If the RPG World Had Social Media..., Vol. 1 (light novel)

by Yusuke Nitta, Yukinatu Amekaze (Visual Art), lol (Visual Art)

BRB...GOING ON A QUEST FOR LOVE!

​In a fantasy world where smartphones and the internet exist, the Hero has become a total shut-in, refusing to socialize with anyone. However, his world gets a little larger when he meets the Demon Lord online. The two hit it off, and the Hero decides he wants to meet her in person. The outside world is a dangerous place, though, and the shy young man only has 1 HP...This story is an adventure romance for the digital age told almost entirely through chat logs!

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Humor

260 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2021

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this is a genuinely amusing little idea. Take your classic Final Fantasy JRPG, including an all powerful Demon Lord who has kidnapped a princess, take a low level hero and have him go on a quest to reach the Demon Lord's castle. Now, give that fantasy RPG world the internet as well as cellphones, have the hero be a shut-in who has been cursed to the extent that he has 1HP and cannot level up and have the Demon Lord be a pretty nice person who constantly sends him messages about visiting.

It's actually pretty funny. If one grew up playing JRPGs there's a lot of humor in here that cracked me up as it certainly plays off the clichés gamers know and love (or possibly hate depending on your feelings on the genre). There's a lot here to enjoy, so I really wish that I would have liked it more.

Now, don't get me wrong, I laughed. I finished it and despite its faults I don't regret my time like I do on many two star rated books. No, I would go so far as to say I legit enjoyed much of it… but it is TERRIBLY written.

So many scenes feel incomplete. Sometimes it's played for comedic effect, for example instead of describing one of the battles we are given a recap of it on a group message where people post what is going on. Usually though it just feels lazy, like the authors want to get to the next scene as quickly as possible. It honestly feels like the sort of incomplete writing I would have done when I was a teenager and had a great idea for a scene, so I'd cut corners to get to it. In books like this I would normally question if it was a translation issue or a problem with the original writing, here though it was clearly a part of the original novel, even if the translator didn't help in fixing it.

The characters in the book range from genuinely amusing to annoying. Most of the annoying ones scream "Please turn this story into an anime! Look how wacky I would be in an adaptation!" Said characters lowered my enjoyment, but never enough to quit reading… this is also very much a "your mileage may vary" situation as some may find their antics amusing.

Overall, despite being amused for most of it, I can't really recommend the book. That said, I also wouldn't tell anyone to avoid it. This is entirely one that will come down to how much the reader enjoys classic JRPGs and their enjoyment of anime/manga style humor. While I'm giving it 2/5 I can't say it wasn't amusing.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would say it's a fun 2-3 star read. Social media format telling good but not enough "meat" on the story part.

[Hidekisohma · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I picked up this light novel because i thought the premise looked cool. Social media like messaging in a fantasy world. After picking it up i looked at the rating on GR and it was a "2.74". which is the lowest rating i've seen for a light novel and i thought to myself "could it really be worth a 2.74?" and ...yeah it is.

So the first issue with this book is that the title's a bit off. Social media isn't really used in this book. Instead it's a lot of Instant messaging. I know that's technically social media i guess, but it's not like a facebook or a twitter situation. it's more just instant messenger which doesn't seem quite the same to me.

That's just a nitpick though. The biggest and most glaring issue with this book is that it's written VERY childishly. i don't mean like there's a lot of juvenile humor, i mean like it feels like it was written by a 12 year old. The prose is very weak, the plot is nonsense and the characters are all just flat and terrible. This isn't really so much a STORY as it is just a bunch of stuff thrown onto pieces of paper.

So the demon lord (yes that's her name and they call her 'demon lord' for the entire book. even her mom for some reason) kidnaps a princess and for some reason they pick this random 16 year old dude that is a shut in and never leaves his room to be the hero. like when i say socially awkward, he literally can only talk to people through text even if they're right in front of him. Not only that, but he's cursed by literally over 100 curses and has 1 hp and can't do anything. So...you know, the best person to send to rescue a princess.

For some reason this hero guy gets the demon lord's phone number and they start like...flirting over texts. So because he sucks so much at traveling to her castle, the demon lord sends her 4 strongest generals to help him travel .Yes, it makes no sense.

Even with sending her generals, they don't just grab him and race him over to her castle because...i don't know everyone in this book is stupid. We learn that all the generals are stupid overpowered and the demon lord girl is a REALLY nice person, and like... not fit to be a demon lord at all, but that doesn't stop her from doing so because..i don't know.

They DO bring in villains later because...i guess the DEMON LORD that kidnapped the princess couldn't be the villain because she's too busy being pretty and nice. See what i mean by making no sense?

All the supposed villain girl demons are super friendly and nice and feel as threatening as a sack of wet newspaper despite showing us they have really strong OP powers.

I could forgive all of this though, ALL OF IT if the main character was good. He is not. He is an awful, boring, generic, stereotypical NOTHING. Early in the book the king sends a hero to help him save the princess, but the main character sends one of the demon lords to beat him up because he thought the hero would be too mean to the demon girl. Yes. that's a sentence i just wrote describing a thing that ACTUALLY happens in the story.

The format they got with is about 1/3 actual novel and 2/3 format of like.... they put up a cell phone page like on the cover and have characters chat back and forth like they're texting and this COULD work. but the problem is, it's way overused and the reason they give for using it so much (the main character is severely socially awkward) is very contrived and feels forced.

*Spoiler warning*
I am putting a spoiler warning here because i'm going to talk about the ending so you don't have to read this.

The generals beat the bad guys by having someone google the villain's weaknesses. i..i wish i was making this up.

the REAL bad guys kidnap the demon lord and they have to rescue her. so you'd think at the VERY LEAST at the VERY LEAST they'd have the MC and the demon lord get together at the end after he rescues her.

NOPE! the Demon lord literally sits there in front of him and goes "i need to return to my castle. i'm going to fly there so continue your months long quest and meet me there." Yes. so instead of talking to him there or bringing him back to her castle, she leaves and says "keep going and we'll eventually talk there." it's so contrived, and nonsensical it literally hurt my brain.

*End Spoilers*

So yes. overall, this book hurt my head. All the characters were flat and boring. they COULDN'T develop because 2/3 of their dialogue was through texts as this person did not know how to write their own concept.

The demon lord's motivation made no sense as did the reason for picking the 'hero'. yes, i GET his history with her, but, it, once again was very contrived and still didn't give a reason why he had to be the one to go save the princess. the other generals act like he's a good guy, but he literally does nothing to show us this. he's just a sarcastic jerk who is busy flirting with the demon lord on the phone for the entire book.

The only saving grace was the speed of this book. i was literally able to breeze through the whole thing in 2 days. Other than that, no. that's it.

If you wanted to show someone an example of how NOT to do a light novel, you'd point at this. it's just trite, not interesting, and i didn't care about any of these characters even a little bit. and it's not like i don't like fluff or nothing happening. some of my favorite shows/light novels are slice of life.

This was just a whole lotta nothing burger. I despised the main character and the girls were all boring OP nothings.

all in all. i suppose they're trying to leave it open for a sequel, but haha. yeahhhh good luck with that. if one will eventually exist, i ain't reading it.

2 out of 5.

[August Lawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The concept of like what if we had phones in an RPG is super cool and I love that idea but I think it was done very poorly. I think that if it was done in a way that like you see characters out and about on their phones or even like a modern day RPG I think would be cool like with orcs and elves and dwarves just going freely about in the modern-day setting.
I didn't enjoy that the author tried to explain the creator of SNS (the messaging system) and then tell the audience this part is not important so feel free to forget about it. Personally I think that if you are writing a detail like that in here it should be important. I really think that the sarcasm that the author has throughout the book is something that would be fine in a different setting like if you were talking to someone or playing DnD something else but in a book I think it's the wrong move to make.
Something that rubbed me the wrong way was that the hero's name is hero and the demon Lord is named the demon Lord. Also that those two characters have all of the same characteristics.
The characters to me feel flat and very one note. The author tends to repeat themselves a lot of times it's to point out in a very obvious way the weakness of the hero it became very repetitive very quickly.
I feel like the author could have done more to develop the relationship between the characters to make them feel less one know and give them more personality.
I didn't understand how traveling worked in this book I suppose because whenever a new companion would come they would be with the hero of the next page but as the hero is trying to get to the demon lord it takes way too long. He gets five companions at least while traveling who all show up at the speed of light but the hero can't move quickly so it's taking them 10 times as long.

[Pravaris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review Summary
Simply put, “If the RPG World Had Social Media..., Vol 1” is a short, relaxed story with an equally small payoff. It is an unorthodox mix of lighthearted online chat logs and brief descriptive passages that make the book feel more like a hybrid between manga and light novel.
While the repetitive slapstick, hyperbole and stereotyping comedy were not funny to me, I still got some enjoyment out of the innocent romance between the two main characters and the casual romp through a fantasy world of quirky characters.
And hey, humour is highly subjective, so maybe this type of comedy is your jam.

A New Character Every Time
The book begins with an introduction of the Demon Lord and Hero, who happened to talk over LIME, this fantasy world’s version of the online messaging service, LINE.
Bonding over their reclusiveness and the wish to meet each other, the Hero sets out on a long journey to meet the Demon Lord — while “rescuing” the Princess on the side.
There is just one problem; the Hero is weak as hell.

Between the cute illustrations, casual conversations and immediate disposal of all dire stakes, it is clear from the outset that this is a comedy, and that the Hero’s physical weakness will pose no real obstacle. The Hero’s main role is to be the punching bag, the butt of many slapstick jokes. Every character, except the Demon Lord, treats him in a similar way, showing unbridled shock upon learning the true extent of his physical ineptitude and his inability to become stronger.
He does, however, train in spite of his literal inability to improve.
Hero can be characterised in a phrase: Weak but willing.

Just like the Hero, every character can be described in a phrase.
The King is a lazy cheapskate.
The Demon Lord is strong, but sweet and naive.
The Hero’s mother is a stereotypical strong willed mother.
The Hero’s father is a stereotypical deadbeat dad.
Nicoletta is a masochistic vampire.
And so on, and so forth.

Every character is predictable, nearly everyone is one-dimensional, and the book could have easily become a slog to read.
However, new characters are introduced all the time and story beats occur at a brisk pace. Every minor event either quickly sets up a joke or moves the Hero’s journey along. Jokes are never drawn out, even if they are frequently repeated.

As a whole, every character, joke and event is treated as disposable — creating an overall feeling that this is a light story focused on a couple of teenagers overcoming absurd obstacles with the help of their eccentric friends.

A Reminder that Humour is Subjective
Although I have tried to keep the negativity out of my tone — I did somewhat enjoy myself, after all — there is no escaping the fact that I did not like the many jokes in this book.

Often relying on stereotypes, slapstick, hyperbole, and repetition, my eyes eventually glazed over and glossed over the jokes. So much so that I simply extracted the plot-relevant information and forgot most everything else.

Your mileage may vary.

Fortunately, between all of that is an innocent teenage romance that could be described as fluffy.

Innocent and Illogical Romance (and that’s okay)
It’s all quite silly.
The Princess was allegedly kidnapped by the Demon Lord, so the King enlists the Hero to rescue her. The Hero confronts the Demon Lord (through a messaging app). He finds out that the Demon Lord is a cute girl and proposes on impulse. The Demon Lord is caught off guard and takes it seriously. The Hero then also seriously considers the notion.
Thus, the two decide to meet up.

As the two learn more about each other, they love each other more.
Even though it’s for different reasons, they are both reclusive due to circumstances outside of their control and find small comfort in each other.
Even though it is eventually revealed that they’ve met before, the innocence of first love is preserved.

There is little reasoning behind their mutual crushes — they felt a bond, therefore, there is love. Their determination is hardly challenged and there are no “real life” factors to consider. Token obstacles are thrown their way, sure, but nothing that can’t be beaten with the power of friendship and, well, power.
It is simple love and the world lets them be.

I liked that.

Then It Tried to be Serious
In stark contrast, I hated the climax of the volume.

Suddenly, there are real threats.
No, not the REAL real threats like disapproving parents or discourse over the romance between a human and a demon. FAKE real threats like the Six Sages who want to take the Demon Lord’s power for themselves and maybe rule the world.
Frankly, this would not be a problem if they were treated as equally disposable as the repetitive jokes but that’s not the case.

These fake real threats are treated with gravitas, with entire chapters dedicated to proving their power and inflating their one-dimensional characters. They have AMBITIONS. They have STRENGTH. And to be honest, I DO NOT CARE.

The sad part about this is that, despite all the words spent on the Six Sages, I only remember the one that was connected to one of the main characters.

Fortunately, it’s easy enough to skip since there are LIME chat logs bookmarking the start and end of the sections.

Short and Sweet
“If the RPG World Had Social Media..., Vol 1” is short, even by light novel standards. There is no “quality over quantity” saving grace either — this book is, in no uncertain terms, short.
However, I want to emphasise that it was still enjoyable. In fact, it is partly because it is so short that it was still enjoyable instead of dragging on. That fact is definitely a point against the story, but again, I enjoyed it.

This is hardly an exploration of the implications of social media in a fantasy world. Magic, near-instant communication is just an excuse to regale us with an innocent long-distance romance between the most powerful being and the least powerful being; Demon Lord and Hero.
If you can ignore, or perhaps even enjoy, the comedy, you will find a sweet teenage romance free of the burdens of reality and hardly overstays its welcome.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/Yen On for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

This one was just strange. I think there was quite a bit lost in translation and it seemed to try to hard for laughs that just fell flat. The story idea wasn't bad, but with the bad attempt at humor, the storyline got lost, which is a shame.

Also, it had rather bad language. Some violence and sexual innuendo, but nothing too raunchy.

Not one I would go out of my way to recommend or continue with the rest of the series, but not one I would avoid handing to a customer if this was something they would be interested in.

2, not what I was hoping for and somewhat disappointed, stars.

[For The Novel Lovers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Review
Title: If the RPG World Had Social Media Volume 1 (light novel) by Yusuke Nitta
Genre: Light Novel, Translation
Rating: 2.5 Stars
I have really ventured into the world of light novels except with manga I am heavily invested in but when I saw If the RPG World Had Social Media and some other light novels available on NetGalley I had to request them. If the RPG World Had Social Media was an interesting read as it combines the similar world of SAO and Overlord with the genres and themes found in Konosuba which I didn’t vibe with at first but it kind of grew on me.
Most people that know me and my anime/manga taste will know that I majorly dislike Isekai manga and anime which follows the trope of living in another world usually after death but certain PRG anime also fall into this category. We are follow the Demon Lord who happens to be female and the Hero. The Demon Lord and Hero quickly become friends because they both share a sense of isolation for different reasons for the Demon Lord it was because she was too powerful and for the Hero it is because he is too weak. The Hero is on a quest to “save” a Princess currently chilling out in the Demon Lord’s castle but he also wants to meet her too as there have been feelings growing between them.
However, for most of his life the Hero has been a shut in and we later learn this is because he was cursed 108 times as a child meaning he can’t use magic and his stamina and health points are tanked. To help the Hero, the Demon Lord sends her Generals to aid him but even with this help the quest is taking a really long time and even over the course of the whole novel they haven’t moved very far. The humour rather than the battles is the main focus in this light novel as while it is on point I felt it would probably hit better in a visual format so I will definitely be checking out the manga that can be read alongside this light novel to see whether I rate it higher but apart from that I don’t think I will be continuing with this series.

[Michael Delegeane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear lord... Upon finding this book in the store, it did catch my attention and curiosity to see what the story would have in mind. And upon having read a good portion into it, I really wish it didn't.

This story was just so utterly boring with RPG mechanics and tropes peppered throughout the entire book, alongside so many puns that I couldn't be bothered to continue any further than page 50. With nearly the entire cast being filled to the brim with selfish jerks and an author who needlessly brings up detail after detail for each scene no one asked for, my tolerance for it all could only muster so much before it just became exhausting to read through the book and criticize every moment of utter garbage. I can understand that this is entirely a novel to be played for laughs and wacky hijinks in which hilarity ensues, but that would be more akin to a gag manga, not a novel that is supposed to have a story attached to it. As such, I can only hope that the author will improve over time and comes to fully understand how to write a more fleshed out storyline. But for now, this book will now find a place far, far away from any of my shelves.

[EyrisReadsTheWorld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not an enjoyable read for me

Key words: light novel, adventure, comedy, Ecchi

I stopped reading this light novel at 32% of it. It was just not picking my interest and I have better books to read.

So why is it a DNF for me? I feel like at one third of the book, I gave it a chance and the style will not change. The story is told through screenshots of texts messages between the different characters and through narration. Even though it is an interesting concept, I did not enjoy it and I felt like it made my read more difficult. The story in itself was promising but the characters made it quite boring. Indeed, they are the worst part of this light novel. None of them are likeable and they all have extreme behaviour. We have one guy and then girls around him and it just felt like I was reading Ecchi with no real story.

I do not recommend this light novel, except if reading Ecchi is what you enjoy.

2/5

Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion

[Ana Rancel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept was really cute and I basically gravitate toward anything fantasy/dnd related novels, so naturally bought it immediately.
It was a really cute read, but it's about as substantial as cheap Anime, where characters are reduced to their sexual appeal and ability to put main character under the spotlight. The story was very plain but well put together, despite the pacing between the texts and regular chapters. Villains were as substantial as any videogame boss with pre-written dialogue.
I still enjoyed the light novel, simply for giving me a mental break from other books. It's the type you turn your brain cells off to enjoy. It's definitely for a much younger crowd, like peak 8th grade stuff.

[kfpspooki · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute and light hearted book. The concept was stronger than the story but it was entertaining enough to read it to completion. The characters were alright but experiencing most of story through chat bubbles was very interesting and something I’ve never seen before. I would recommend this if you want something light and easy to read, but not if you are looking for a deep and engrossing story

[Aloysius · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know the gist of any romance: Boy meets girl. It's just that in this case, Boy=RPG Hero, and Girl=Demon Lord. Witness their journey to meet each other, their interactions with the Demon Lord's Four Hot Lady Generals, and their struggle to reconcile the worlds of humans and demons. And the best part: all this has been put in a social media format!

Not the most original of stories, but pleasant enough to read.

[The Local Spooky Hermit · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into it. Its pretty cliche and the gray response boxes are kinda hard to see the words in. But it did make me chuckle a bit. I'd consider getting the next book. I just hope it don't just stop producing volumes like the vending machine isekai one did. (Honestly I'd give anything to see that series continue)

[fairyclaymore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dont even try reading this unless youre into cheesy harem tropes.

[Parish · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wasn't strong enough to get past 50 pages.

[Joey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars

If you are even slightly awkward around others the main characters will seem like extreme versions of yourself it was odd to read as most of the story was told via a chat log though it was funny and... Adorkable
Can't wait for next volume