User Reviews

We finally see what a game of hearts is and it's brutal to say the least... at a level 7 this is the hardest challenge our crew have had to face and the game is set up quite complexly, futuristic head gear with facial recognition, a plethora of tools (for killing) and a description of the game which is essentially hide and seek; one player is a wolf, the others are lambs, the wolf hides and the lambs hunt. If you look into the wolf's eyes, you become the wolf and the cycle repeats until the game is over. But ultimately, all that matters is that you are the wolf when the timer hits zero, because unlike the other games, only one person can win this one. It's heartbreaking seeing the group try and find loopholes to survive and flirt with the idea of killing each other to save their own skin, but what is more heartbreaking is seeing them accept their fates individually and hide from life to save their friend. I genuinely thought we were going to have this little group through to the end so it really caught me when the timer hit zero. I'm gonna give this one a 9/10. The game isn't quite as visually visceral or fast paced this time but it makes up with that with emotional, lasting consequences.

The foundations simply aren't developed enough yet for this episode to land like it should. The acting and execution was fantastic, but the expectation that we'd care strongly for the characters at this stage is almost inappropriate.

I really liked how it defied expectations, but the character development needed to go a little further first.

This episode is definitely the most emotional a tv-show has had me since The Art Of Racing in The Rain, there is so much detail in this episode which is beyond astonishing.

First of all the line "Hide well sheep" shows the contradiction as in reality it means "Rest well". Even Saori notices this and it sends her into her frenzy panic as life or death instincts kick in.

Secondly the Weaponry by presenting the label as "Feel free to use these" shows how the game is enforcing them to be brutal against each other as it's a heart's game, this builds suspense and leads to a climactic ending with Arisu trying to find his friends, but they have both agreed and even Saori in the end that he deserves to survive the most.

Thirdly the show takes an insane risk by killing of Arisu's friends in as early as episode 3 this elevates the stakes and creates suspension as it feels like anything can happen however by doing this they have to find another way to elaborate the story.

My only complaint about this episode would be that we haven't seen any other hearts game but in all other games including 10 of hearts nobody has to die, however in 7 of hearts 3 people have to die. While I have seen people suggest they should have used glass to all be the wolf at once, I don't think that would have worked as they tracking system was very advanced. However the games rules only state: Trying to remove *your* collar will result in a game over. So by definition they could probably have had a sheep cut the wolfs collar then transfer the wolf role to another player and then another sheep does the same thing and then again which leaves one wolf who still has a collar and 3 former Wolves without collars.

The episode tugs you back and forth in regards to the object of the game.

In the end, the object of the game and the choice of the players, really hit me. Arisu is the survivor BECAUSE of their friendship, they choose him. Not the other way around.

I was in tears, a job well done, loved the episode.

This episode really hits the mark. Was beginning to think it's a kind of Hunger Games / Lord of the Flies / Saw kind of combo but seriously it wipes the floor with all of these. The look and feel of it. The acting engages you with each character. The games are just mean, this episode in particular. But the raw emotion of the players... he played the loss up to a crescendo that did not disappoint. Truly emotional experience that.

We haven't had the character development for this episode to have its full emotional impact. Yes, the original three is broken up, however the twist leaves us a clear sense of the hero early in the series. The flashbacks weren't adequate to justify the hysterical outcome.

Episode three offers a different kind of game, a slower-paced and more simplistic one, but it's centred around emotion instead so it's a very different kind of feel. I wasn't sure if they'd go all the way here but I wasn't disappointed. It's extremely dramatic, even melodramatic at times, but it works.

This episode had the all the ingredients to pull off its shocking reveal - especially coming off the previous episode which was great - if it would hit the dang plot beat already.

But instead of letting the audience digest the blow of having 3 main characters die at once we have to watch these characters cry and flashback over and over again anime style. The tears. The "hngkh" sounds as people choke back tears. We even get introduced to characters in flashbacks who exist only for the sake of the flashback. Why? Three main characters dying by explosive throat collars isn't enough of a shock? Oh right, how could we forget that they've shared INSTANT NOODLES under a BRIDGE together - NOW this is real heartwrenching stuff. If these are the exact kind of revelatory details we need to be told before a character dies, where does it end? Did they floss that day too? Are they wearing matching friendship underpants? Maybe two weeks prior they went to Wendy's and slurped pepsi colas out of the same straw? I need to know if they did so my heartstrings can be tugged. And let's not forget the ethereal dialogue that's overlaid over dreamy woo woo lighting that's unsynced with the characters lips. We've seen it all before. Yada yada cry cry cry. Get on with the actual story. What a limp way to waste a payoff in an otherwise interesting episode.

Guess that Australian ranch ain't happening my orange haired boy, not that we needed to know about it since we're only hearing it now seconds before your character is getting wiped from the series, but thanks for sharing. Whatever.

People complain about the excessive and unnecessary nudity in blockbuster films, how about cutting short these useless crying and flashback scenes - the one thing that's actually worth crying about.

They really killed off 3 out of the 4 main characters in episode 3? Especially Karube, this dude was easily the best character on the show. I'm near the point of stopping watching.

Perhaps this would have been even more effective further down the line, if you were to care about these characters. It's only hard-hitting at the end when they purposely hide. So now you start to like them and they're gone.

After season 2 released and I watched it all, I went back to rewatch and absolutely bawled my eyes out at this episode. It might be because it cuts deeper with respect to having grown attatched to Arisu over the rest of the first and second seasons, but either way I think that just adds to how much of a masterpiece this episode is. Even on the first watch, the twist of them hiding intentionally from Arisu to save him absolutely broke me.

It might also resonate with me so much because it reminds me of the very close-knit band I was in for a few years in high school. When that band broke up, we were all headed down diverging paths, and saying goodbye to some of them was the worst feeling ever. So it pulled on those heart strings I guess.

The acting was phenomenal, it felt so real and raw, and while some people are upset that the story didnt go the way they wanted it to go, I think that the writers being brave enough to kill them off adds so much more weight and suspense to each game, knowing that almost anyone could actually die.

While its sad that we dont get to see much more of Chota and Karube, I think the rest of the show makes up for it, and it seems like a necessary part of Arisu's backstory that heavily influences his later decisions for the rest of the show.

Very intense episode. I cried for all of them. Everyone wanting to survive. Desperation, at first. Still, their love & friendship to each other won. The selfishness to give up the possibility of living for someone they care about.

Arisu, Chota, Karube and Saori set off to locate and participate in the next challenge. They find it at a large botanical garden and they're the only participants. There's a big problem though: it's a game of betrayal and only one of them can survive.

The most intriguing challenge yet: how do our heroes all manage to survive this? I was thinking, as were most viewers I imagine, that our intrepid foursome would find a way out of this as it appears they're set to be the main characters throughout the series. I was hoping Chota would buy the farm though - he's incredibly irritating and anytime he has any screentime I feel like giving up on the show.

However, in a surprise twist, there is no clever out: three of the seemingly main characters are gone by the end of this episode. On the plus side, one of them is Chota. On the negative side, two are Karube and Saori. Karube is the most likeable of the four characters and Saori is, well, hot.

This said, the engagement levels with the characters have not built up to such an extent that we'd miss any of them. This is where the twist is weak and disappointing: if you're going to suddenly and violently remove a character or three, make sure that you've built up an audience engagement with them - it makes their death(s) more powerful.

The episode gets points for unpredictability and for getting rid of Chota but those are the only positives.

I'm surprised (and not surprised) that many didn't like this episode. Wasn't this what game of thrones was celebrated before? That characters you don't expect to die die?

Isn't that what made movies like Arlington Road or The Mist such hits? Because we don't get to see cliché after cliché happy endings?

I for one often thought we need more movies or shows where they dare to kill main characters.

And people, this show is called "ALICE" in Borderland. A guy isn't Alice, so it's clear who is (also if you merely look at the poster or something).

It's still quite sad. I actually shed a tear and I didn't in that episode of Squid Game when the old man "dies". I think it's a sign that the show is good at introducing characters in a fast enough way to still make us care.

I did expect that the girl would betray the nerdy guy (I thought that's the reason she slept with him), so maybe I find her death most tragic. She seemed like a very unhappy person, deep inside, just like him and I would have loved to know more about her past and what made her this way.

But, alas, I guess we won't know and I am willing to accept that. I'll let the show decide what I'll know and won't, because I think a good show or movie doesn't let the audience tell it where to go and maybe that's why many didn't like it. I know I did and will continue to watch.

Three episodes in and the series looks to be driving off a cliff. First two episodes were engaging and exciting, but in the third we get 40 mins off boohoos, kind of pointless flashbacks and a "shocking twist" ending, that doesn't make any sense. Why would you make the audience somewhat invested in a trio of heroes, two of which you're just gonna kill after 2 episodes? I just don't understand the logic behind it. So many shows are following in the footsteps of GoT and just killing people off for no spesific reason and hoping it has an emotional impact. Note: after 2 episodes it doesn't.

The wimpy one (Chota, I think) has nothing to do the whole episode but cry and pray, and Karube, the most charismatic and interesting of the bunch, is such a wasted opporturnity. The whole episode just felt like a Saw ripoff, but instead of the torture, it's filled with crying. Such a disappointment.

Don't know why to change the story in such a way at so early stage.. they could make Shibuki a wolf and then kill her to make all three of them survive... That would have made so much sense 🤷🤷

And the game in this episode doesn't make a lot of sense. Also what's the point of having 3 main characters carry 3 episodes and die?