Pepper Grinder Review (PC)

I’ve successfully drilled through a giant beetle ridden by a monster who was able to shoot purple fire at my character. Yes, it took a dozen tries, mostly to figure out exactly how the four phases of this boss worked and exactly when the creature was vulnerable. Once I had a clear plan, the execution wasn’t incredibly hard, even if I took some hits that I should have avoided.

But now, in the magma world, I’m having trouble with a comparatively simpler puzzle sequence. I need to combine the core drilling mechanic with a grappling hook to find the perfect gaps between thorny branches while soaring through the air to get from one sandbank to another. At least there are no narwhal-looking monsters around to try and flambe my character with their flamethrowers.

Once I finally push through these obstacles, I am down to my last health sliver and there’s no save point in sight. I dive right back in, basically scouting to get a clearer idea of the challenges I face when it pushes through the section again. A big drill isn’t an easy tool to control, and I need to avoid making stupid mistakes and focus on survival more than on gathering every single gem that my character sees.

Pepper Grinder is developed by Ahr Ech and published by Devolver Digital. I played using Steam on the PC. The game is also offered on the Nintendo Switch. The title combines action and platforming mechanics, both powered by a big roaring drill.

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Pepper from the title is a prospector fond of gathering as many gems as possible. She gets waylaid by a pirate with a crew of narwhal-inspired creatures called the Narlings, who steal her entire treasure and leave her for dead on an island made up of four biomes. Now she needs to use Grinder, her trusty drill, to both explore and take out enemies.

It’s a simple but decent premise. The game does introduce a few surprises along the way, but I suspect most players won’t be too focused on them. Pepper is a plucky and charming heroine, and her cause is righteous. Even better, she can solve every problem by revving up her big drill.

Despite its size, the mechanical companion cannot push through solid rock. But it can and will allow Pepper to move through sand, other soft terrain, and water. As she gets dragged behind the drill, players need to pay attention, choose the best path, and guide her toward it. Initially, it all seems simple, activate the drill, collect gems, eliminate some enemies, and push the boost button to get past the bigger gaps.

Pepper Grinder adds complexity gradually. Some creatures need to be drilled from below and thorny vines block certain paths. Explosives take out chunks of health, which can be an issue. There never seem to be enough of the pink turnips around to restore it all. As players make progress, challenges involve navigating platforms that move over incandescent magma and using a grappling hook to enhance mobility.

The drill will also power machinery in some areas, which features in more complex puzzles that require experimentation and some lateral thinking. It’s clear that the designers want players to solve them elegantly while moving, although I was never that graceful. Some trial and error is necessary.

Combat isn’t very deep, with most monsters requiring only one hit to eliminate, as long as it comes from the right direction. Each biome’s final stage consists of a boss battle. I like their designs and escalating combat power but the game limits how and when Pepper can strike them, which can become a little annoying after repeated failure.

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Each biome also features a shop, where players can spend golden coins acquired by finding secrets inside each level. Replay, try out ideas, and save up for the golden key. Here, gamers can also pick up unique cosmetics for the main characters and stickers. Finally, one of the drill-activated vending machines sells health boosts, which can be useful to get before heading into a boss encounter.

Pepper Grinder has strong checkpoint placement and its levels, once the player gets the mechanics down, are relatively short. Even better, the title offers players a range of accessibility and difficulty options. Slowing down the game speed is a great way to make progress easier but also means players have a chance to enjoy the visual spectacle.

I like the grinding mechanics a lot and love how the developers find new ways to showcase how they can interact with the environment and enemies. None of their ideas outstays it’s welcome. The game rewards players who are willing to put in the time to master levels to find all their secrets and coins. Boss battles needed a little extra attention but aren’t a big problem in terms of difficulty.

Pepper Grinder deploys the already classic pixel-driven presentation of the indie platformer genre and does it effectively. Our heroine looks great, both when she’s resting with the drill at her side and when she is flying through the air or pushing through an enemy boss. The Narlings blend cute and threatening in fun ways. I would have expected more weirdness from the boss design.

The game also does a good job of using visual cues to show players how they should approach a puzzle sequence and where secrets might be hidden. The sound design is strong, with the almost always present hum of the drill basically pushing gamers to make progress. But that constant sound effect makes it somewhat harder to appreciate the pumping electronic soundtrack.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion