There were some cute things about this drama and it didn’t have a “typical” evil character, but, for me, this show was just too long and drawn out. There were so many scenes of the gaming battles that were just a waste of time. I get it, it’s a show about gaming, but come on! This show would have been so much better if they had done a better job of editing and decreased the episodes by half.
SCRIPT: The script was okay, but too long. Rather than the evil parent or the evil girlfriend, the evil in this show was social media. It really addressed the issues that pervade our society today, and how social media can not only make or break someone’s career, but can totally affect the way you see yourself. It was an effective hook, but it went on so long I wanted to tell the female lead to just turn off her phone. This script is more about gaming, some about friendships, and I would have to say that romance comes in third. The team friendships were fun to watch, and their responses to having a girl in their midst was amusing. The progression of them accepting her into their circle was handled in a realistic manner. I didn’t find the romance totally believable – the progression of this wasn’t written in the best way, and I felt that it wasn’t clear why they really liked each other. I did, however, appreciate that there wasn’t the obligatory time jump where they are separated for an extended period of time. The ending was very abrupt and unfulfilling.
ACTING: I thought that Xu Kai (as Lu Si Cheng) did very well. I didn’t see him as a “cold” character, but more as a driven and responsible leader for the team. He looked out for all of his teammates, he took his job seriously, and he was fair in his dealings. I've not seen Xu Kai in anything before. I'll have to keep an eye out for any contemporary dramas he might do in the future. He's done quite a few historical dramas, but they are not my cup of tea. Chen Xiao (as Tong Yao) was not impressive to me. First, the fact that her online name was Smiling made absolutely no sense. She hardly ever smiled. She spent an inordinate amount of time either looking surprised, confused, cranky or pouty. She seemed weak to me as well, placing so much value on the online comments and she let these comments affect how she dealt with Lu Si Cheng.
CHEMISTRY: Some very good kissing scenes that seemed realistic in the context of their relationship. I hate the shows that have the woman, even after admitting that she likes the man, act like she’s terrified to be touched by him. There were some hand-holding scenes that went well in line with the progression of their relationship as well. Secretly holding hands was a cute touch. Once they were a couple, I really liked his character. He was all-in on this relationship, while she seemed to be on the fence for quite a while. Xu Kai’s smiles alone are worth spending the time to watch this drama. There were a couple of episodes toward the end that were very sweet to watch.