Suda51, the quirky mind behind Killer7, No More Heroes and Shadows of the Damned, returns with another **** zombie outbreak. Hey, I'm going to make a zombie game of my very own. It will be an apocalyptic survival game in which you and a small group of desperate survivors with complementary skills must navigate a deserted city without being crushed under an avalanche of zombie games, movies, and reinterpretations of classic literature. I'll call it 'Enough with the **** Zombies Already'. Honestly, at this point you people just won't be able to cope if civilization ends any other way, will you. But that's neither here or there, what is here is some fun hacko-slasho-button-masho combat, and there is some fun, quirky humor that Suda51 is so fond of. Juliet is so much more likable that Lara Croft. Lara Croft is a sassy action girl who flips arbitrarily between the two, Juliet is just an over-the- top, sexy and violent action hero. Of course, the chainsaw has been used more on zombies in games more than trees in real life, and it is really over the top in Lollipop Chainsaw, but it's balanced with Suda51's desire to make the funniest, quirkiest game ever. If you loved Killer7 or Nomeroes then you will certainly love this. It is certainly a spectacle, but that's not a problem because the gratuitous, sexy, bloody violence compensates. I have a few gripes with the game; Juliet is an example of how poorly women are treated as a main character, Bayonetta was an example because everything Bayonetta does was **** I know Suda51 isn't trying to make a true female character, he was intending Juliet to be over-the-top, and it certainly delivered. So yeah, I **** loved Killer7, though it was a completely different game, but the humor and quirkiness is still here. So if you want a fun weekend, I would recommend Lollipop Chainsaw… Expand

I *really* wanted to like this game. The concept is hilarious. The artwork and the voice acting are also excellent. I was hoping this would feel something like an early Buffy episode with more chutzpah and zombies. Here's the problem. The gameplay stinks. Basically you have one wave of zombies after another, mash some control buttons to execute random combos, knock down the zombies then move on. Batman Arkham city was a bit button mashy like this but there you had much more scope for positioning, tactics and you really felt like you were reacting to attacks and planning out how to take down groups carefully. Here it's just mash square, circle, triangle then move on. This gets boring fast. The other criticism is that the writing falls flat. I was hoping that the lines here would be somewhat snappy and clever. Instead, it feels more like a 13 year old clumsily taunting you and the result is just uninteresting. It's sad, I wanted this to be a really great game but the mediocre writing and gameplay ruined it for me.… Collapse

Been waiting for this game a long time and it delivers. It's a lot of fun, graphix are mixed but mostly look very good, and seems to be a lot of stuff to unlock and it's challenging. The only downsides I've noticed that aren't game killing are you cannot seem to remap your controls and the default controls are a little odd but you get used to them. Some load times are long too but definitely not as long as a lot of other games I've played. I heard the game is short but that doesn't bother me as long as the game brings the fun and this definitely does, and it has a lot of humor, have laughed a lot during my couple hours of gameplay. Definitely recommend checking it out!… Expand

So i've put about 2 hours into it thus far, and i cant tell you this will be a groundbreaking title by any means of the mainstream. This game will receive well with those who love suda's work. Also, james gunn and jimmy urine of mindless self indulgence helped out, and of course yamaoka on sound design. Its an arcade game, and should be treated as such. expect a thrilling, fast paced zombie slashing experience, with rewards all along the way. but along with that, you are able to go through the game multiple times to unlock further items such as costumes, and combo attacks. there's a lot of systems going on here, and seems like it was a pretty ambitious project for suda. overall the minor errors in simple gameplay mechanics are basically juliet moves a bit stiff, and the camera sometimes is placed in a very annoying position. but these things don't take away from any of the charm that's meant to be experienced in the game.… Expand

here is proof reviews are rigged, i don't own chainsaw , plan on playing used, its only 5 to 6 hours, also destructiod gave this game a 9 out of ten , these people are on drugs, the same score as max payne 3, and they gave burni g skies a 2, guess sony didn't want to pay money 2 get a high score, i mean burning skies is not black ops but to give that a 2 and chainsaw a nine, come on.the same as max payne, not taking anything away from chainsaw but destructoid i give a zero these peoples opinions do not count to me anymore, what a bunch of losers i mean at least rate games with some common sense
destructiod 0/10… Expand

I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. From the cheesy story to the amusing dialogue, Lollipop Chainsaw shines with character and to fully appreciate what it has to offer you must not take it seriously otherwise you will be sorely disappointed.

The squeamish of stomach should look away.
Anyone who compares their body image against a fictional character should also stay away from this game. (You know who you crazy people are)

But anyone who can enjoy an over the top experence will love this game.

Be warned though, in-between killing zombies you may hear a swear :O!!!!!

OMGZ!!!

Lollipop Chainsaw is full of humour, personality and style. I love how over the top the game play is and how outrageous the dialogue is throughout. Juliet is the female protagonist, she is literally a walking stereotype of the popular cheerleader that is fun-loving and youthful and its clear that the developers use this to their advantage which often makes for hilarious scenes. The game is effectively a parody and full of satire to the this cheerleader ideal concept and the idea of the game is fantastic. The game play however can be slightly repetitive but visually it is always full of excitement as Juliet destroys her zombie enemies with bursts of pink hearts and rainbows.… Expand

Lollipop Chainsaw is fun and crazy. Wonderful soundtrack, nice graphic, good gameplay, however, is too short, and the camera is unstable. But still an enjoyable game.

I think I'm gonna be enjoyed by "Lollipop Chainsaw." Typically, one of the best Suda51 game since Killer7 and Shadows of the Damned. It's a close relationship to homages of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Dead Rising, the Evil Dead, and Kim Possible. But in the game, you get to play a bonafide sexy cheerleader from San Romero High School (Romero, the same name by famed director George A. Romero of the Night of the Living Dead movies). She has 2 sisters, Rosalind and Cordelia, and a headless boyfriend, Nick. All of a sudden, this honor-roll student is turned into a zombie slayer/hunter. She wants to find the cause of this outbreak by destroying her former classmate, Swan, and his many foes trying to eat her alive. But Juliet's life has changed and her goal is to kill every zombie with her pink-colored chainsaw. She can also use finishing moves including her pom-poms and if you didn't or did pre-ordered the game, she can wear some outfits including my 2 favorites Jimmy Urine and Ash from the Evil Dead series (GameStop). I have to get the game for $59.99. With the talented casts of legendary voice actress in animated cartoons, Tara Strong (also as Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham City), Linda Cardellini (Velma in Scooby-Doo), and Michael Rosenbaum (The CW's Smallville), the game lets you earn trophies, listen to the huge sounds of Skillrex and other artists, and an amount of hilarious humor and jokes in the game (just like in the PS2 classic God Hand where they have a list of jokes from Chappelle's Show and allcomers). But this is it. This is the game I was waiting for. Forget Ninja Gaiden 3, I was saying buy a different action game and so I did. Lollipop Chainsaw is the best game of 2012 so far. I still wanna know if they are making a special edition or a game of the year edition for next year. Hopefully, I could wait for updates.… Expand

I just got Lollipop Chainsaw, played it through and I must say............IT WAS **** AWESOME!!!!!! That new abomination named Devil May Cry by Ninja Theory can go **** it self because I have found a replacement for Dante and her name is Juliet Starling And now for The Good, Bad and Ugly. The Good: -**** AMAZING VISUALS -Nice gameplay feel -I adore the Duke Nukem Humor and references
-Love the sound track
-Tara Strong did a A+ job on Voice acting
-Plenty of costumes to unlock (will boost the reply value through the roof)
-AMAZING Boss Battles
-Plenty of zombies to kill
-Love the abilities you aquire
-Juliet Starling has become one of my all time favorite female game characters The Bad:
-Loading times can be annoying at times
-The Checkpoints arnt placed very well
-Some cutscenes cant be skipped and can be a pain when you die

The Ugly:
-Its Campaign is TOO **** SHORT

Final Verdict: 9.5/10 and so far my Game of the Year Lollipop Chainsaw is one of those unique kinds of games I want to be made more, something different and something FUN!!! Not a grey, military based FPS or TPS Clone.

So Yup Lollipop Chainsaw is **** AWESOME, I will be keeping it and I recommend it to everyone… Expand

It's a pretty descent game; however the controls were delayed, but on the plus side the combo moves were pretty cool. The cut-scenes are amusing and Nick's dialogue is really funny. The premise is awesome and overall it's a pretty fun game, but for me there was no real replay value. In closing I feel this game serves best as a rental only. It's a really short campaign and has delayed controls, but it's a lot fun to play and the soundtrack is pretty cool as well… Expand

boys player might love seein slutty dressed girls chopping zombies head off. As a girl player, i dont enjoy playing it, the game was kinda old styled for some reason (they made it looked like that) and i think the games' main point is getting boys customer to play. Not really a game for girls....

The good: ghumorous dialog, decent combat (once you get enough skills and upgrades, stylish visuals
The bad: It's short and some of the minigames are pointless

Overall, I'm enjoying this game a lot more than Max Payne 3. Am I crazy for that?

The main problems I see are: many loading screens, short campaign and aim issues with the gun. But in general, Lollipop Chainsaw is fun and funny. I see many critics taking this game too serious and that's not the intention. It's just amazing to kill zombies and try to beat the records. It's an arcade game, which means you can also go to the stage you want and simply have fun. It's easy to beat, but if you want more challenge try at the highest difficult. It's like a musou style and it has a variety of mini-games and quick time events, so it's not repetitive. There's some funny parodies too. The soundtrack is amazing, specially if you like rock. It has a lot of costumes to unlock, and if it were a game from other companies you would have to pay for each extra costume. So, I think this game is complete. Short, but fair. Don't expect to be like a complex AAA title with lot of stuff and things to do. It's just a game to relax from stress and have fun, even for the hardcore gamer. And remember: it has zombies and a cheerleader. What else would you want?… Expand

It's a no-brainer full of fun. The jokes are hilarious, the setting is totally crazy. The Gameplay is a very innovative kind of a Hack&Slay-Game with tons of cool combos and gameplaytwists. If you look for something serious, go play Heavy Rain or Mass Effect, this isn't your game. But if you just look for an awesome videogame which is pure fun for what it is, pick lollipop chainsaw.

I have played many games this year but, Lollipop Chainsaw was by far one of the most anticipated games for me. The story although silly and over the top was enjoyable as was the game play. With a plethora of unlock able costumes and upgrades it has a high replay value. If you want an a triple A game this is not for you but, if you are looking for a fun, over the top intense joy ride look no further!… Expand

When first hearing about Lollipop Chainsaw sometime last year it immediately garnished my attention with its offbeat presentation and unique sense of style. A chainsaw wielding cheerleader decapitating zombies against a background of stars and rainbows? Did I really just see that? I assume many people had the same initial reaction. Which I

Gameplay is simple and it feels nice. Comic-alike graphics fit the theme and the whole game is basically a huge parody of.... well, everything. By that you can probably already guess that the plot isn't too deep, but it's funny (if you don't mind adult language and themes). All trophies are easy to get, there wasn't really even a single hard trophy.
Overall I find the game great, especially if you are looking for a simple, shortish game to play.… Expand

Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture, who brought us Shadows of the Dammed and the No More Heroes series, have been known to create some truly unique games that combine humor with graphic style to give us experiences unlike any other. Lollipop Chainsaw is no different. It combines a goofy, over the top style, with hilariously vulgar humor and tight gameplay. In this game you play as a skimpily dressed cheerleader named Juliet and slash your way through hoards of zombies. Only in a video game baby, only in a video game. The games graphics help give it a graphic novel style, and the soundtrack is top notch. The gameplay is fantastic, which is partially due to it's unique style. Decapitating a zombie and seeing just as much glitter and rainbows as blood spewing out of its neck is really enjoyable despite how girly it sounds. The game is also packed to the brim with vulgar and immature humor that will have you rolling on the floor. So Lollipop Chainsaw is awesome, but it's not perfect. It's a lot of fun, has awesome boss battles, and some really cool moments but doesn't really have any replay value. Once you've played through it you've seen all it has to offer, so unless you just have to collect all those trophies or see both endings there's not much reason to give it a second go. But it is a lot of fun and if you get a chance to play Lollipop Chainsaw you should as it's a blast and offers some really cool and crazy stuff your not going to find anywhere else. Just keep in mind this is definitely only for mature audiences.… Expand

Lollipop Chainsaw is not as bad as some of the bigger review sites have made out. if you have played other suda 51 games you will have an idea of what to expect. before i start yes the game is very short with 5 levels and then a sixth level with big boss battle the last area is quite large. you can finish the story mode in a day on normal, easily. That out of the way i enjoyed every bit of the game the characters are funny. the main character juliet is funny with her boyfreinds head latched onto the back side of her skirt. The in-game humor ranges from the teenage toilet humor to obscure game references,and musical references. I did not find it offensive just funny. The graphics are for the main part very good with a comic cell shaded look with a film grain filter around the edges of the screen.
apart from a slightly dodgy camera now and again for me the controls are fine and after 1or 2 hours you will be sparkle hunting with the best of them (lop 3-zombies heads of in a row activates sparkle hunting ) you get more medals and seem invincible while in sparkle hunting mode. after you complete the story you can try the real game with the challenge modes time attack,score attack,medal attack on any difficulty and with online leaderboards. on hard or above is a real challenge as there are no checkpoint re-starts in challenge mode fail and you must try the full level again. At about 15 dollars cheaper than a standard game release. the game is for suda fans a good game and for everyone else i would say rent it , if you like it then buy it for the challenge modes. there are plenty of unlockables new costumes for juliet,design artwork, music for a customisable soundtrack, and a collection of juliets favorite lollipops.… Expand

This is one of the products that people like to hate just because it makes them feel better. The only criticism I have read is that the game is not a total revolution, does not elevate gameplay to another dimension and does not have a humor that will satisfy 15 year old boys as much as college professors. But does that make it a bad game? I don't think so.

The setting of this game is as easy as it is brilliant, the day begins with the main character Juliet waking up in her room and heading off to school, just to realize that all her classmates have turned into zombies. It comes in handy that Juliet belongs to a family of zombie hunters.

The action begins just like that, Juliet takes out her chainsaw and begins her spree. This is a hack and slay game, and one that does not take your hand. With various combinations of chainsaw attacks and pompom-bashes (she is a cheerleader, after all) that stun the enemies. Basically, combat is all about killing as many zombies as possible at once, which requires some timing and knowledge of the combo system, so no button mashing allowed here. The combat is no revolution, but fluid and satisfying enough. The game consists of seven different areas, each of them with a different setup (school farm, etc.), so the zombie bashing never gets boring. Additionally, there is a number of mini-games, shooting challenges, "zombie basketball", "zombie baseball", etc.etc.etc.

The game is short, but due to a number of achievable costumes, moves and power-ups as well as several ranking modes, it definitely has a high replay value. Music is just great, humor a little dumb at times but consequent enough to make sense. This is a great, fun and challenging game, tone and artwork different from everything else I know on this console, that alone makes it an outstanding experience that I can highly recommend.… Expand

Story: The story is crazy, yet enjoyable. James Gunn's typical brand of humor is on display here, as well as Suda 51's talent for coming up with crazy yet likable game ideas. I definitely think some of the baddies were creative and fun. Juliet and Nick on a whole were likable to a point, however some moments during the game, you just want them to shut up. And Juliet's family were just plain annoying no matter what they did.

Art Style: The game is gorgeous! I loved the colour palette they used to really make the environments pop. The Character design and costume design was very much stylised within the whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Grease theme and it works for the story and the ridiculous personalities of the characters.

Gameplay: Here's where my decision to rate it a 7 was most evident. When Juliet is doing the things that she's meant to be doing (the bread and butter of the game), like killing hundreds of zombies by chainsawing them to bits, the combat is really fun. Unlocking new combos and upgrading Juliet to make her stronger and be able to dodge faster, makes these sections great fun. The boss battles are simple enough to figure out what you need to do in these encounters to win, but you don't mind the simple nature of it because the villains are actually nice to look at.

The frustrating issues pop up when Juliet has to participate in these mini games, spread out in between the combat sections. For instance, one mini game has you play Zombie Baseball, where the goal is to shoot enemies with your chainsaw blaster, to prevent them from stopping Nick from running 3 home runs. This wouldn't be frustrating, if the lock on targeting system for the blaster didn't automatic choose your targets for you, especially since they're not the targets you want to be targeting at that point in time. More times than not, l'd go to shoot an enemy right next to Nick to allow him to keep going, only for my targeting system to rapidly pull my targeting ridicule to the enemy on the other side of the diamond, thereby making me have to manually move my ridicule with the analog stick as quickly as it would allow me, back across the diamond and hopefully shoot the enemy in time before he kills Nick and makes me have to play the entire match again. So, like i said, when Juliet is doing the things she's meant to do, the game is a joy to play. When the game makes you have to do stupid insignificant mini games, that use frustratingly flawed mechanics, then Lollipop Chainsaw will frustrate you alot.

Sound: Lollipop Chainsaw has some decent old school tracks, that were licensed for the game. Every time Juliet activates her Sparkle meter, Oh Micky You're So Fine plays and it fits the overall vibe of the character and the story, which is that this game is a ridiculous experience, but in a very fun way. Other songs can be unlocked within the chop shop store, where Juliet buys her upgrades and such, to change the soundtrack and customise your music. The sound design for the game is decent. The chainsaw sounds like it slices through some zombies like a hot knife through butter, whilst catching on bone and really chugging to get through it with others. The majority of characters are well voiced, however i found Rosalind to be really painful for my ears. Parental Guidance: This game is definitely not a game that is suitable for minors. Alot of swear words and unsavory gestures were said and showed during my play through, one particular instance to be made aware of is during the first boss battle with Zed the Punk Rock Zombie. The character of Juliet is very sexualised, both in how she acts, how she dresses and how other characters interact with her throughout the story and this is further compounded on by unlockable skins for Juliet to change into between stages. There's also an achievement/trophy for peeking underneath Juliet's skirt, however the game does a good job of anytime you stop to try and achieve these, she blocks any attempt for you to do so, so i have not idea how these achievement/trophy is obtained, but it is nice that Grasshopper Manufacture put that in there.

Even thou Grasshopper Manufacture made it a talking point of the game, that when Juliet kills zombies, they explode into rainbows and lollipops to tone down the violence, it was not made clear (at least in my opinion) that this only happens after Juliet activates Sparkle Mode. So there is still a degree of blood that is shown when you kill zombies whilst not in Sparkle Mode.

Conclusion: Apart from some frustrating issues with certain facets of the game, Lollipop Chainsaw is still a really fun game and i definitely recommend ADULTS go and buy this. This is in my opinion, another really good game for Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture to add to their list of games.

Thank you and i hope to hear any feedback from people on this, my very first game review!… Expand

The FanService is great 10/10; But this game is very creative... Many things make no sense most of the time! You can call it insane, ridiculous, that gives a bad message... But being a Gamer is not only play amazing games with complicated puzzles, also is to get FUN, and this is a FUN game. I bought it to get a good time and it made my day. I have more than 30 PS3 games like Skyrim, Uncharted (all) God of war (all) etc. Sometimes you want to relax and play something not so serious and this game fits Perfect!!… Expand

This game is absurd, crazy and funny on so many levels. I'm just going to say it right now. Video games have had a habit of taking themselves a bit too seriously and this game is the exact opposite. It's silly, ludicrous and vulgar. Two things I've heard as complaints are blatant misogyny and that the game is too vulgar. That's because the people who rip this game don't "get it". That's done on purpose because the grindhouse films of the '70s were both vulgar and blatantly misogynistc. This game is a B-movie done into a video game. I admit the game is difficult, especially to earn "Sparkle Hunters" bonuses, which are needed to gain the powerups and make your character better, really. Here's what I think in a nutshell. Video games have been taking themselves too seriously lately. This game is the anti-Devil May Cry. It's the anti-House of the Dead: Overkill. It's actually even sillier and funnier than the Ratchet and Clank series. If you're expecting "VIDEO GAMES R SERIOUS BUSINESS!" then you'll hate this game. But if you want something that's sexy, naughty, vulgar and so downright bad that it's actually good, pick up this game. Most of the people who wrote this game down or gave it a rating below about 6.8 didn't "get it".… Expand

I had high hopes for this game, and it exceeded those hopes. Never boring, always with a good flow & pace. I love the feel of chainsawing the zombies in this game, the various combos aren't difficult to remember/perform, the animations are great, and they actually do make combat better. The dialogue is hilarious, all the voice actors are good (a few are fantastic), and the story is very fitting for a game called "Lollipop Chainsaw". I'm a customization freak, so the numerous unlockable costumes, both original (bunny suit) and homage ("Highschool Of The Dead") are my bliss. I'm sure this isn't a game for everyone, but if you can still just enjoy playing a fun game without the need for a franchise title, sequel or multiplayer, then you're likely to dig it. I had a total blast with it. 9/10… Expand

Amazing, just crush zombies, good old-school with so many details, good design , good music , i really like it , black humor just see all zombies profiles

Despite it's very odd story, Lollipop chainsaw provides a lot of enjoyment if you can see yourself past the first few upgrades; the controls feel clunky at first but gets better as time progresses. This game is not designed to be taken seriously, and to be treated as a score attack game. The replay-ability is limited and there is no real push to play it once the initial play through is complete, but nonetheless the games style and humor push it to be something more than a boring game… Expand

This game is the coolest ever and it's short but you can play you how many times you want , i'm playing it right now , and i'm loving it , so i advise all who like funny games and want to laugh to buy it :D

I really wanted to like this game as I enjoyed Shadows of the Damned, and even going into this with really, really low expectations didn't help. I thought the quirky humour might be half enjoyable, but I played for a few hours and only had a slight laugh at one of Nick's lines. All the other one-liners are just cheesy beyond being entertaining.

The game-play is boring and repetitive, the boss fights are bland and predictable, and the story is non-existent. There is nothing catching my attention, nothing tempting me to carry on. They actually did an OK job with the graphics, but I found myself fighting the camera too much, trying to reposition the view to see what was happening on the screen.

On the plus side the soundtrack was great, and visual style of the game and menus looked interesting, but sadly this is a case of style over substance. All the visual flair in the world cant make up for boring game-play.

For anyone sitting on the fence on whether to try this game, I would seriously suggest you wait until it drops to a bargain price, of which I have a feeling will happen pretty quickly.… Expand

Suda51′s latest masterpiece/abomination seems to be the most controversial so far. There

This game is absolutely insane, and I love that. Midway through the game, you are sent to a farm. One segment of that level consists of driving a combine harvester through a field as "You Spin Me Right Round" (the awesome original, not the **** remake) plays in the background, which honestly made me stop for a minute because it was so great. Juliet is hilarious; rarely a moment goes by without her delivering some perfectly-timed quip. The banter between her, Nick (her boyfriend, who happens to be a severed head thanks to some antics on Juliet's part), and Juliet's relatives kept me going throughout the game.
Very few segments stood out as rather tedious or frustrating. An early mini-game has you defending a volatile cake-bomb from flaming zombies. This got very boring quickly, as I would kill close to the target amount, only to have one slip past and send me back to the beginning. All things considered, I would recommend Lollipop Chainsaw to people looking for something that's not a military FPS or gory slugfest.… Expand

Looks and sounds fantastic. Game play is a little shallow but still a really fun game. If you thought you would like it but were put off by lousy reviews you should give it a go.

Lollipop chainsaw is considerably better than Deadrising 2 and showed a lot of potential. The zombie killing is fun and better than Deadrising 2 but that doesn't say much! Consider before you go out and buy, but buy instead of Deadrising 2.

I haven't played the game entirely true, but that should say how boring it was. The only reason this game probably sold alot is because of the main character being a teasing cheerleader. The gameplay is slow and repetitive even for a hack'n'slasher, the voice acting is horrible with little emotion and sounds fake loads of the time and the story is just bland -except for the few laughs when main character chops of her bf's head and carries it around like a trinket-. This game is nothing but cheap commercial trash cashing in on horny teenage boys. If you're looking for a good game that still gives you the hots, yet freaks you out with Japanese mysticism, I recommend Catherine.… Expand

I have a bit of a soft spot for this game. Overall it was well done. The problem with it was it was short and the controls felt stiff. But if the developers went back, made it longer by at least five to eight hours and ironed out the kinks, this would be a near perfect game. It was DOA with zombies and chainsaws (in the good way). Very entertaining and reasonably varied.

Goichi Suda is a man of intent. Not a single one of his games contains an accidental element. From the pacing, setting, dialogue, music, humor, art direction, call backs, references, and control schemes, everything is deliberately chosen to fit his purpose, and Lollipop Chainsaw does not deviate. It is possessed of the same soul as Shadows of the Damned and No More Heroes, and each detail is applied with an exacting, painstaking, firm creative hand.

I’ll first make mention that I have, in fact, been floating around the internet, reading one review or another of Suda’s most recent effort (which is totally why this review is as late as it is… *cricket* *cricket*), and I can state that among the reviews I’ve read (which certainly doesn’t include everything out there), all of them are entirely inadequate, or downright misrepresent the game with a simple, sophomoric understanding of what’s actually going on. For example, a common turn of phrase that’s unfortunately been associated with this game is “It’s stupid, but it’s awesome,” or some variation thereof. Beyond telling you nothing whatsoever (what does “stupid” mean, contextually? I don’t know, because none of the authors ever say so…), it fails to expose all of the wonderful components that make up the game, preferring to simply refer to the particularly vulgar dialogue and crass situational punchlines. There’s a lot here, and though I’ve often been (rightly) accused of over analysis and being pedantic, you’ll find this particular review does Lollipop Chainsaw justice.

I’ll start with the aesthetic. The game is set in the 1950′s, as can be gleaned from the dialogue and visual queues. All of Juliet’s male classmates are wearing letter jackets, the hairstyles are indicative of the time period (from Nick’s greaser twist, to her father’s pompadour, and her mother’s Donna Reed), as well as the dialogue though the profanity is errant for the era, the actual slang is all period perfect. None of this seems too special, until I call your attention to the news print loading screens, and the Ben-Day dots, and news paper edging motif used throughout the game from the menus, to the loading screens, to the in-game environments. These elements are hallmarks of 1950′s pulp comics, which when juxtaposed with the look and feel of the game, make it not only apparent that that’s exactly what Suda was aiming at, but puts on display just how perfect a match it is. And the pulp doesn’t stop there with nods to both George A. Romero and Joss Whedon, as well as Silence of the Lambs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the 1992 film starring Kristy Swanson and featuring Paul Reubens and Donald Sutherland [among others], not the aforementioned Joss’ TV show) and others I’m surely missing (all of the apparent ones reference zombies or cannibalism)– pulpy, exploitative grindhouse homages abound from nearly every era.

It is exactly this observation that endorses the over-the-top dialogue. Is it ridiculous? You bet your sweet bippy! But considering that aforementioned pulpy, grindhouse feel the game goes for (and achieves), it’s a perfect fit, and beyond that, essential. Anyone who says otherwise missed the point entirely.

The plot is just as silly as any of Suda’s other games. On her 18th birthday, Juliet wakes up late to a meeting with her darling Nick, while the goth kid from school, Swan, conducts a ritual that allows the dead to once again walk the Earth. Coming from a family of zombie hunters, it’s her job to take care of the undead uprising, shouldering the burden of Nick’s now headlessness, while also saving her imperilled class mates. It’s the simple “SUDDENLY FIGHT!” convention that all of Suda’s games typically stick to, but it’s this simplicity that allowed him to, I’m sure, devote far more time and effort into the things this game will undoubtedly be remembered for. Verdict: ++Good (9.5 out of 10) The been-there-done-that combat only nominally detracts from the experience; though it isn’t anything new, it -IS- implemented tightly, with smooth and intuitive controls/combos, and an unobtrusive camera. The game is simply stunning with regard to aesthetics, not only being Suda’s most crisp game, graphically, but all of the (largely overlooked) pop culture inclusions come together to make it artistically appealing, and the ridiculous disregard for decorum and hilarious dialogue that don’t quit will entertain for its duration. Oh, and the soundtrack is killer. Get off your ginormous ass and go buy Lollipop Chainsaw!

If video game developers have analogous music genres, Suda 51 is the punk rock of gaming. I can’t wait to see what’s on deck.… Expand

This game was an impulse rent, and I'm glad it was just a rent. The game has a shorter campaign (5-6 hours) and is good for one playthrough. The character Nick is well written and has some really funny lines. The core gameplay is good, however the mini games are for the most part not that fun. Boss fights were good aside from the last one. This game really doesn't look that good in my opinion. I know it's a different art style, kind of similar to Splatterhouse, but it lacks a lot of detail. Not a whole lot of replay value. Rent only.… Expand