After lying dormant for an entire decade, Lollipop Chainsaw is finally back. Yoshimi Yasuda tweeted a screenshot from the game announcing its return and asking fans to look forward to the project. Formerly the CEO of Kadokawa Games, Yasuda stepped down to found new publishing company Dragami Games. Established in May 2022, the company has already obtained the licenses to several IPs, including Lollipop Chainsaw.Written by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame and directed by Goichi Suda (AKA Suda51), Lollipop Chainsaw was released in 2012 and has since become a cult hit. Unfortunately, the game has never been ported to the PC or re-released for modern consoles, remaining exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and inaccessible to many players. While Dragami Games has yet to release any more details about the nature of the project, this announcement is an exciting development for Juliet Starling and her classmates at San Romero High.RELATED: Resident Evil 4 Remake's Rumored Ada Wong Recasting Has Fans Divided

There's no word yet on what form this new installment will take or if James Gunn or Suda51 will be involved. The nature of Yasuda's announcement gives the impression that this project will be more than a simple re-release. There have been two new console generations since Lollipop Chainsaw's release, so the game could see new life as a remastered title or remake, but fans are holding out hope for a proper sequel.

Released during the rise of zombies in pop culture that dominated the 2010s, Lollipop Chainsaw was a third-person hack-and-slash zombie horror-comedy. The game stars Juliet Starling, a cheerleader at San Romero High who has plans to celebrate her birthday with her boyfriend, Nick. Juliet's secret is revealed when her town is suddenly plagued by the undead: she comes from a family of zombie hunters. She uses her unusual skill set from the family business to save Nick after he's bitten by one of the undead hordes. However, this comes at the cost of his body, as he spends the majority of the game as a decapitated head dangling from her belt as she mows through mobs, mini-games and boss fights wielding a colorful chainsaw.

RELATED: Evil Dead: The Game Is a Love Letter to the Franchise

Screenshot of Juliet in combat from Lollipop Chainsaw

Lollipop Chainsaw received generally positive reviews in Japan but mostly average review scores in the West. The consensus seemed to praise the unique experience the game provides but cited bland and unchallenging gameplay as holding it back from true greatness. Updating Lollipop Chainsaw with another colorful and comedic storyline and revamped gameplay mechanics could turn the cult classic into an instant classic. A new installment could take a page from games like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, putting more emphasis on a skill-based combo system.

Another aspect of the game that could use some updating is the protagonist Juliet. Even though she's very capable, maintains a strong relationship with her family and has a fun, vibrant personality, there are aspects of her character that come across as problematic by modern standards. Much like how Bayonetta has, the game sparked a lot of debate about representation and gender roles in the gaming industry -- something that is still a much-discussed topic to this day. While played for comedy, Juliet is overtly sexualized, an aspect of the game that's made even more creepy considering that she's still in high school, regardless of the fact that she is 18. A sequel or remake would have some tough choices to make when it comes to reimagining Juliet without straying too far from the tone and identity that made the original so memorable. Hopefully, the end product will be the same glittery, gory fun as the original.