Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer? Chapter 163 Discussion

Despite the rather cliché name and derivative summary, this novel is a shining example of how fun it can be when a classic trope is executed well. It felt like a breath of fresh air after slogging through many subpar novels of a similar nature.

(I would give it a 4~4.5 so far, but I've rounded up my score due to the review bombing by other users.)

Introduction:

- A good chunk of the beginning is spent establishing the MC's views on the world "as a game." While some readers may find this slow-paced and frustrating, I personally liked it. It made the revelation far more impactful than most other novels of this genre and thoroughly laid the groundwork for the MC's future internal crisis.

Plot:

- There is a lot of action. The action is incredibly well-written and the fight scenes are bombastic and captivating despite the MC being overpowered. It's almost nonstop action though, so beware if you don't like that kind of thing.

- I genuinely feel like I need to comment again on how well-written the action scenes are. While the fights themselves are fairly straightforward, the author makes incredible use of unique environments and sensory input to vividly paint a picture of the MC's movements across the battlefield. This aspect really comes out during "boss raids", which are always a treat to read.

- The plot so far follows a pattern of Minor Event -> Major Event -> Twist leading into Major Event 2 -> Downtime. Despite this, each arc/location is fleshed out well enough to be interesting, and the character interactions give some much-needed breathing room. The occasional PoV switches to side characters are also quite fun, since they show the dissonance between the MC we know and the "Demon Knight" persona he puts on.

- The foreshadowing is well done, particularly when it comes to the MC's relationship with the game/system.

- The world building is fairly typical, but has been given more attention to detail than most novels of this genre. The way the MC and other characters expand their power sets beyond the constraints of the 'system' add a touch more realism to the story, and manage to make the side characters' power progression feel unique in a realistic manner.

Characters:

- The main character's internal dialogue is quite funny, and his personality is both well-established and well-developed throughout the novel.

Spoiler

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the MC's quips and references to "game tropes" are a coping mechanism and a form of denial, to the point where the MC treats his body rather lightly and refuses to acknowledge the possibility of his death being anything but a 'game over'. Given the constant danger he's in as the Demon Knight, it's clear he clings to this delusion in order to maintain his sanity and his persona.

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- The author has done a good job at developing minor characters, but the development for the MC's main companions feels kind of slow. This may be due to lack of fleshed-out backstory, which I hope the author will expand upon later.

- The characters' personalities are rather charming despite their vague backstories, and their character growth has been subtle but noticeable. The occasional chapters in their PoV help further flesh this out, as each character's internal monologue is brimming with personality.

- The development is extremely slow in regards to their relationships with each other and the MC. Despite going through major worldview-shattering events, their relationships are progressing at a snail's pace. Even major events haven't significantly affected the 'status quo' so far.

Spoiler

For example, I would have loved to see more changes in the group's dynamics after the MC got consumed by 'Madness' during the island arc. Instead, we got the MC making the Demon Knight sulk for a few chapters before everything more or less returned to normal.

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- There's no romance as of now. As someone who prefers no romance over badly-handled romance, it was rather refreshing.

If this long-winded review piqued your interest, I recommend reading at least the first 25 chapters before deciding whether to continue. If you don't like it after ch70 or so, you probably won't like the rest.