Cult-favorite zombie action game Lollipop Chainsaw is making a return, according to the game's executive producer. This will be the first fans have seen of the popular zombie title since its release on Xbox 360 and PS3 10 years ago. However, it's unclear what form this return will take, leaving it up in the air as to whether it'll be something as big as a sequel or instead a remaster.
When Lollipop Chainsaw was released in 2012 it served as a throwback to pulpy horror classics such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, seeing cheerleader Juliet Starling fighting hordes of the undead in a fictional California high school while accompanied by the talking disembodied head of her boyfriend Nick, which she wears upon her belt. Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad's James Gunn (who revealed his top three games earlier in the year) co-wrote the game with Masahiro Yuki, and the script's dark sense of humor was well generally received by critics and players upon its release.
Spotted on Reddit by user FluffyOtaku_UWU, Lollipop Chainsaw's executive producer and former CEO of its publisher Kadokawa Games, Yoshimi Yasuda, tweeted “Lollipop Chainsaw is back by Dragami Games”. Dragami Games is Yasuda's new company that he established upon leaving Kadokawa Games, and this tweet indicates that some kind of Lollipop Chainsaw project will be one of its first titles, which would be a smart move considering its cult following. Despite Yasuda's announcement, it's worth noting that neither Lollipop Chainsaw's director Goichi Suda (aka Suda51, the maker of the No More Heroes game series), or writer James Gunn have mentioned the title's return, despite tweeting out celebratory posts for its 10th anniversary earlier this month. Whether they're waiting to reveal their involvement until further into development is yet to be seen, but given how well received the overly stylized direction and script were, many fans are likely hoping that they will be returning as well.
Despite Lollipop Chainsaw's popularity, nothing has been done with the title since its initial release on Xbox 360 and PS3. Despite many titles from that era being made backwards compatible on Xbox, or coming to the higher tiers in PlayStation's new PS Plus model, currently, the only way to play Lollipop Chainsaw is on its original consoles, or via emulation on PC, considering the title never received an official PC port.
Because of the lack of any re-release or backwards compatibility for the title, it would mark the first time in two console generations since anything has been done with the IP, and Yasuda's announcement could come as a pleasant surprise for fans of the title who have wanted to revisit it without blowing the dust off their older consoles. Even though it's unclear whether Yasuda’s tweet refers to an upcoming remaster, remake, or sequel to Lollipop Chainsaw, there's plenty to look forward to in venturing back into the zombie-infested world of San Romero.
Cult zombie game Lollipop Chainsaw is returning, according to the original publisher, but it's unclear if this means a remaster or something else.Glenn Bunn