Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP was released on 12 September 2024 to mostly positive fan reviews. While we will discuss some glaring issues later, most agree that the game is fun. More importantly, it captures some of that old magic. As I have stated, this title is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. However, I would have expected at least a certain level of discussion from larger publishers. Since the release of this title, there have been almost no reviews from any of the usual suspects. While I do not expect anyone to roll out the red carpet for an Xbox 360 title, I would have expected at least some coverage.
While outlets like Kotaku did at least write a shorter-than-usual two-paragraph article calling the game terrible, and IGN released a 12-minute walkthrough, both decided not to give it an official review. At least not in the traditional way. This can be said about most other major outlets as well. There is speculation as to why most have decided to ignore this release. A cheerleader in compromising positions by today’s standards is no longer appropriate. To be clear, the standards I am referring to here are those of the mainstream media. The player base still loves these types of titles. While outlets might gravitate more toward the character designs in video games like Concord, fans still appreciate the classics.
It is called fan service for a reason, but more on that later as well. Remasters like Saints Row and GTA at least received proper reviews for their efforts. While it can be argued that they are much larger, which is why they received more attention, other smaller releases like Destroy All Humans also received the proper treatment.
IGN Vs. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP
Firstly, I need to be clear. It is okay if people do not like the title. I cannot believe I am saying this, but in defense of IGN, they reviewed the original back in 2012. There they were also not very fond of the title, and it is fine if they did not enjoy it. They stated back then, “Lollipop embraces exploitation to poke fun at itself — everything is excessively violent, excessively sexual, and mashed together with glitter, sparkles, and rainbows. Thematically, it’s a weird, funny mix. At some point, however, the over-the-top exploitation of a hyper-sexualized high school student isn’t the parody it started as anymore.”
They conclude their original review by saying, “Lollipop Chainsaw doesn’t even attempt to differentiate itself from the genre, and most of what it does try new in the realm of its characters and writing ultimately ends up taking away from an incredible-on-paper action game. The music and sidekick are really all you can rely on to stay great from start to finish. The rest of Lollipop Chainsaw is all over the place before it ultimately settles for mediocrity and disappointment.” The end score was a 5 out of 10. It is their opinion, and I will respect that, although most user reviews disagree with their score.
Kotaku Vs. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP
Now I will say another thing that I never thought I will say before and that is in defense of Kotaku. They also rereleased their original review. Since Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is a remaster, Kotaku is free to remaster their review as well. They, however, had a very interesting spin on the game, suggesting that it is feminist. In fact, they surprised me with their positivity. Although this was back in 2012, it is possible that they were not complete crazies yet.
In their original review, they state, “I had known the horror stories about upskirt achievements and rampant objectification, but after playing Lollipop, I think its unicorn vomit-covered action is neither truly offensive, nor topped with the lascivious whipped cream desperate men swear it’s smeared in. Like schoolkids and fairies, the game is misunderstood. And after rummaging through its dental floss bikinis and love letter-wide cheer uniforms, I find that Lollipop is one of the more charming games for girls out there.”
They go on to say, “Yes, it’s for girls. It’s especially for girls in 2023, a year that—as both Willa Rowe for Inverse and Stacey Henley in TheGamer correctly note—fully welcomes bimbos, sluts, and any kind of whore to the pot of gold at the end of feminism. The game, a collaboration between cult-favorite designer Suda51 and The Suicide Squad (2021) director James Gunn, guiltlessly features bimbo-slut-whore captain Juliet Starling as its chainsaw-swinging protagonist. She’s a cheerleader at the fictional San Romero high school, she subsists on lollipops.”
The Media Vs. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP
However, despite all of this, most of the mainstream outlets decided to ignore this title. While I understand that they cannot cover every video game release, I did think this title would have been big enough. Metacritic shows that there were only four professional reviews. I do not know any of them. In total, the reception was mixed. The user score was more positive, giving it a mostly favorable 8.5. Over the years, a lot has been made about fan service. That is the title’s core; there is no denying this game is outright fan service.
However, I never understood how this was an issue. There has been an aggressive push from mainstream outlets and studios to be more inclusive. While I have no issue with inclusivity and view it as positive, their version of it is what I disagree with. It usually involves overly politicized stories that focus more on social issues than plot progression. The character designs are terrible. Looking at the forefront is some creepy white dude developer who calls himself a male feminist expecting applause because he included women and people of color in his video games.
It is important that you know your audience. When you go to a Star Wars convention, who is there? Is it a diverse group of women, gay people, and people of color? No. It is a bunch of white dudes with plastic lightsabers. Does it mean that women, gay people, and people of color have no place in the community? Of course not. Before I watch a Hans Solo movie, I will watch a Princess Leia movie. I will watch a Mace Windu series as well. All I am saying is if your main audience is male, it is okay to create fan service.
The Issue With Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP
Now, as I have stated, this title is not perfect. There are some issues. One of these issues is bugs and pricing. Yoshimi Yasuda responded to this issue by stating, “We have received feedback from players that pricing in different regions of the world has not been thoroughly researched. We agree with the players and will adjust the prices as soon as possible. We will announce the changes on our SNS, so please stay tuned. Next, we have received some bug reports and are currently working on fixing them. We will not only fix the bugs, but also consider option settings and optimizations.
First, regarding the physics engine, we are using KAWAII PHYSICS as a plug in RePOP because the physics engine used in the original version is not compatible with UE5. The behavior of the physics engine was caused by a bug in the parameters, and we will fix it promptly. We are also fixing other graphics bugs. If you notice anything, please contact us at below. games_info@dragamigames.co.jp Finally, I’m disappointed that some influencers and journalists are spreading false news, such as the suggestion that I proposed RePOP mode as a censored mode and negotiated to make the original mode uncensored.
The fact is that we have obtained ESRB approval for the game specifications you are playing now, applied to the platformer, and obtained release approval without receiving any correction instructions from all the platformers. This is the same as what I told you before, and I honestly shared this fact with the game users. If someone is trying to twist the story about the uncensored version of Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP to suit their own purposes, I will protest.”
Conclusion
As stated, the game is not perfect. Some will not like the title. If you are uncomfortable because you think it is over-sexualized, then it is fine. I will not fault you for that. However, I do expect outlets to give this title a fair shake, and sadly, we have not seen that. Luckily, we do not need them. The game is out, and the majority of fans have spoken. The game is fun to play, and you should give it a try.