Title: 역대급 천재 랭커의 귀환
Plot: The protagonist of Deus Ex Machina: Ragnarok (also known as Demrock), a game that was once an overwhelming #1 in the rankings, returns after a 1.5-year hiatus. He was known as a “god” in the game world but disappeared for an unfortunate reason. Now, he’s back in God of Savior, a new virtual reality game, to begin his journey once again after completing his military service.
The story follows the main character, who, before the release of God of Savior, received a military enlistment notice and left the Deus Ex Machina: Ragnarok game. After his service, he returns to the new game, God of Savior, where the adventure begins.
Personal Review:
Genre and Themes: This is a standard “game fantasy” novel, often categorized as a “mass-produced” or “generic” story in the genre. It features a protagonist with an ability to check card rankings and summon high-level cards, and he also possesses superior physical abilities compared to other players. As expected, it contains many elements typical of a game-focused fantasy novel, such as the character’s overpowering strength (referred to as “Munchkin” characteristics).
The story’s appeal lies largely in its world-building, which is vast and includes both continents inhabited solely by humans and other continents home to various races. The protagonist is a gifted individual, which lends to the narrative’s “cool factor,” where his overwhelming power is demonstrated.
Character Diversity: A key strength of the novel is its diverse set of characters, including realistic siblings, hard-working companions, and other warriors. These personalities—ranging from combat enthusiasts to cash-shop dependent comrades—add to the charm and variety of the story.
Repetitiveness: While the world-building and character development are praised, the battle scenes are criticized for being repetitive. Frequently, when the protagonist wins a fight, the scene ends with a YouTube-like reaction from viewers who praise him, which often results in filler episodes. Moreover, the appearance of the protagonist’s companions and viewers praising him after each achievement also takes up unnecessary page space. While this technique may be clever for pacing in certain instances, it becomes a disadvantage in platforms with a pay-per-chapter structure.
Evaluation:
Originality: ★★★☆☆ While the story does feature some unique aspects—like the protagonist discovering “hidden pieces” in the game and progressing through the main quest alone—the overall structure is rather typical of “game fantasy” novels. The ranking system, hero versus god conflict, and the usual Munchkin protagonist aren’t groundbreaking.
Engagement: ★★★☆☆ The story includes a few immersion-breaking elements, like inconsistent character names and mistakes in Chinese character notation, which could disrupt the reader’s experience. The pacing can also be slow at times due to excessive background explanations, especially about the protagonist’s background.
Popularity: ★★★★☆ The easy-to-access genre and familiar tropes of “game fantasy” ensure that this novel appeals to a broad audience. Its straightforward premise and fast-paced combat scenes make it enjoyable for readers who enjoy these kinds of stories.
Writing Style: ★★★☆☆ The writing style at the beginning feels outdated, with some clunky sentences and repetitive phrasing. The prose lacks polish and can feel a bit messy at times. However, it improves as the story progresses.
Consistency: ★★★★☆ The serial updates are generally consistent, though the author has taken breaks due to health reasons, affecting the pacing. After finishing the first season (covering the “main continent”), the story continues with the second season, focusing on the “new continent.”
Final Thoughts:
On KakaoPage, the novel currently holds a 9.5-star rating, with mixed reviews. While some find it uninspired, others argue that it stands out among other mass-produced game fantasy novels. The well-developed world-building and satisfying battles are definite highlights, but there are notable flaws, such as repetitive content and an over-reliance on external reactions (such as YouTube and gallery comments).
In summary, this is a solid “game fantasy” novel with an interesting world and protagonist. While it has some pacing issues and can sometimes feel predictable, it remains an enjoyable read for fans of the genre. If you like stories where the main character powers up and faces off against powerful enemies in a game-like world, this is worth a try.
Average Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.4/5)
