CAST
Both MLs are, in my opinion, insanely good looking, so I might not be objective, when I also praise their acting. They had a difficult task to show to us, viewers, that they are lovers, and at the same time to show the communist censors that they are just friends. They don't get to have much physical contact, so they are limited to the way they look at each other or the tone of voice, but with those limited means, they did a great job. Another great actor was the one cast as twins - he managed to create two characters of not only separate, but actually opposite personalities, one - lovable, the other - not so much. This must have been difficult too, and again, executed just perfectly.
MUSIC mostly matched the mood, but, as is often a problem in Asian dramas, sometimes was too invasive.
STORY
Here start spoilers!
***
At first, I thought that there would not be much of a plot outside of the game itself, but I didn't really mind. Each of the "doors", or levels of the game, had its own story, interestingly told, visually pleasing and emotionally moving. The actual premise seemed absurd: there is a game that kills people, some gamers can magically play it as a team and earn money, and when the MLs complete this game, it will be purged of evil, brought about, obviously, by the US (censors bless us!). Therefore, I just resigned to the idea that this show would be guilty pleasure - stupid but fun. The ending changed my perception completely!
This drama tells a story of a person, who was so lonely that he hallucinated a whole universum where he has love and friendship. People, who he saw around him and knew their names but never dared to talk to, in his hallucinations became teammates for life or foes to death. As for love - apparently, he never even fantasised about loving someone real, so he completely invented his lover without basing him on an existing person. His real-life friend, with whom he reportedly planned to create a game, turned out to be just one of his school colleagues, who he wasn't close to at all - he didn't even know what studies that guy had taken up and couldn't recall his face - the character in the hallucinations always wore a hood.
When he woke up after this imaginary experience of closeness and affection, he didn't even try to change and to be more outgoing, so that he could find closeness in real world. No, instead he dedicated his life to recreating his hallucinations in the form of a VR game. Gives you food for thought, gives you a picture of how secluded modern people are. Breaks your heart.
***
Here end spoilers.
To sum up, this show goes way beyond a gaming drama or a censored BL. It tackles real problems faced by all too many people in the modern world. I strongly recommend it.