Squid Game Season 2 had a few issues that made it not as impactful as the first season. One of the main problems was how the show seemed to try too hard to shock the audience. For example, the new games were sometimes cool, but other times they felt forced. Some scenes, like the one where contestants are put through a maze like trap involving extreme physical challenges, felt more disturbing for the sake of it rather than serving the plot. Instead of adding tension, it almost felt like the show was trying to one up itself in a way that didn’t quite hit the mark. The games themselves didn’t have the same emotional stakes as in Season 1. In fact, a lot of the tension was lost because the games felt predictable, and there were fewer moments where I really didn’t know what was going to happen next.

The pacing was another big issue. The beginning of the season felt incredibly slow, and it took a long time before the action really kicked in. I was expecting the usual high stakes and excitement right from the start, but it dragged for quite a while. The first few episodes were so slow that it felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. The lack of urgency in the early episodes was frustrating because, in the first season, the sense of dread and suspense was there from the start. When things finally did pick up, it didn’t feel as intense or gripping as the first season’s moments. I found myself losing interest during some of the drawn out sequences, like when contestants are simply talking or forming alliances, instead of diving straight into the tension that the show is known for. These moments lacked the edge that made the first season such a thrill to watch.

Another big problem was the new characters. They just didn’t leave the same impression as the original cast. I didn’t feel as connected to them, and their backstories or development weren’t as strong. Some of their storylines felt underdeveloped, especially when compared to characters like Seong Gi-hun from the first season. For instance, the character who leads one of the new games felt a bit too exaggerated and one dimensional, which made it hard to take their motivations seriously. Because of this, when emotional moments happened, they didn’t hit as hard. The stakes didn’t feel as personal as in the first season, where each contestant’s backstory was fleshed out and connected to the greater themes of the show. Here, a lot of the characters felt like they were just there to play the games, with no real emotional arc to follow.

Despite these issues, I have to say the show still had its moments. There were scenes that brought back some of the intensity and excitement from the first season, but they were fewer and farther between. For example, the final game in the season, while visually impressive, lacked the emotional weight of the first season’s finale. The show tried to be bigger and bolder, but in doing so, it lost a lot of what made the first season so unique and gripping. It almost felt like the show was more concerned with shocking the audience with graphic scenes, like the sudden violence in a few moments, than delivering a well rounded and emotionally compelling narrative.

There was also a specific scene I didn’t enjoy where the contestants are put through a psychological test that feels out of place. It wasn’t just about the physical challenges; it was also about how they were mentally tortured, and while this might sound intense, it seemed more like a way to add shock value than to push the story forward. The whole ordeal dragged on, and I found it hard to care about the outcome since it didn’t feel as organic to the story or as emotionally raw as previous tests. This scene, along with a few others that relied too much on pure violence rather than tension building, really took away from the suspense.

Overall, Squid Game Season 2 didn’t live up to the hype. While it was still fun to watch and had some exciting moments, it didn’t have the same impact as the first season. The pacing, predictability, and lack of strong character development kept it from being as memorable, and in some ways, it felt like a letdown after the groundbreaking success of the first season. It was an okay continuation, but definitely not a must see for anyone hoping for another season that would blow them away. The magic from the first season was missing, and while it tried to be bigger and more shocking, it didn’t deliver the same gripping, emotional experience. waited 3 years for this and it turned out to be the biggest disappointment