Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP Review – A Campy Classic Returns with Satisfying Combat and Some Rough Edges

Revisiting Juliet Starling’s Zombie-Slaying Adventure

One of the most unconventional video game collaborations practically ever is the 2012 Grasshopper Manufacture action title Lollipop Chainsaw. Featuring Suda51, James Gunn of film fame, and an international release by Warner Bros, there is truly no game quite like this zombie hack-and-slash. The IP has remained dormant for well over a decade by this point, but it has seen a shocking resurgence by Dragami Games as Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP, giving me the chance to finally experience this beloved classic for the first time.

Charming Characters and Campy Storytelling

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP stars protagonist Juliet Starling, the middle sister of a rather out-there family who, unbeknownst to her boyfriend, Nick, slays supernatural creatures, namely zombies. On the morning of her 18th birthday, when she’s planning to meet up with Nick, a zombie outbreak wreaks havoc throughout this Californian setting.

This chaos eventually causes her to reunite with her boyfriend, but he isn’t so lucky. He’s in the midst of becoming a zombie himself. Yet, Juliet performs a magical ritual that saves him, albeit far from ideally. The only part of Nick remaining, much to his chagrin, is his head, and also, much to his dismay, he finds himself stuck to Juliet’s waist as she spends the rest of the day teaming up with her family to eliminate these zombies for good.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP focuses surprisingly heavily on its compact and brief narrative, with plenty of attention on Juliet and Nick’s relationship. Granted, the overall tone of the story is highly comedic and campy, with the severity of the situation not taken particularly seriously, but there are genuinely somber, meaningful moments that give the leading roles actual depth that I was not remotely expecting.

While I didn’t really care much for Juliet’s family by the end, each member accomplishes their job of being distinctively memorable, with you able to internally place the pieces for how Juliet gets along with them in less taxing circumstances. Regardless, the plot’s conclusion and the sheer degree of wackiness embedded within it make the adventure genuinely charming in a way highly reminiscent of the early 2010s that you just don’t see anymore. The dialogue itself is usually unapologetically vulgar with plenty of now outdated pop culture references, adding to the camp in a way I found myself smirking at consistently. Yet, I can just as easily see it turning off prospective players if the ambiance doesn’t hit them.

Gameplay and Combat: Chainsaw Action with Flair

For the primary focus of Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP, the gameplay, this experience can take some getting used to. The title is divided into seven stages, which are all quite lengthy and individualized in their visuals and gimmicks. Still, they all rely on combat first and foremost, meaning you must familiarize yourself with Juliet’s growing toolkit right from the outset.

Generally speaking, Juliet’s moveset can be categorized between her pom-pom cheer maneuvers and titular chainsaw. The former is chiefly used for stunning enemies and being a vehicle for larger combo strings, with the chainsaw attacks actually being what kills the zombies.

While the combat shines, mandatory minigames like Zombie Basketball overstayed their welcome and slowed down the experience.

Using the chainsaw by itself results in highly gradual strikes that leave Juliet far too open, so it’s best to mix and match her combos for ideal movement and damage output. Juliet boasts some handy if risky, techniques, like leapfrogging over enemies to reach behind them, a ramp-charging technique, and even a gun that honestly feels far too powerful for its own good. There’s even a story-unlocked move where Juliet can shoot Nick’s head.

Yet, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP isn’t afraid to be challenging, especially on its higher difficulties, so it feels pretty rewarding to understand the intricacies of Juliet’s attacks. One paramount recommendation is to check out the menus, which contain tutorials and move lists, as well as a compendium of voicemails from Juliet’s family, zombies, and more.

Of course, an upgrade system is present. Two medal types are collected throughout stages, and they’re used as currency for the in-game shop that houses permanent stat upgrades, new battle techniques, music tracks, costumes, and more. You can make many types of purchases, but you will likely have bought all of the essentials, those being the stat upgrades and combat moves, by the end of your first playthrough.

Monotonous Stages and Gimmicky Sequences

However, for as enjoyable as the general progression is, with passable enemy types and variety, the stages themselves can become monotonous. Besides each stage being rather lengthy, making the prospect of replays for achievements and higher ranks a not-so-exciting one, some of the gimmicks overstay their welcome. As a few examples, you have required mini-game-esque scenarios called Zombie Basketball and Zombie Baseball, which feel like they should be optional rather than mandatory practices. Other taxing scenarios include a bizarre tractor-riding segment where you slowly mow over zombies atop fields and an arcade obstacle course where one misstep means restarting from the beginning.

Juliet Starling’s relationship with her disembodied boyfriend adds unexpected depth to the game’s campy narrative.

It’s worth emphasizing that none of these sequences are particularly challenging, as you can get the gist of how to succeed after a failure or two. However, they simply last much too long and aren’t exactly enjoyable diversions from the usual hack-and-slash fare. The more entertaining deviations from combat include searching for collectibles off the beaten path. Admittedly, these side areas are miniature and don’t add much to the otherwise highly linear experience, but they’re fulfilling to peruse nonetheless.

Boss Fights: A Mixed Bag

Sadly, the bosses of Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP are underwhelming due to a collective lack of difficulty. The mob encounters are typically more dangerous, with the bosses being disappointing in their lacking movesets and fragile defenses. The second-to-last boss battle is the sole exception to these results, but the rest are forgettable aside from their design and dialogue.

New Additions in RePOP: What’s Different?

As for what Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP provides over the original, there’s a lengthy list. According to the developer, various improvements have been made to the camera, attack speed, and several specific attacks. The QTEs also now have an auto mode, and Juliet’s Room, essentially the gallery, has new hair colors, artwork, and much more.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP’s combat system offers a fun mix of chainsaw action and cheerleading combos that keep players engaged.

I can’t comment on how this release feels compared to the original, seeing as I haven’t played it, but the controls do feel rather intuitive once you experiment with the moveset for a bit. I should also note that I played on the original mode rather than the titular RePOP. The latter uses a less violent pop art style for its damage effects. When thinking about how unabashed this title is with its violence and fanservice, this option feels contradictory to its initial vision, so I don’t advise picking it.

On PlayStation 5, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP consistently has a smooth framerate, making it a reliably enjoyable experience. Yet, strangely, in one of the final stages, there was a sequence where defeated zombies t-posed briefly before vanishing entirely. Otherwise, I had no standout issues, so I wouldn’t worry about the overall performance. I am admittedly quite curious about how the Switch version plays.

Final Verdict: A Fun but Flawed Classic Reborn

While you can certainly feel the age of Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP in its grin-inducing writing and narrative, which is not an inherent negative, the gameplay is genuinely addictive with a satisfying upgrade system that provides natural-feeling growth. Alas, the stage design hasn’t carried over quite as well due to needlessly lengthy gimmicks and required minigame divergences. Plus, the boss design is underwhelming and lacks challenge. Still, if you’re seeking a fulfilling action experience that you can beat in roughly one sitting, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is an excellent choice.

Be sure to catch up with all of our Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP coverage.