Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer? Chapter 350 Discussion

I don't like the idea of putting down other people's reviews because its basically bullying them for having their own opinion, but I genuinely cannot at all agree with the 'the player hides his past' guy who rated this novel 2 stars at 40 chapters. If they just didn't like the story or characters that'd be fine, but the actual points they made baffle me as they weren't things I ever thought would be said about this novel. there are lots of complaints to be had with the story, but these weren't it imo. Half of the entire review is made off of the basis of how good it is compared to another novel he likes more! I read some of that other novel - the manhwa - to see what he was on about, and honestly they're not that similar. Different vibe, environment, interactions, etc. It was pretty good but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as this one, and ironically found the MC to be blander, both with his demon knight ego and the real one (not bland - blander. still very funny). Also don't see where the info dump comment is coming from - all the info given to us within the story is done naturally and in a well thought out way, so it doesn't really feel like exposition. The only arc I can even think of up to that point that would have these problems would be the arc they dropped it on (the sea dragon arc) before things start getting good in it. and that only lasts a couple of chapters at best.

read spoiler to see my thoughts on the other story in comparison to this one:

Spoiler

first chapter of the manhwa was where the MC (s??) was at his best, and everything else was a less interesting (out of the 12 or so manhwa chapters i've read mind you - my opinion is practically null and void lmao. At least the other guy read more than me!). In the manhwa - which I switched to since almost every review on its page said that the manhwa was much better - the pacing and story and humor was much better, but the demon knight character himself lacked... well, character. Not completely mind you, the dialogue was great - It's just that (in the manhwa) he'd make the same cool looking glowing eyes face when talking about demons and it lacked the bite I'd expect from a character that dedicated himself to killing the species that mu*dered his entire family and estate. demon knights in these types of stories are inherently emotional, doing it out of revenge or anger or duty or whatnot. but every time the demon knight alter ego would say or do something related to demons, things fell a bit flat. the fights were a bit anticlimactic and the abilities felt unearned. during comedic moments he was the best, but outside of that he'd say cool, fancy-shmancy things about how the 'hounds need to heel' or the 'scoundrels need disciplining' with the same look on his face and you only every really get the sense that he's very cool and powerful, nothing about his character or motivations or feelings or anything really. for me at least, the emotions of the demon knight weren't portrayed amazingly in webtoon format. You could argue that the demon knight is just a part of the MC so it makes no sense to have a detailed range of in character emotions, but the story pushes the idea that demon knight has his own personality pretty heavily, and the MC is shown to feel the same things the demon knight feels. so why make that feeling "icy disdain" the entire time?? He interacted with other characters in a way that was honestly kinda boring too. I assume this isn't a problem in the novel (from what little I read, it seems that there is a system working in conjunction with the demon knight explaining how the demon knight would react/feel, and he's less of a separate ego there), but that apparently has its own problems according to the other reviews. Meanwhile, the demon knight in this story shows much more emotion and character in everything he does. It would be obvious even without the internal dialogue where he stands and his motivations behind doing things just through the way he interacts with things. the roleplayer aspect adds another, funnier layer to it, but if you took that away you would be able to tell that there is an actual complex personality behind it.

It also fell into common tropes very easily - such as the 'turning down guild for little to no reason' for the sole purpose of making the MC a lone wolf, solo chara type - and didn't make me super duper invested in what was going on. Basically, the story was a bit bland and generic outside of the funny bits, and I feel like there is a much better way to execute the same great concept.

I say all this, but its still nice! I do recommend it. The gimmick of having the real MC act completely disconnected to how he thinks because there is basically an edgy chunni alter ego controlling his body is actually genius and makes for hilarious situations. He doesn't say cringe things or speak like a medieval monarch because he wants to, but because his mouth filters the thoughts from his brain in the most insufferable way possible lol. He even argues with his 'demon knight' self because when he thinks something out of character the Knight claps back, and he cleans when he doesn't want to because the knight makes him. I'm pretty interested so I'll probably actually go on to finish reading it eventually. ngl I might even go back to the novel since that seems to be jelling more with me.

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This novel isn't the greatest work of art but its not as bland and terrible as they made it sound either. its honestly really, really good - not just because the concept is refreshing but because the characters are actually fun and likeable. I really liked the MC - his internal dialogue was extremely funny and his genuine struggle with being torn away from his friends and family (and isekai'd into his edgy oc lol) unaware of whether he'd survive to make it back was really engaging. The hero's party were great too, extremely endearing and their interactions with the MC were hilarious, but they really get better the more you read. They aren't one dimensional characters in the slightest and that becomes much more evident towards the end of the first part and throughout the second. Without going into spoilers (because I don't want to ruin it for anyone interested enough to click on the spoiler tag), things get really different and the characters get their own time to shine without things constantly revolving around the mc

Also I'm not joking, but literally everything gets better after chapter 40 something. Like this isn't a dig at the guy who made the bad review - I actually took a break from reading for a few weeks because I was a bit tired of reading at that exact point and the arc was too slow for my liking. But when I started reading again it picked up so fast! Once you get to the actual sea dragon fight it's a real treat to read (it might honestly be one of my favourite fights from this novel), and everything afterwards just gets better and better. chapter 40 is only 1/5th of the first half and a 10th of the story overall, despite feeling much longer, and it shows now that i've read enough of the work to put things into perspective. some of the best arcs are within just the first 130 chapters alone, and come almost immediately after this one. Spoiler

The rage arc, the Jungle arc, etc are my favourite ones so far, they're just so fun and interesting! The whole madness mechanic adds a whole new layer of suspense and the bit where he drops the character entirely and soothes a child who literally just stabbed him did tug at my heart strings I have to admit.

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one criticism id have is that the MC refuses to purposefully get closer to the others out of fear of breaking concept. the hero's party obviously hold him in high regard, and he sees them just as fondly. But he wont let them know that he actually cares, and despite the fact that they can infer his true feelings about them for the most part (the aspect that truly makes his interactions with them wholesome and enjoyable) and they know he's a kind person he will never open up. He even has cute little nicknames for them in his internal monologues Spoiler

but it takes until he's so disoriented and is such a danger to others that he has to literally stab himself to subdue himself for him to show his genuine emotions or call them by their nicknames. And even then this display of emotion gets brushed aside after deb ponders over it for a few chapters. And this happens twice!! (rage arc and deb demon contractor arc). first time was genuinely so moving - second time slightly less so.

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There were multiple times where he could have realistically softened his expressions or bonded with them or talked to them nicer without it seeming like a break in character, yet he completely squanders the opportunity because "they'll kill him if they catch him slipping", even though it is super obvious that they know how nice he is at that point and would see it as a sign of his trust in them instead. Whether because of his concept, or Spoiler

later on his crippling fear of death in the game being an inevitability and his worries that there's no way back home making him decide they shouldn't get too attached to him since he doesn't want them to be distraught when he dies,

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he constantly pushes them away and draws boundaries that make them more and more distant over time. This is especially egregious from chapter 180 (??) onwards

Spoiler

when he has that little mental break in the shower and starts completely separating himself from the party out of nowhere

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to the point where it actually starts affecting the party dynamics and all the characters start questioning whether he ever truly liked or trusted them at all. This was so sad for me because the best part of the book was how they slowly wormed their way into his heart. They cared for and worried about him in their own ways, but because he wouldn't open up properly to them it soon becomes apparent Spoiler

when he runs away at the end of part 1

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that they never truly knew him at all. We know that they cared for each other mutually. But it starts to feel slightly like their friendship was never as real or as strong as it originally seemed because it was partially built on lies. I am aware that this was a purposeful and well written choice by the author, but it doesn't make it any less painful or annoying when the relationships the MC has with every single one of them consistently take a step forward and three steps back. This was done to show the MCs worsening state of mind as he starts to isolate himself from the people around him. You could tell that the author had been lamp shading the

Spoiler

MCs mental health deterioration for dozens of chapters before everything goes to shit, which is actually really cool. Stuff like his tiredness and apathy at the start of the jungle arc, him breaking down crying in the street when seeing happy families, him failing to catch a sandwich a child dropped because he'd subconsciously stopped touching things with the right hand that only *his character* is supposed to despise. he truly was becoming depressed and weary, just like the demon knight concept he was roleplaying.

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Anyway it's really good. It's really great. It's really amazing. I'm too tired to properly end this review but just please read it guys, you won't regret it. Rest assured that this is a high quality webnovel. I'd give it a 4/4.5 stars for now

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Part 2 is too heavvy for me now (╥﹏╥). I'm taking a break because the party is in shatters without the MC and he was finally able to find relative peace in his new disguise for all of 30 chapters before having to fight emerald or whatever her name is. when I realised he kept most of the disguise on when he decided to start fighting and that the entire city would realise something was off so he'd probably never be able to use that persona again, I just immediately stopped reading. will def start again eventually but right now its a bit too much for me and ive already wasted the past few days just reading this webnovel nonstop.

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