In today's review we will analyze Pepper Grinder: new indie platformer developed by Ahr Ech and published by Devolver Digital
Over the years, Devolver Digital has made itself known as a publisher of independent titles with an extraordinary portfolio, capable of publishing dozens of revolutionary gems for the entire gaming industry. Yet in recent months the company has encountered a phase of tiredness which has led to a notable drop in the stock market and the replacement of the historic CEO. Yet, things seem to have changed and new, intriguing productions are starting to emerge from the Devolver forges.
Among these it stands out Pepper Grinder, platformer inspired by old glories such as Dig Dug and Ecco the Dolphin and developed by an American studio based in Oregon. Indeed, the title had already caused a lot of talk when it struck the jury at Intel Level Up in 2017. However, it was still far from completed and many years had to pass before it reappeared. After obtaining the publishing agreement, Ahr Ech increased operations on the title and finally took it over the finish line this year. Now, it's time to analyze this bold platformer and find out if the demo that caused such a stir in 2017 has kept its promises.
Piracy is not dead yet | Pepper Grinder review
From a narrative point of view Pepper Grinder it presents nothing really noteworthy. The plot is a mere excuse to set the action and contextualize the game gameplay. This, ultimately, is an understandable choice We would never have expected to see such great importance given to writing in a title like this. However, while keeping every hint of plot on the sidelines, a little more could have been done, particularly in the conception and creation of the world which appears rather banal and lacking in panache.
Our protagonist: Pepper, armed with her faithful drill: Grinder, ends up shipwrecked on an island inhabited by strange creatures who steal her loot, hiding it in the depths of their territory. Obviously the oddities don't end there, but suffice it to say that little else lies beneath the premise. What reigns supreme in the approximately three hours of play that are enough to complete the title is the gameplay. For this reason we will focus our analysis on the same, looking at both how the action works and the level design.
Fluidity of excavations | Pepper Grinder review
The gameplay of the new Devolver Digital title is divided into two moments: the first linked to classical locomotion and the second focused on the use of the drill. To be clear, the walking parts are very basic but represent a minimal percentage of the experience which disappears completely already in the second level. It is the excavations that represent the great innovation of the game as well as its greatest strength. There are some strips of land or other material that can be crossed using the Grinder and which enhance the variety and fluidity of the title. A painstaking control of movement is the only way to maneuver inside the tunnels and pass these sections unscathed.
Also brilliant is the addition of an air dash that can be performed when exiting the underground sections. The introduction of this configures an experience that oscillates between the sinuous management of movement and the reactivity aimed at taking shots in the air. It all helps to generate an extraordinarily smooth experience, excellent at making a deep impression on the player's muscles. You almost have the sensation of being dragged by the game, the player's movement appears almost suggested by the mechanics of the title. The levels flow pleasantly and quickly, thanks to good level design, and all in all we understand how Pepper Grinder was able to win over a jury with names of the caliber of Chris Avellone and Tim Schafer.
The tools of the trade | Pepper Grinder review
But the drill is not the only feature of Pepper Grinder's varied gameplay. Ahr Ech has, in fact, added a large series of elements that significantly increase the diversification inherent in the title. In what is already a rather short experience, there will certainly be no shortage of surprises, as something totally new appears every two levels or so. From sessions similar to a scrolling shooter to parts that alternate the use of the Grinder and the grappling hook, there really is something for all tastes and the numerous surprises prepared by the developers are very successful.
We must note that these additions sometimes fail to achieve the sophistication of the core gameplay. In particular, we point out the lack of that splendid intuitiveness and reactivity of the controls that thrilled us during the excavation phases. The levels of the game therefore tend to depend on the strength of the gimmick connected to them. Therefore, although the average quality settles at very good levels, there is still a certain discontinuity in the brilliance of individual moments of play. The team, despite everything, has nevertheless shown that they have imagination to spare and have prevented their first-born from being merely the son of a singular but insubstantial idea and for this it deserves applause.
Hurt, fast, underground | Pepper Grinder review
The level design is also notable. We are not faced with a revolutionary title in this sense nor in front of the Braid of the new decade, but the American team's operation is well focused and effective in pursuing its objectives. Puzzles as well as moments of reflection are very rare and this is not a flaw. Pepper Grinder doesn't want the player to encounter downtime or linger in one place excessively. The fulcrum of the experience is smoothness, the speed with which the various paintings flow and drag the player along with them. The sensation is almost of being kidnapped by the mechanics, while with great speed you dart through the underground architecture of the title.
The levels twist without curling into themselves, they present a good challenge but never become annoying or repetitive. The result is an insanely varied and highly entertaining experience where no moment is hollow or superfluous. The Oregon-based team has distributed some secret coins throughout the levels, in keeping with tradition. These increase replayability, as does the timer that encourages you to reduce travel times, but avoid the Doom Eternal effect where the frenzy and rhythm were abruptly interrupted by the search for collectibles. Finally, praise must be given to the ability of the levels to shape themselves following the actions of the players, creating some major scenes of colossal destruction that amplify the sensations of the various maps.
Too bad for the bosses | Pepper Grinder review
Where, unfortunately, we witness a vertical collapse of the design is in the boss fights. These are available in small numbers but appear as the weakest part of the title. First, they are extremely banal and almost seem to come from a mediocre title from the 90s. Player involvement is rather poor and enemy hitboxes not clear enough. Furthermore, they tend to impose themselves as unexpected peaks of difficulty, in a title that is not too difficult in itself, and every attempt aimed at overcoming them ends up appearing worse than the previous one.
Pepper Grinder, in fact, clearly proves to be a title not designed for clashesboth for the banality of the attacks granted to our protagonist and for the repetitiveness of the fights. The bosses have very limited movesets and each of their moves has a unique method aimed at avoiding it. We end up witnessing the repetition ad nauseam of the same opponent movements which presuppose always the same reactions on the part of the player. The fights become challenges of nerves, based on the reiteration of the same inputs until the enemy's bar finally reaches zero.
An improvable presentation | Pepper Grinder review
From an art design point of view, Pepper Grinder is a title without infamy and without praise. The environments are discreet and the colors bright but the masterful touch that would give real impact to the production is missing. There is nothing that can seriously be criticized, however, there is nothing memorable either. At the end of the experience you will be left with the memory of good pixel art but not of a particular element that caught your attention. This happens because the choices are too banal and have a strong flavor of what has already been seen. Of course, that's not the focus but we would have liked to see a bit more originality.
A good soundtrack, on the other hand, is spoiled by a limping sound plagued by a dense series of almost annoying noises and devoid of the care it would have deserved. Finally, we regret having to point out some dirt in the final code. We witnessed numerous sound bugs and even a crash that forced us to restart a level from the beginning. Without a doubt, however, the most striking event was the total freeze of the first phase of the final bossfight which froze on the spot and never started again.
This concludes our analysis, while we remind you that Pepper Grinder is now available on PC and Nintendo Switch. In the meantime, to stay updated on the gaming industry and all the news, follow us on techgameworld.com, while for your purchases we refer you to the Instant Gaming website.
Points in favor
- Excellent and smooth level design
- Huge variety of levels
- The mechanics of the drill are brilliant
- Good difficulty balance
Points against
- Not all shots land
- Presentation could be improved
- Antediluvian and repetitive bossfights
- Some bugs and crashes