I couldn’t watch directly. It looked cool in the end, especially with the exotic Yakuza tattoos.
Episode 5
Possible Futures (可能性の未来 / Kanōsei no Mirai) has 10 players. Each starts with 15 points and moves through a 5×5 grid of rooms (A1–E5). Entering a room shows a vision of the future (good or bad), but subtracts a random number of points. When a player hits 0 points, they’re out.
I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad game. It’s mostly a psychological trap. I was hoping for something more dangerous, like getting shocked or hit to enter another room, similar to the first game in Season 1, Episode 1. Not bad though.
Episode 6
The previous game ends, and they survive, but I was disappointed again, no more games appear. I thought the 10 players would battle the Joker in a final game, but they didn’t. Instead, a disaster hits, flooding covers Tokyo, Usagi is swept away, and Ryuuji tries to save her. Arisu also tries to save her. Honestly, this weird moment didn’t sit well with me.
Then a mysterious figure appears, I don’t know if it’s the Joker or a Grim Reaper. I expected another game, but it didn’t happen. Arisu succeeds in saving Usagi, and that’s the end.
At the end of the episode, there’s an interview with Arisu’s team from the previous season, which was unexpected. The last scene shows a girl named ALICE in America. Hopefully, they don’t continue in America.
What I Like
The games are smart, complicated, and require both brain and strength to complete.
Fresh, mind-blowing games.
Teamwork is emphasized, they work together, unlike in previous seasons.
Punishments effect for breaking rules or losing make the games dangerous and exciting (fire arrows, exploding cans, etc.).
What I Don’t Like
I expected more terrifying games and more episodes.
Ryuuji’s character is annoying, obsessed with Borderland and Usagi. Even though he saves them sometimes, he’s still unpleasant and unstable.
No character has the iconic or memorable presence like previous seasons (like Chishiya).
The talking and flashbacks make the pacing a bit slow
The last episode has no game.
Is it worth watching?
If you enjoy game dramas, yes, but lower your expectations. There’s a little talking and flashbacks, and fewer games than expected.
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