I'm a huge fan of films and shows about high-stakes games, and this was no different.

It is a little cliche in terms of its characters: the ML is smart and cold, while the FL is bright but naive. With that being said, I really think the drama could have focused more on character backstory and growth. While I liked the contrast between the leads, the ML was the most interesting character of all, while the FL felt like she was there as a plot device, just for his character development, to get him and all the side characters to open up.

And to be honest, I just don't fundamentally agree with some of the messaging here; Nao really feels naive and trusting to a fault, and it felt more frustrating than inspiring.

Still, I liked watching the games, particularly the earlier ones that were more simple and psychological. I love thinking through my own potential solutions and it was actually possible to do that at the start, whereas the later games got more confusing with a lot of rules and loopholes. If you're like me and like being able to treat shows like puzzles, this show is good for that at the start but starts diverging from it. Overall, it became a show where I would just sit back and watch things play out.

Sidenote: the editing is SUPER dramatic and it's kind of funny sometimes.