This review may contain spoilers
Average because Seasons 1 & 2 set the Bar High
For me, Alice in Borderland Season 3 was average compared to the first two seasons. It had its moments, but it didn’t live up to the high standards set before. Here’s why:🔹 Versatility
The first two seasons gave us real versatility — diverse strengths of characters, different ages and personalities, backstories that made even villains compelling, and the clever parallels to Alice in Wonderland. Every main character had their own strength: some excelled in mind games, some in physical battles, some in leading, and some in simply playing an unforgettable villain.
Season 3, however, felt like it revolved almost entirely around Arisu and Usagi. Yes, Rei and Ryuji were interesting additions, but they weren’t enough to match the level of depth and charisma from earlier seasons. Season 1 & 2 set a standard of rich ensemble characters, but this season fell short of that balance.
🔹Game Strategies
At first, I honestly thought Arisu had lost his brain. Later, his spark came back, but it was never quite enough. In previous seasons, Arisu impressed us with both physical and psychological tactics — his strategies were sharp, creative, and thrilling to watch. Fans loved the way he thought through problems. But this season felt different. His planning seemed weaker, and the other players just followed him blindly without offering their own ideas. That took away some of the excitement and teamwork that made earlier seasons so engaging.
🔹 The Games
The games in Season 3 were decent but not as fascinating as the ones in Seasons 1 & 2. The psychological games lacked the depth that made earlier ones iconic. For example, the “thinking game” felt too easy — if Chishiya had been there, it would’ve been solved in no time. The physical games also seemed less intense compared to previous seasons, which lowered the tension.
🔹 Ryuji
Ryuji was one of the most disappointing parts of the season. His character had huge potential, but the writing let him down. He often came across as confused, sometimes wanting to save Usagi, other times wanting to kill her. This inconsistency made his arc frustrating. With stronger writing, Ryuji could’ve been as powerful and memorable as Ann, but instead, he felt wasted.
🔹 Netflix’s Influence
I really blame Netflix here. The first two seasons were written with passion, but this season felt more like a money grab. The ending was especially frustrating — recycling elements from Squid Game like sacrifice, children, and even hints at an American spin-off. Sure, both Alice in Borderland and Squid Game are different stories, but Netflix made them feel similar in a way that invites unnecessary comparisons. Instead of finishing strong, it felt like they were trying to stretch the franchise for profit.
🔹 The Real Mission
We all expected Season 3 to finally give us answers — the ultimate mystery behind the Borderland. But instead, it added more questions while solving almost nothing. The story pulled us deeper into another version of “Alice,” leaving the mysteries of reality still unresolved.
What I Did Like
It wasn’t all bad. In fact, some aspects were brilliant:
-First of all, it has some great CGI scenes. Oh my goodness, the CGI was so on point and looked really suitable for the new era. And the beauty of the cinematography — I noticed they used the black-and-white theme really well. The flood scene and the time-stopping in that scene are two of my favorites.
The concepts of the games really matched well with the Joker card. The Joker card usually means chaos, unpredictability, and potential. In the zombie game, most people thought it was best if players stayed human. But in the end, we could see that being a zombie was actually a good idea. If everyone became a zombie, they wouldn’t have needed shotguns or vaccines, and just by playing a random card game, they could have passed. (Correct me if I’m wrong.) Also, in the last game, Arisu was the real winner. This shows the unpredictable side of our life and the game of cards. The Joker might not be useful or powerful in some games, but it can change the possible future unpredictably. But again, “Joker is just a card,” just like the hat man said. It only distinguishes between death and life, but this very card holds the unpredictability of future actions. At first, we thought Banda might be the Joker, but the truth is the Joker is nothing and everything at the same time.
Lessons: S3 played a big role in giving lessons. In Season 3, we can see many lessons that really connect with the real world. Even though everything is in the hands of someone greater, you can always choose to be who you want. The hat guy, who might seem like the Joker, I think, is more like the Grim Reaper — dressed in all black, standing between life and death. Even though Arisu’s life depended on his choice, he somehow managed to win because of his own will. It also shows that helping others never goes to waste — everyone paid back their kindness to Arisu. I also loved when they showed them their future. Even though some of them believed it, real fate is in their own hands. That’s why Arisu did not pick the doors just because they showed him a possible future — but built his own way.
A big thanks for bringing Ken Watanabe, the legend who played major roles in Inception, The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, and Pokémon Detective Pikachu.
Chishiya’s Cameo: A small moment but deeply satisfying. Just as Chishiya and Arisu had challenged each other in games, their brief exchange in this season carried emotional weight.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Season 3 left me with a bittersweet feeling. The acting was top-notch, and the production quality was amazing, but the storytelling lacked the same fire as the first two seasons. It failed to give the closure we wanted, introduced underdeveloped characters, and leaned too heavily on familiar tropes.
Yes, it delivered powerful visuals, meaningful lessons, and a few standout moments — but considering the brilliance of Seasons 1 & 2, this finale felt like a letdown. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t the great conclusion we hoped for either.
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