Pepper Grinder Reviews
Chug through the earth and navigate ingenious levels in this terrific platformer.
A short but sweet slice of propulsive platforming action, Pepper Grinder is all driller and no filler.
Five hours of fun, frantic platforming that's unwieldy and all the better for it.
The epitome of short but sweet, that is both a clever tribute to Drill Dozer and Ecco The Dolphin and a welcome alternative to bloated and overlong modern epics.
Pepper Grinder is an innovative indie experience, packed with tense battles, fluid platforming, and eye-catching visual design. While its short runtime left me wanting more, I'm happy with what it is: a bright action platformer that's anything but a grind.
Pepper Grinder is a brief but frenzied platformer that finds myriad ways to build around its inventive central hook.
Coming in at an immensely satisfying runtime of about four hours, Pepper Grinder is ultimately a wonderful little platformer to spend an evening or afternoon on. Even now, I (who almost never revisits a game, let alone one I’m reviewing) have booted it back up to dive into one of its bite-sized levels because of how great it feels to just move in it. To dig. To drill. I’m not likely to tackle one of Pepper Grinder’s action-focused levels again, save for the grand finale maybe, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot it doesn’t get right. I just wish there was more of what worked to go around.
Pepper Grinder is a digestible adventure that can be completed in about six hours. While there is some replay value to be had, the short runtime helps ensure the game does not overstay its welcome, making it perfect for those looking to play a satisfying platformer in manageable doses. Despite its brevity, the fluid mobility provided by the drilling mechanic and overall frenetic gameplay make for an engaging retro romp that will likely tunnel its way straight to your heart.
Pepper Grinder is one of the most entertaining 2D platformers I've played in ages, with fantastic motion and seriously creative and varied stages.
Stuffed with great ideas and visual pizazz, Pepper Grinder is a sparky little platformer that's over all too soon.
Pepper Grinder does a good job of making players feel like their skills are progressing as they play through the game. It does sometimes feel like a grind, but there are enjoyable aspects to Pepper's adventure that should be tried. The drilling as a travel tool is neat, and the boss monster's designs and fights are entertaining, but the fun seems to fizzle out a little too quickly. Still, despite this and the game's sometimes frustrating controls, Ahr Ech set out to create something a bit different. And while some aspects come up short, some players will find things worth drilling through to discover.
Pepper Grinder offers plenty of fun during a surface level playthrough. Once you drill into the depths of its game mechanics, however, you'll find an overly forgiving "casual" game and a relatively frustrating "time attack" game. That said, you can collect stickers and that's pretty cool.
Overall, Pepper Grinder is a very good game. Some stages have unique gimmicks that blend well with the base move set, others just challenge players with the basics. I like Pepper, she has a lot of character for a silent protagonist and the soundtrack is quite good too. There’s a lot to like with Pepper Grinder, I just really wish the boss battles were better or absent because they weigh down the rest of the experience.
Overall, Pepper Grinder is a solid action platformer. It has a unique feature that helps set it apart from the rest, despite some points that still feel quite generic. Aside from some difficulty spikes, Pepper Grinder is relatively easy and short to get through. While sometimes games can feel a bit too short or too long, the game feels like it hits the right spot in terms of length. Sure, we’re starting to reach a point of saturation with indie 2D action platformers, but there is always room for innovative, fun experiences and Pepper Grinder fits that mould perfectly.
A fluid and dynamic action-platformer with great potential, flawed by a too rigid structure, limited longevit and some annoying bugs that spoil the experience. A metroidvania with these dynamics could give an eventual sequel the breathing room this project needed.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Pepper Grinder is a very fun ride. While the story is minimal to the point of being almost non-existent, the progression of each level is interesting, and makes traveling throughout the four main worlds captivating all players. The visuals are top-notch, and a great display of high-pixel art that makes it clear how talented its creator is at using colors. Along with this, the animations and the way everything shakes when you use the drill, it tells us about an attention to detail that shows the passion that Ahr Ech invested in his game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pepper Grinder is a wonderfully inventive and fun platformer that no fan of the genre will want to miss out on. It may have a runtime that feels a little too short, but this is ultimately a deeply enjoyable, challenging, and highly replayable game with lots of personality. If you think you'd be interested, we'd suggest you pick up Pepper Grinder at the next opportunity (and there's a even downloadable demo if you're on the fence).
Pepper Grinder boldly defines a short and sweet, pixelated adventure with a whole lot of punch in its short runtime. This dynamo of chaos, tight platforming, satisfying movement, tight-level design, and dazzling art style is one of the best platformers I've played in a long time.
There’s more to Pepper Grinder than just digging. Ahr Ech successfully managed to cram fluid platforming and free-flowing traversal in ways that make its hallmark digging mechanics joyous while innovating in using the drill for other utilitarian purposes. Its 2D platforming is refreshing and rewarding when you settle into the groove of being able to move in every direction. I truly dug Pepper Grinder, and I sincerely hope that Ahr Ech continues to make fantastic retro platformers while also expanding the current universe of narwhal pirates. Hopefully those games come sooner rather than later.
Pepper Grinder is a rollicking platformer that combines some classic level design with revitalised traversal mechanics akin to Ecco the Dolphin's nose-first ocean-cruising, except on this occasion the nose is a big, bad-ass drill that makes short work of terra and pirate terrors alike.