It's good news for western Lollipop Chainsaw fans, as the release date for upcoming remaster RePOP has been brought forward in America and Europe. Originally set to release on September 25, it'll now launch almost two weeks earlier, on September 12. It's a pleasant surprise, especially considering the game was actually supposed to release a year ago but was delayed until this summer.
The not-so-pleasant surprise, at least for some folk, is the price tag that was revealed alongside the date change. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will set you back $45—not quite the eye-watering $70 of today's standards, but some are arguing it's still too much for what they consider a pared-down version of a 12-year-old game.
"Isn't this a pretty barebones remaster and the soundtrack removed or something? Seems pricey," one user asked on Reddit, to which someone responded "Just your classic AA remaster. Overpriced and barely updated." Another wrote "12 year old game that was mid at best at launch being sold for 45$ when the improvements are negligible? I guess the only teason they can ask for that money is cos the game is stuck on older generations with X360 and PS3 and there are literally no other options to play the game otherwise."
The frustration is somewhat understandable. While RePOP originally pitched as a remake in 2022, it was changed to a remaster last year. According to original producer Yoshimi Yasuda, the swap was in direct response to fan feedback, though I'm personally uncertain just how true that is. Fans (myself included) had expressed concerns with the direction of the remake, but I don't necessarily believe the desire was to forgo a remake entirely.
It's also looking fairly certain that the licensed songs from the original game won't be returning, with the official site advertising a soundtrack "based around original songs." Licensed tracks play a pretty huge part in setting the vibes, and I'm apprehensive to see what they've replaced hits like Sleigh Bells' Riot Rhythm and Toni Basil's Mickey with. All of this coupled with the fact that Suda51 and James Gunn—who both had a huge hand in the original game's development—weren't involved in the process, and it's easy to understand where the apprehension is coming from.
Ultimately, this is the first time we have Lollipop Chainsaw on PC. At least, that's what the marketing says, despite a lack of Steam product page right now. But the original game remains trapped in old console jail, likely never seeing the light of day outside of emulation. As someone who had a great time with the original—I still quote decapitated boyfie Nick's lines like "Rah, rah, it sucks being a head" and "I fucked up, it's yellow" to myself on a regular basis—I hope I can find similar enjoyment with RePOP.
