[REVIEW] It Looks Like I’ve Fallen Into the World of a Reverse Harem Game [Ch. 1-10]

Overall

This is the first Isekai manhwa that I’ve read. Reading about waking up inside a game and playing the villain for the first time was wild. Having read a few isekai manhwas, this is still one my favorites. There are several layers of challenges she had to untangle. Morals. Politics. Men. She had to pay for the sins the original Princess Yeldriya committed. She even attempted to correct those sins. On top of that, she had to be one step ahead of everyone because of Yuriel and murder. This is still an ongoing story.

Art
First things first, the art and colors of this manhwa are commendable. I am picky with manhwa drawings. I don’t draw. I don’t know the art jargon. The only important thing on this category is my eyes like what they see.

Plot

First, let’s start with the protagonist. The real one. I do not know her. What’s her name? Who was she before that phone call? I want to know why she thinks, acts, adapts the way she does. What kind of world does she want to go back to? What’s her motivation? I want to understand her perspective, to empathize.

In the first scene, the protagonist wakes up to the body of Princess Yeldriya, the villain. Not just a villain who does some slightly bad things and look cool but an actual horrible person everybody hated. She tells Nadricka she lost her memory. They stayed in her bedroom for a couple of days. The original Princess Yeldriya had no sugar-coated backstory. She was a cruel person. She would make a formidable enemy or a powerful ally. One thing’s for sure, she is not the type to have so much time to herself. Someone will always come knocking at her door to schedule their time with her. And it bothered me that the only ones who had something to say were the maids. It would make more sense if she had powerful friends buzzing around her. No suspicious or concerned visitors.

Yuriel was out to kill her. A mere palace maid would have been easy to handle if she utilized her power. Yeldriya didn’t have to execute her. She could’ve just sent her to the dungeons or banish her from the palace. I mean, she slept with both Robia and Ettsen. She could’ve used that as an excuse. Receiving information via the floating blue screens was cool. It’s also great she has the reputation of the princess being cruel as her advantage.

Her real problem is the trail of destruction the original Yeldriya left behind. The people with whom she was violent to:

• Palace employees – She is the devil in their eyes. There’s got to be a way to turn that around.
• Nadricka – Just because he adores her does not me he did not have trauma from the days she was violent to him in the past.
• Robia Juran – First, she had to find out the real story behind them before she can correct this.
• Ettsen Velrod – I like that she offered help in him starting over a new life. Offering a piece of land and taking his lover with him was out of character. After that crying sesh and Yuriel breaking his heart, they might be friends or lovers for real.
• Eclot Pace – She sent this man to war to die. There’s a great chance he’s either after rising above the ranks or revenge. I hope this gets exciting.
• Men she forced to sleep with – Somebody hand over the list!

More problems I’m expecting in the future:

• Death Threats – why hasn’t she received one? She’s the heir to the throne. She should be receiving them left right center.
• Powerful enemies – there’s got to be a few. I’m hoping the territorial negotiations would bring them to her.
• Men – Bring all the concubines out! We want more problems.

Protagonist: Princess Yeldriya
Oooh boy! Where do I begin? First, there’s the original princess, the evil one. Then, there’s a good one who took over that evil princess’ body. I’m rooting for her. There are a few angles where I want to look at it. Here they are:

• Personal / Social – Within a few days, no close friend or family member reached out to Yeldriya. Not one. I mean, even the worst people in history had a one loyal ally. It can’t be just Nadricka. There’s got to be someone who’s always checking up on her because they need something from her. She’s powerful. In my imagination, there are lots of desperate people in the world who would do anything to get on her good side and ask for her help. The character was pure evil. There’s got to be a tinge of goodness in the original princess, even just a little bit. Maybe, in a few more chapters.
• Sexuality – The original princess had a healthy sexual appetite. In ten chapters, she has already 4 concubines. I’m sure there will be more. Plus, the thought of her spending a few days with just one man was preposterous to the palace maids. This was not the problem. Women should not be demonized for embracing their sexuality. However, threatening to tear an empire into shreds just so you could get the guy to sleep with you is called blackmail. Girl! No means no. Better luck next time. There are billions of people in the world pick someone else. I want to see fake Yeldriya’s attitude towards her concubines, though. I want to see how she’d win them over. Hopefully, in the future everything is consensual. Mmkay?
• Political – If the original Yeldriya was able to persuade the soldiers of the empire to attack Velrod just so she could get some Ettsen, her negotiation skills would be ranging from decent to excellent. However, when the emperor gave her full authority on the territorial negotiation between three kingdoms, his reason was her compassion towards Yuriel, Robia and Ettsen. While it was too subjective for a territorial negotiation, one has to start somewhere. The surprising turn of events and an additional challenge in politics would be a great test of her character and her political career. I’m rooting for you, fake Yeldriya!

Antagonist: Yuriel
Her aim is to kill Yeldriya. She had to destroy her. How is she the main character if she’s out there trampling on people’s hearts? I don’t buy it. There’s got to be another main character in the game who is a good person. However, it makes me think what’s at stake? Is this all for fun? Is it for power? Is she the real Princess Yeldriya?

Dem Boys

• Nadricka – In the beginning, he was balls to the wall terrified of the princess. He’s a total cinnamon roll. Protect him at all cost. However, it made me wonder.. Did he lie on purpose or did he really not know that the princess has more than three concubines? Or was this somehow lost in translation.. Judging from the current concubine lineup, he was the only one of low birth origins. He must be really great in bed and/or a great target for violence, too. I’m waiting for the dark side of his personality. He had to have one. Being in constant company of a cruel person, he could have picked up a bad thing or two from her.
• Prince Ettsen Velrod – He surrendered his body to protect his kingdom. There’s no doubt he wanted to kill her. That was one hell of a great sacrifice and an understandable one, too. However, Ettsen offers his life in exchange of Yuriel’s, twice! I mean, if he’s a prince, he probably has some negotiation skills, right? An option where no one has to die. How come he’s never seen that as an option? It was such a defeated mentality and I do not expect that from any prince, ever. Somebody, sue this prince!
• Robia Juran – He’s in love with the princess. The princess played him like a violin. He had an affair with Yuriel. This could go very wrong.
• Eclot Pace – A soldier sent to war to die. It was either he was after being the princess’ consort.

Side characters

• Yelpoche – He has great influence on changing the course of events.
• Hesse – She looks sketchy. She knows something.
• Daisy – Since the princess showed kindness to her, she’s been always Team Yeldriya. She’s gonna be a handy ally in the future, for sure.