Lollipop Chainsaw
Lollipop Chainsaw is just ... difficult to maintain interest in. Which is a bit curious, given how short the game is -- five chapters of 30 to 45 minutes each, plus a brief prologue and epilogue. But I had trouble following through with the idea of finishing the game in one sitting, or even in two sittings, because - though you might not expect it of a game where a high school cheerleader cuts up zombies with a chainsaw - Lollipop Chainsaw can be surprisingly monotonous.
It's a shame, because the high concept is great, the writing can be pretty hilarious, and the boss fights are (as can be counted on from Grasshopper) excellent. But the pom-pom/chainsaw/jump-dodge gameplay never really evolves past the first level. Well, I should elaborate: you can buy new combos and special moves, but I was never compelled to get more than a couple of them, and I only ever used one regularly. Instead I found it much more useful to spend my money on health and damage upgrades. Actually, it wasn't until the end of the game, with all three damage upgrades, that I felt my chainsaw was appropriately powerful.
At the same time, the game's economy seems broken. The amount of currency you earn in general is grossly inadequate for buying upgrades and new moves, unless you exploit the "Sparkle Hunting" multi-kill mechanic regularly -- which is unrealistic until and unless you get a number of upgrades, because corralling zombies together, as they randomly clamber around and interrupt your attacks, is just impossible. You don't get a good kill bonus unless you're taking out at least three zombies at the same time, which isn't realistic under normal circumstances.
So with the game's only (but still meager) means of increasing its depth dependent upon a basically unbalanced mechanic, combat largely boils down to dodging zombies and mashing the attack buttons. It's workable, at least when the camera is behaving itself - which is most of the time, anyway - but really feels like a missed opportunity.
Fortunately the game isn't a total waste. The game's theme and pacing get stronger in the later chapters, and what's most impressive is how well each boss's unique style - like a hippie momma with psychadelic mushrooms, and a house DJ who hops in a flying saucer - is accentuated by the perfect choice of musical accompaniment. Lollipop Chainsaw's soundtrack probably won't win any awards, but it should, because it fits the game like a glove; like no other game I've played.
The game's sense of humor, too, is pretty great, despite the overlong introduction. Bosses are pleasantly cocksure and entertaining to listen to, Juliet's family (particularly her father) is consistently hilarious, and Juliet herself is charmingly naive, but the real highlight is her boyfriend Nick's constantly depressing and flippant commentary. The writing and acting are both exemplary.
Suffice it to say, while I wouldn't call Lollipop Chainsaw a deep or nuanced game, it's surprisingly more than it appears. While the combat is definitely flawed and lackluster - and I may not have complained enough about its frequent reliance on quick-time events and poorly-implemented minigames - its other qualities are worth experiencing, even if only through watching someone else play. I can only hope that Grasshopper's next game can continue to carry their torch of bizarre but cogent theming. ... and polishes up its gameplay.
Better than: Killer7
Not as good as: Shadows of the Damned
Shame this couldn't run on the Wii: because the chainsaw QTEs would have been perfect for it.
Progress: Finished on Normal