A survival game beyond reality. Review of the series Alice in Borderland

On September 25, 2025, the third season of the series Alice in Borderland was released on Netflix – the long-awaited continuation of the Japanese hit, based on the manga by Haro Aso. This series has become a cult among fans of the survival genre, combining the dynamics of deadly games with deep psychological themes. In the new season, viewers return to an eerily empty world, where the main characters are forced to look for answers not only to the questions "how to survive", but also "why live on". The third part promised even more tension, philosophical overtones and unexpected solutions. But let's start from the very beginning.

Season One: Possibly the Best Survival Series

The first season of Alice in Borderland introduces viewers to Arisu, a young man who spends most of his time playing video games, avoiding real life. Because of this, his relationship with his family is strained, and at home he has a reputation as an irresponsible slacker. One day, while carefreely spending time with two friends, Arisu gets into a comical, at first glance, adventure – fleeing from the police, they hide in a public restroom. But when they go outside, they realize that the city has been emptied: all the people have disappeared from Tokyo.

Thus they find themselves in a mysterious, mirrored world, where survival depends on participating in deadly dangerous games. Each game has its own card suit, which determines its character: spades are a test of strength, clubs require team coordination, diamonds test intelligence and wit, and hearts touch the most vulnerable – humanity. The numbers on the cards indicate the level of difficulty: the higher the value, the more dangerous the task and the higher the price for a mistake.

During the season, the three friends meet other participants and get acquainted with the brave girl-climber Usagi, who becomes their ally in their attempts to find a way back to her real world. Each new game becomes not only a fight for life, but also a test of intelligence, willpower and moral boundaries. Thanks to Arisu's passion for games, he is one of the few who can cope with logical puzzles, and his strategic thinking has repeatedly helped the team survive the most dangerous trials.

The first season skillfully combines the dynamics of a thriller with the complexity of off-screen philosophical questions. Critics noted the impressive visuals, the atmosphere of constant tension and the ability of the series to hold the viewer's attention until the last minute. Some even compared this series to the cult films Battle Royale and Cube – for a similar motif of deadly trials, psychological depth and exploration of the limits of human morality.

Season Two: A Truly Decent Sequel

The second season is a logical and smooth continuation of the previous one. Viewers are once again returned to the main characters – Arisu and Usagi, who continue their search for the truth about the mysterious world they find themselves in. They strive to understand who is behind these deadly trials and whether there really is a way home.

While in the first season, players faced games marked with regular cards, now face cards are entering the arena – a new level of challenges, even more brutal and unpredictable.

This season expands the story: new characters appear, the games become larger and more spectacular, and the moral dilemmas deepen. Arisu and Usagi have to face their own fears, losses, and the need to make painful choices. If the first season was a story about survival, the second is about realizing who you are when the rules disappear.

Season Three: Revealing Philosophical Questions

The events of the third season unfold five years after the finale of the previous one. It would seem that Arisu was finally able to return to normal life: games, fear and the struggle for survival – all this is a thing of the past. But the Borderlands does not let go so easily. The past gradually begins to break into reality, forcing the hero to once again question everything she knows about this world.

Arisu emerges as a different person – more mature, more thoughtful, but still just as moral and empathetic. New characters appear alongside him, and new challenges introduce the concept of "possible futures" – where every choice can determine what life will be like outside the game.

The new season delves even deeper into the psychology of the characters and the nature of the Borderlands itself, where the line between life and death becomes almost elusive. The games return – more complex, darker, but at the same time more metaphorical. Now it is not just a struggle for survival, but an attempt to understand why to live and what life itself means. At the same time, the series departs from the clear structure of previous seasons: the focus on card suits, difficulty levels and formal rules disappears. Everything becomes more abstract and symbolic – like life itself, in which there are no clear instructions or unambiguous answers.

Season 3 doesn’t just continue the story – it opens up a new level of play, filled with philosophical questions about the meaning of life. The stakes are higher than ever, and every choice has the potential to change not only the outcome but also reality itself – the one that awaits beyond the game. That’s why this season feels less like a continuation and more like the culmination of Aris’ entire journey – an attempt to find answers not in the game, but in life itself.