Pepper on the assault.
Over the past few years, Devolver Digital has curated a tremendous amount of incredible games. From Cult of the Lamb to Weird West and Inscryption, there are few instances where they have truly missed. Thankfully, that streak continues with Pepper Grinder, a drill-based platformer featuring the titular Pepper as she attempts to reclaim her stolen treasure from a nasty group of baddies.
While light on story, Pepper’s journey begins moments after a shipwreck, one that sees her pirate booty then taken by a group of Narlings, small little green creatures who are clearly up to no good. They are led by a mysterious figure that acts as Pepper’s initial foil. Most of the storytelling here is done visually with no direct dialogue or script yet it is extremely easy to follow. That said, there are maybe all of two minutes of narrative here as the appeal of what Pepper Grinder offers is strictly around its gameplay, which is a smart move as it plays to the title’s strengths.
What sets Pepper Grinder apart to other pixel-based platformers is her drill, which allows you to move through the ground like a dolphin would swim through water. It can take a moment to get used to the curve and mobility, but once you do, it really allows the gameplay to shine, especially once you start to work in other abilities and skills. While Pepper Grinder is a fairly short affair, averaging an initial playthrough at around 3-4 hours, the gameplay never overstays its welcome and provides a tight experience that doesn’t feel bloated or excessive.
Each level is spread out across a world map themed around one of a few locations. You’ll also find a shop featured in each locale that houses costume pieces and a gatcha machine that allows you to unlock new stickers but also apply additional armor shards to your health. While I would have preferred being able to permanently earn armor, especially because of the game’s final encounter, this system keeps a balance of making the game just challenging enough without making it too easy. That said, that final encounter is something else, let me tell yah.
Now, buying the outfits, stickers, and armor is fairly straightforward as you’ll find that currency easy enough as you grind through levels, drilling away as you’ll earn a pretty penny in no time. That said, you’ll also be on the lookout for skull coins, a special type of currency used for some of those items but is better to save up to unlock some of the more enjoyable levels in the game. Each level will have a set amount of skull coins to track down, some that are extremely well hidden, and then trade them for a key to unlock the locked levels across each stage.
Drilling through the ground, or even through water for that matter, allows you to track down your missing booty. From coins and gems just placed in the sand or ground, to treasure rings and hidden caches. Thankfully, if you are needing some extra coin to top up your armor, you can grind a few quick levels to get everything you need. And with how good this game feels to play, there are some levels I played nearly a dozen times, especially ripping around in the snow levels on a snowmobile.
While drilling through the earth is one thing, especially as you slam into the underside of some of the more durable foes, you’ll have a small assortment of moves and abilities that are honestly a great deal of fun. From simple things such as a small boost to shoot you out of the ground to reach higher platforms or toward more earth to keep your movement going, to a grappling hook that spins you around and allows you to access out-of-reach areas. Pepper Grinder is at its best when it features levels that allow for all of her tools to be able to be used in succession, which isn’t always the case as few pretty bland levels don’t always satisfy. Thankfully, these disappointing stages are few and far between. That said, the length of this title does make those levels stand out in a rather poor way.
Levels are largely designed to really take advantage of your tools, allowing for a solid amount of drilling to even platforming across a series of trucks. Each new level brings with it new platforming challenges and even a few bosses, which are all excellent, except for the final encounter, which required me to dip into the accessibility options to reduce the game speed by a few notches. While I won’t detail much about that battle, the setup made for some unfortunate misses as drilling through the air is a bit less predictable than through a solid surface. While not a massive skill check, I did find it to be considerably harder than any of the previous bosses by a mile.
The enemy variety is pretty varied and adorable as the Narlings are pretty hilarious. Even with the limited pixel count of its art, there is a lot of expression here across the baddies. From miners to cooks, to heli-copter-equipped Narlings, you also have those riding around on the aforementioned snowmobiles that you yourself can take for a ride, once you’ve decimated its rider, that is. There are also a few drill bits you can attach such as keys or guns, the latter of which allows you to cut loose on these booty-stealing foes. And while the appeal of this game is the drill, these other weapons make for a good breather in between the drilling sections.
While Pepper Grinder is a fairly short affair, It plays extremely well and the skull coins make for good reason to dive back into some levels to fully complete, especially with wanting to purchase all the outfits and see each of the locked levels. Its visuals reminded me a great deal of Dave the Diver, given its color palette and aesthetic. I do think the final encounter is a tad harder than it should have been, given the encounters before it, but all in all, Pepper Grinder is incredible fun that takes its drilling gimmick and creates a fun and engaging experience around it.
Developer - Ahr Ech. Publisher - Devolver Digital. Released - March 28th, 2024. Available On - Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam) Rated - (E10+) - Fantasy Violence. Platform Reviewed - Nintendo Switch. Review Access - Review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.