Except it's not, because three years later, the world in which "Squid Game 2" (streaming now, ★★ out of four) returns is drastically different than it was in 2021. And part of that difference is the effect of "Squid" itself: What was once a deeply shocking satire and critique of capitalism has become so popular and ubiquitous that it's too easily reduced to punchlines and memes.

"Squid Game" Season 2 sees the return of Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who steps back into the arena three years after his victory and 45.6 billion won prize. However, Gi-hun isnt