Review | Pepper Grinder - Skimming Silt
Anybody could be forgiven for mistaking Pepper Grinder as a spiritual successor to Drill Dozer. Though screenshots would indicate, the similarities are purely superficial. Pixel art, drills, and the basic plot of “some jerks stole your treasure, go get it back” are all that the two games share in common. Where Drill Dozer peppers light puzzle action amongst a slow-paced platformer base, Pepper Grinder drills deep into twitchy, flow-based movement. It’s perhaps more appropriate to classify this game as an “action swimmer” more so than an “action platformer,” and the developers likely agree. In multiple interviews, including conversations with Stephan Reilly on their WordPress blog and Gemma Johnson via GameRant, developer Riv Hester of Ahr Ech references inspiration from Ecco the Dolphin, and the way that the game employs its action makes that very clear.
Pepper’s mobility in sand, snow, water, and other drillable materials perfectly resembles the smooth gliding and twisting of a dolphin through water, thanks to the raw mechanical power of her drill, Grinder. Pepper Grinder’s gameplay focuses on utilising that sense of propulsion and resistance against the environment to further simulate the dolphin comparison, from leaping across gaps as you breach the surface of a dirt pile to navigating tight turns without the benefit of immediately changing direction. Momentum can only be slowed or stopped by reaching solid ground to stand upon, which becomes sparser in later levels as the game progresses. The amount of screen real estate that’s dedicated to showing the levels, keeping Pepper at a reasonably small size, prevents the high-intensity flow from becoming too twitchy or panic-inducing as you can always see plenty far in front of you, which is highly appreciated for this style of game. Other unique mechanics sprinkled throughout the game feel as if they were directly pulled from classics like Donkey Kong Country, Yoku’s Island Express, and Super Metroid, each bringing their creative spin to the dirt-diving formula.
The intensity of the game at base speed makes it a very difficult challenge for players who struggle with handling such high levels of stimulus for more than 15-20 minutes at a time or are unable to get into the appropriate flow state. Finishing the game is still a very doable challenge, even on the first playthrough, thanks to an added means of adjusting the game speed in the settings menu, to allow any and all players to comfortably complete every trial. Setting the game speed at points between 50% to 100% will accommodate a range of all but if you are still struggling; the sweet spot that matches the pacing of most other platformers lies around the 75%-to-85% range. Additionally, shops offer players still struggling a means to buy extra health, all for a relatively low cost of gems that can easily be earned with a bit of rummaging through a couple of levels. Farming is minimal, and small trinkets like stickers and alternate pallet colours are also available to spend any extra gold or collectable pirate coins on.
For as short and sweet as the game is (clocking at around four hours), the game’s atmosphere and personality leave a lasting impression. Even at relatively small sizes, the characters and environments pack a lot of charm in their animations. Even the overworld map adds bits and pieces as the player completes and unlocks levels. The soundtrack adds a significant boost to the style and groove of the game, thanks to the mysterious composer, Xeecee. Spanning a sundry assortment of genres, every song perfectly balances an intensity of rhythm and drums with the chilled focus of synth, smooth jazz, wallowing lo-fi trombones, or whatever else may tickle a player’s fancy. Not a single track falls out of pace with its level, overshadows gameplay, or disappoints with drudgery. It is possibly one of the best collections of songs to vibe with in regular life outside of the game they were written for. For a sophomore album, Xeecee did not slump at all.
If playing via Steam, be wary of the controller warning. Though Pepper Grinder is technically playable with a keyboard, it is an extremely limited method. Controllers are a practical necessity for this game, thanks to the occasional tight angles that are not easily found via 8-way motion. Thankfully, this is an issue that would only show up on PC and Mac, where most controllers are Steam-compatible and thus a majority of players can avoid the issue. Currently, Switch is the only console that Pepper Grinder is available on; though the low profile of the analogue stick on a standard Switch Joy-Con still poses a bit of trouble getting those fine turns just right, the portability and ease of pick-up-and-play make this an easy recommend on any platform, current or future.
