Alice in Borderland's latest season sees Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) follow his now wife, Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya), back into Borderland to compete in its games once more. Just as the face cards provided a new, daunting sense of uncertainty in the previous season, season 3 delves into the realm of the Joker card – one that is daunting, unpredictable and full of devious twists.

Unlike previous seasons, Alice in Borderland's third season dives into uncharted territory. The first two seasons are adaptations of the manga of the same name by Haro Aso. However, by the end of season 2, the manga had already been completed in its entirety, with no new material left to showcase. So, the latest season boldly attempts to extend this universe beyond its source material – a choice that comes with a mixed success.

Yamazaki and Tsuchiya are a wonderful core to a series that functions so heavily on brutality. Their characters are bolder and more charismatic than before, a wonderful growth from the players they were in the show's beginning. They give equally as compelling performances too, keeping the show grounded amidst its haunting premise – something which is sorely needed.

Alongside this, Alice in Borderland's ensemble cast remains to be one of the show's biggest positives. Each season has continued to bring a weird and wonderful selection of players for viewers to love, hate and mourn – often in quick succession – and season 3 is absolutely no different. Some particular stand outs include the characters portrayed by Tina Tamashiro and Koji Ookura, who deliver fascinatingly obscure and harrowingly complex performances that help to maintain an air of humanity and unease that Borderland has become synonymous with.

However, Alice in Borderland is not without faults. Season 3 falls two episodes short of its predecessors, a choice which has certainly hindered it. The Netflix series rushes in places where it should have lingered and vice versa, making each episode feel fairly uneven and gradually dissipating the tension that the series has often built so well before. Plus, the restructuring of the Joker stage doesn't have the same bite as before, making the three-year wait for the next instalment feel slightly wasted.

This isn't to say that all is lost in season 3. In fact, there are some great games with some fantastic visuals and twists that continue to demonstrate what Alice in Borderland is to its very core. These games continue to tantalise and play with the foundation of human nature, showing both the best and worst from players you would not expect. However, the series has truly become a victim of its success. The mystery that surrounded the first two seasons feels slightly lost as patterns become more recognisable and twists become expected, with fewer moments sweeping you off your feet than before.

While Alice in Borderland season 3 is far from being terrible television, it does not meet the standards it has previously set for itself. Its uneven narrative lacks the same pull as before, leading to a return to Borderland which is exhilarating at times, but didn't feel necessary.

6 out of 6 episodes were available to view.

Alice in Borderland season 3 will be available to stream on Netflix from 25 September.