Squid Game season 2 review: another thrilling ride for the much-loved Netflix series

Squid Game season 2 is the highly-anticipated return of the Netflix global phenomenon. With such rave reviews for season 1 and the game finally over for Player 456, it was hard to imagine where the show would go next. After all, he’d survived, right? While 45.6 billion won should have been enough for Gi-hun to start over, he couldn’t stand the idea of the game continuing. The money, as far he’s concerned, is covered in the blood of the players. So, in Squid Game season 2, it’s time for revenge.

In pursuit of the salesman who recruits players with a game of Ddajki, Gi-hun builds a team to search every subway station in Seoul. And, eventually, he teams up with season 1’s Jun-ho, the undercover cop that infiltrated the island. Let’s not forget that Jun-ho discovered the true identity of Front Man — the ruler of the game — and an important part of season 2. If this was a chess game, the pairing of Gin-hi and Jun-ho feels like the perfectly logical next step for the show to take.

But, how do you follow up from such an iconic game that played out in season 1? In fact, it was so iconic that they even made a spin-off reality show, Squid Game: The Challenge. For the first few two episodes, at least, it felt like a different show altogether. Perhaps we could get used to the idea that the game is finished and the show was going to take us in a new direction. Though, suddenly, he’s back in the game, playing all over again. And, we suddenly realized what we’d been missing.

While it appears at first that the same games are going to play out, only with a whole new set of players, it’s just Red Light, Green Light that makes a return from season 1. There on out, there are entirely new games to play and ways to, unfortunately, die. These new games are, in true Squid Game fashion, disturbing and whimsical. While they seem simple in nature, the stakes are too high meaning these childhood games turn into living nightmares. While Gi-hun pleads with his fellow players, a lot of them see his presence as an opportunity to get further ahead, rather than standing up against the torturous situation.

But, surely Gi-hun doesn’t have to play the game all over again? Well, there’s another storyline unfolding at the same time. Though hopelessly separated from Jun-ho and his team, they are trying to find him based on what little knowledge Jun-ho has of his time on the island. And there’s an interesting deception going on that’s not quite fully explored in season 2, but it sure is teased.

The new players inside the game are refreshing. In season 2, there’s such a variety of storylines that it carves itself a new special place in the Squid Game timeline. There’s Player 120, an ex-soldier transitioning into a new life as a woman. There’s Player 149 and Player 007, a mother and son with a tumultuous family dynamic. And, there’s Player 390, another friend of Gi-hun’s who has found his way into the game through the same gambling problem that Gi-hun shares.

And then, there’s the role of Front Man and the opportunity to experience him in an entirely new light. While the viewers know his true identity, alongside Jun-ho, Front Man’s younger brother, Gi-hun and his fellow players do not. This new dynamic in Squid Game makes for a thrilling watch. As you witness how humanity unravels when backed into a corner and how greed can transform a state of mind, you may even start to question whether the creators have a point.

There’s a chance though, that viewers may be left feeling a little deflated by season 2’s finale. While Squid Game season 2 delights in the most alarming of ways, you’ll be left on a cliffhanger, desperate for the crescendo to reach its climax. Fortunately, everything that came before it was unequivocally Squid Game, so while you might not quite get to where you wanted to, you’ll most definitely enjoy the ride. The show has created its own iconic hemisphere that knows how to perfectly terrify you, while at the same time you can’t look away. And you shouldn’t, because it’s a stellar watch.

Squid Game season 2 is available to watch now on Netflix.