The platform genre is one where it seems like everything has already been seen. While there is perhaps some truth to that, there is still an opportunity to take ideas from the past and combine them to package them into something new. Such is the case of Pepper Grinderthe new project from Ahr Ech and Devolver Digital, which found a way to renew ideas that had been explored to deliver something full of personality.
Pepper Grinder It comes as a nice action-packed project to test your coordination, but is this enough to make it a worthwhile experience? It's true that it doesn't come as a blow that will shake the entire indie scene, but it is an entertaining game that is worth being on your radar.
Get into the ground and jump like a dolphin
All the action of Pepper Grinder revolves around its platforming mechanics. Although jumping and overcoming obstacles are challenges present in its levels, in reality the gameplay revolves around Pepper's drill, the protagonist. In true Drill Dozer style, this tool helps you dig in different parts of the world to get from one area to another at high speed.
Which makes that Pepper Grinder unique feeling is that Pepper's entire movement while drilling is like that of a dolphin swimming to propel itself above the sea to fall back down. It's a simple mechanic that makes it a unique game full of personality because the platform challenges, more than just calculating a jump, mean analyzing the trajectory that Pepper will follow after leaving the ground to ensure that she lands on safe ground.
These mechanics are combined with other mobility systems – such as cannons that shoot Pepper out or a retractable hook – to create levels that challenge your coordination with several moments in which you are forced to think quickly. This is more important if you want to get the collectible coins that are hidden in all the levels or simply finish them in the shortest amount of time possible to overcome the speedrun-style challenges that appear when you finish the game.
mobility systems Pepper Grinder They are also protagonists in their boss battles. While there are times in the adventure where Pepper gets weapons that allow him to shoot, most of the time he can only defend himself with his drill. Thus, the boss battles are designed as levels with different phases in which you have to take advantage of Pepper's mobility to dodge and attack. While none of the bosses have a high difficulty, you will most likely have a lot of trouble beating them for one reason: the way you finish them goes against everything you have done up to that point. While the levels are designed to be passed quickly and with action that is at times frenetic, the bosses force you to put on the brakes, check their patterns and find the moment to attack. The change of pace can be frustrating, but it is ideal to somewhat mitigate the main problem of Pepper Grinder: lacks variety.
Although it is a nice and entertaining game, Pepper Grinder It is one-sided. That is why it is appreciated that you do your best not to overextend your welcome and that you can finish it in approximately 5 hours. Although the scenarios present new challenges, the way you interact with them changes very little. Sure, there are surprises (for example, in one level you ride a snowmobile and in another you ride a mecha), but they don't develop enough for you to feel like the gameplay is constantly evolving. A lot of this is due to the simplicity of the game as everything revolves around Pepper's drill, but they could have done a better job of relying less on a single mechanic. A potential sequel will be a perfect opportunity to do so and take its concepts to new levels, so hopefully the Ahr Ech team will have the opportunity to do so.
Another notable element of Pepper Grinder It's your presentation. The art direction that the Ahr Ech team followed for the project is very attractive and shines for its enormous creativity. The developers opted for a pixel art-style aesthetic that dares to break the mold with some 3D models that, in addition to being visually attractive, make you feel like you are seeing something from another world. It's as if the world of Super Mario World was invaded by creatures made by Silicon Graphics computers. This turns what could have been another nice indie into a game with an interesting artistic design.
A good, nice and cheap adventure
In the end, Pepper Grinder It was an adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. Like I said, it's not an indie that's going to shake up the industry; It is rather a small and nice game that teaches us that there is a lot of ground to rediscover in the genre. Its main 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. Despite this, the game is highly recommended and I am sure that it will make you spend very pleasant moments, even more so considering that it is good, beautiful and cheap.
Pepper Grinder It is now available for PC and Nintendo Switch. You can learn more about this Devolver Digital project by clicking here.
Editorial: gaming / Facebook / Twitter / Youtube / instagram / News / Discord /Telegram / Google news / msn
