Pepper Grinder Reviews
Pepper Grinder nails its mechanics, but its humdrum visuals and world-building stop it from being the modern indie classic that it could've been.
Pepper Grinder is a fun title with fluid and precise movement that makes its platforming and puzzle satisfying to clear. I'm a bit disappointed that the game is so short, as I feel like there could be more ideas and mechanics to explore here.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Pepper Grinder is an action-packed 2D adventure blending traditional platforming with an alternate drilling mode that allows you to dive in and out of the earth like a dolphin swims through water. Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes. Pepper Grinder is a game with a good idea that generally works well.
Thanks to Riv Hester's diligence, Pepper Grinder succeeds mechanically, creatively, and visually. It could do with better unlockables and would certainly benefit from a longer running time, but overall it hits the right marks.
Pepper Grinder is a good video game but it doesn't feel like a complete video game. The mechanic of burrowing away through different biomes is always satisfying as you make platforming leaps of faith between different bodies of ground. What exploration, world and mechanical growth is there is really strong, it's just limited and brief. Fun throughout but over before you know it, Pepper Grinder is a charming title that is just missing that extra little spice.
Pepper Grinder is a side-scrolling platformer with a good pace and solid platforming mechanics, but it's marred by some questionable action choices that prevent the title from shining as much as it should. This is particularly regrettable in the case of the boss battles, which, despite featuring beautiful designs, offer unsatisfying gameplay, as does the overall duration of the adventure.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
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 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.
A short but sweet slice of propulsive platforming action, Pepper Grinder is all driller and no filler.
Pepper Grinder is a creative platformer that uses its unique drilling mechanics across an impressive variety of stages. The mix of fast-paced action, exploration and puzzles results in a stylish adventure full of exciting moments. The various ways to use the drill, from crossing obstacles to controlling vehicles, guarantee a diverse experience from start to finish. However, the game falters with control precision issues and frustrating blind jumps, introducing an element of trial and error that can be irritating; despite this, it manages to offer a satisfying journey, with its few extras serving as an additional incentive for the most dedicated. Furthermore, Pepper Grinder is an adventure that, despite its flaws, entertains with its creative design and unique mechanics.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Pepper Grinder isn't an indie that's going to shake up the industry; it's more of a cute little game that shows us that there's a lot of ground to be rediscovered in the genre. Its core mechanics are incredibly fun, so it's a shame that in the end you're left with the feeling that it could have been more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pepper Grinder is exactly why I'm now more interested in independent games than AAA. The idea of a simple mechanic that is extremely well exploited during a complete game appeals to me more than superior graphics or a never-ending story. Mind you, I'm not saying one is better than the other, but the important thing in any case is to pay attention to the little details and have fun. And that's exactly what I had with Pepper Grinder. A more than enjoyable adventure, a quality time and a final impression good enough for me to recommend it to those around me. And I think that's what makes a game a good game.
Review in French | Read full review
Pepper Grinder is an enjoyable adventure brimming with excitement, challenges, and hidden treasures. Its innovative drilling mechanic, vibrant presentation, and engaging gameplay make for an extraordinary journey, albeit one that leaves players yearning for it to last longer. However, despite its minor flaws, Pepper Grinder stands as a thrilling escapade and a great indie title.
Even if some of the boss battles and tougher platforming sections made me want to cry and the relatively short run-time had me done with Pepper’s adventure quicker than I’d like, Pepper Grinder is one of the most entertaining 2D platformers in recent memory and one that pushes its unique selling point to the limit. Pepper Grinder is drill-y good.
Riv Hester debuts with a platform game that starts from the best influences, but that knows how to stand out not for what it takes from others but for how it goes beyond its referents.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
At a $15 price tag, it feels like a light weekend thing, something you can drill through in a few nights of idle play and then pick up again whenever you have a hankering for something similar. That’s… what it wants to be. And so I have to kind of give it up for that. There are frustration points, sure, but if you like this style of platformer it simultaneously doesn’t feel like something that’s been done a dozen times before and is fun to play start to finish. Not every game manages that.
I had an excellent time with Pepper Grinder and I'm very happy that there are still unique gameplay ideas to be shared in the 2D space.
Although it does not promise long hours, Pepper Grinder is definitely an alternative worth checking out for those who love platform games. We have a "delicious" package with various sections, cute pixel art design and ambient music.
Review in Turkish | Read full review