Is Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP a remaster or a remake? We asked Dragami Games for a more detailed answer
Yoshimi Yasuda, the CEO of Dragami Games, had commented on October 13 that the Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP project has been changed from a remake to a remaster. We asked Yasuda for further details regarding this statement.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is a present-day reimagining of the horror action game Lollipop Chainsaw released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2012. Set in a high school on the West Coast of the United States, the game follows the protagonist Juliet, a descendant of zombie hunters, as she battles her zombie-turned classmates with the nimble movements of a cheerleader, using a chainsaw as a weapon.
Yoshimi Yasuda had been the producer and chief director of the original game and is now the producer for Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP. He occasionally shares information about the project on his X/Twitter account, and on October 13, he gave an update about a change in direction, stating, “We have changed the game design of RePOP from Remake to Remaster based on your requests!”
To begin with, the definitions of “remake” vs “remaster” tend to differ between companies and titles, so it remains unclear in what ways RePOP will be changing exactly. This is why we decided to ask Yasuda for further clarification regarding the matter.
──On your X/Twitter account, you posted that the game design of RePOP has been changed from remake to remaster, but what exactly will change about the game?
Yasuda:
Though we haven’t yet revealed the full details of RePOP’s game design, due to my vague use of the words “remake” and “remaster,” there have been a lot of rumors and speculation arising, causing some confusion among fans. For this, I would like to apologize. I would also like to withdraw my previous statement in which I use the words “remake” and “remaster” to describe the game’s contents.
Now, regarding the scenario and script of RePOP, we have decided to use the original Lollipop Chainsaw scenario and script without any changes. Up until now, we have been open-mindedly discussing the scenario, but we will not be making any additions or changes to it after all. The original scenario’s acclaim and the requests of fans were both reasons that went into this decision. On the other hand, we will be making improvements and adding new elements with the purpose of increasing the game’s appeal.
──You mention taking the requests of fans into consideration, but what kind of requests have you been receiving from fans up until now?
Yasuda:
When we announced RePOP for the first time in July last year, we had used the word “remake” without any specific explanation, which caused some anxiety among fans of the original game. In the following period, we received thousands of inquiries via e-mail and social media from fans containing questions and requests about the project, and among them, “Please don’t change the game’s scenario and worldview” and “Please make it uncensored” were among the most requested.
From there, we made the decision not to make changes to the script, taking into account both the wishes of users and international reviews. As for requests for the game to be uncensored, we are also working on realizing this to the best of our ability.
──What kind of improvements will you be introducing specifically?
Yasuda:
Battle is an element we’re quite focused on. We would like to revamp the battles into something that the console action game players of today will enjoy, such as doing away with any sluggishness in chainsaw battles with speed adjustments, improving the input timing for cheerleading and chainsaw combo attacks, as well as improving camera movement.
As the chief director of the original Lollipop Chainsaw, I have a good understanding of the issues it had, and I intend to tackle them through the development of RePOP. Aside from improvements to battle, we will also be making improvements to things like resolution, frame rate, loading time and more.
──As for the addition of new elements you mentioned, will there be any new elements in battle?
Yasuda:
We are carefully selecting new elements to raise the game’s appeal, such as changeable extra functions for the chainsaw and a consecutive hit system independent of the combo sttack system.
──Do you have a message to fans?
Yasuda:
For RePOP, we will be going down the tried-and-true path of keeping everything that the original game was highly acclaimed for and improving everything that had previously been received poorly. While responding to user requests and adding carefully selected new features, we’re going to make RePOP a game that everyone can love and enjoy on modern consoles.
From now on, I will be making updates about once a week on X to explain improvements and new features to the game. I make sure to look at user messages, so don’t hesitate to share your opinions or wishes with us. Thank you for your continued support for RePOP.
To conclude, it seems Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will, strictly speaking, be something between a remake and remaster. The game is scheduled for release in the Summer of 2024. Compatible platforms have not yet been defined. Yasuda will continue to share information on development on his social media, so those interested in new updates can give him a follow on X/Twitter.
Written by. Amber V based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-10-16 16:00 JST)
Taijiro Yamanaka
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