Lollipop Chainsaw Remake: Everything We Know

If you’re old enough to remember Lollipop Chainsaw, the bubblegum-popping hack-and-slash zombie game that breached the frontlines back in 2012, then you’ve no doubt already been informed about its upcoming remake. And if not, then boy, have we got news for you. Turns out, the creators behind the controversial action game are working to bring it back into the limelight, and are looking to amplify its gore and risqué themes to a whole new level. Sounds great — if they can pull it off, that is.

Unfortunately, we don’t actually know when said remake is due to come out, as its developer has been radio silent for a short while now. But it’s coming, alright, and it’ll look to snag a place on multiple platforms at some point in the not-so distant future. Until that time comes, however, here’s everything you should know about it. Lollipop Chainsaw: what, when, and above all, why?

What Is Lollipop Chainsaw?

To make it clear, Lollipop Chainsaw is a hack-and-slash action-adventure game, and one that’ll look to retain all the same stories, characters, and gory aspects from its 2012 original. Although billed as a full-blown remake, it’ll still keep a firm grip on its core aesthetics and designs, which of course leads us to wonder — will it include the same inappropriate attires as its predecessor, or will it opt for something a little more, shall we say, prudent? Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that the devs will have a fairly rough ride ahead of them if they’re planning to stay as close to the source as possible.

“We learned after the announcement of Lollipop Chainsaw remake that many fans are worried about censorship in the game,” producer Yoshima Yasuda wrote in a post-reveal statement. “We have not yet discussed the issue with the platform holders yet, and thus cannot say anything about the topic, but what we can say is that we intend to negotiate with the platform holders to make it so that the game can be as close to the original version as possible.”

So, there you have it. And while the studio behind the forthcoming remake will do all in its power to retain its original features, there’s nothing to say it won’t go under a few additional hammers before launching. Here’s hoping, either way, that it’ll be a fitting tribute to one of 2012’s more memorable hack-and-slash titles.

Story

In case you missed out on the original, Lollipop Chainsaw tells the story of cheerleader Juliet Starling, and her desperate attempt to eradicate a zombie takeover. Armed with a chainsaw and a toothy lollipop-laced grin, Juliet is dispatched to San Romero High School—an overrun world in which various undead faction leaders dominate the halls—to whittle down the masses and, with a little luck, revive her ever-faithful but decapitated boyfriend, Nick.

If the devs are hoping to follow the same progression system as the original, then we can expect to see the story unravel over several timed levels and themed arenas. It’ll no doubt keep ahold of the grading system, too, which, as demonstrated in the 2012 version, will judge players based on their overall performance and finesse in combat.

Gameplay

Gameplay in the upcoming remake won’t be all that different from its original release, as it goes. So, you can still expect to see the same old arcade-style button-mashing combos and rhythmic brawls, all of which will no doubt tie in with some candy-popping power ballads and rock anthems. It’ll be interesting to see exactly how alike it’ll be, to be honest, as its devs seem pretty adamant about its material being textbook and almost to-the-letter.

“The mention of how the game will have a more realistic look in the previous announcement was meant to refer to how we will make use of the advanced rendering technology available in current game consoles,” Yasuda pointed out in an attempt to address certain rumors.

“We do not wish to change Juliet's design, and the assumption that we want to is baseless,” Yasuda continued. “We were the ones who created Juliet's model data after great trial and error 10 years ago, and feel attached to her more than anyone else.”

So, providing everything is in order, then we can expect to see something almost identical to the 2012 copy — only with glossier visuals and perhaps smoother combat and scene transitions.

Development

First Look at Juliet in Lollipop Chainsaw Remake Released

original vs. remake pic.twitter.com/JiEskzqnX4

— Jean WsR🕸🕷 (@JeamWSR) January 5, 2023

So, why the long wait? With Lollipop Chainsaw being dormant for a decade, what was it that convinced the devs to resurrect it for modern hardware? Well, to put it simply — it was the licensing issues, of all things, that stopped the original from being backwards compatible. And it’s because of these issues tied to the OG 16-piece soundtrack, that later generations simply couldn’t unleash it.

“Unfortunately, various factors resulted in things making it so that fans can no longer easily play Lollipop Chainsaw, and it has been some time since players have not been able to access the game on current consoles,” Yasuda explained back in 2022.

“We, the original development staff on Lollipop Chainsaw, think of the game as very precious to us, and did not want to leave it in limbo, where players who want to play it cannot. As such, we purchased the Lollipop Chainsaw intellectual property from Kadokawa Games, and decided to develop a remake. We have already contacted Warner Bros. about development, and are being supported by them in this endeavor.”

Trailer

If you’re looking to indulge in a little more content, then you’ll have to wait, as the devs have yet to release an updated trailer. Until that time comes, you can go ahead and check out the initial launch trailer above. Picture that — but better looking, basically.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Lollipop Chainsaw hasn’t got a release date yet, though according to its creators, it’ll be releasing on consoles and PC at some point in 2023. That doesn’t give us a whole lot of time, what with us being nearly three quarters into the year already. If we’re lucky, though, then it’ll launch before the holiday season.

You can keep tabs on the Lollipop Chainsaw remake by following the official social feed here. If anything changes ahead of its launch, then we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Lollipop Chainsaw when it returns to consoles and PC? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.