when i first saw pepper grinder, I was shocked by its arrogance. This loud, energetic, almost erratic game feels like it’s descending into a kind of chaos that other, cleaner platformers reject. Crucially, it does this by giving players a big exercise and urging them to screw it all up. Finally, a game that speaks my language. pepper grinder It largely delivers on the promise of high-octane platforming, mining, and managing chaos, but it takes a while to get to the most interesting parts of the game, and then, before you know it, the game is over.
pepper grinder It begins when your character washes up on the shores of a goblin-infested land. You’ll soon get the biggest drill known to man and unleash hordes of people on it. Along the way, you learn to dig, pick up grappling hooks, and acquire a variety of drill attachments that significantly alter your abilities, including a machine gun and even an eventual mech. pepper grinder It starts off rather modestly and then explodes into a rowdy and unhinged ride.At its heart, though, this is a platformer built around a really great mechanic, and thankfully it gets it real correct.
pepper grinderIts movement is key to its function. Being able to crawl under some surface and then ditch yourself on the other side never gets old during the game’s four-hour runtime. I rarely take my finger off the trigger of an accelerator drill, and I think I spend more time underground than up there.Drilling and flowing through the ground like water has become second nature, and the best part of it pepper grinder Leaning towards this. My favorite level is the Third World bonus level, which simply requires you to maintain momentum while flying between falling blocks of ice down a long corridor, and it’s easily one of the most exciting levels I’ve played this year. As it delves into the basics of dopamine processing and challenges you to stay calm in the face of chaos, pepper grinder is a thrilling platform game.
pepper grinderOddly enough, the biggest problem is also one of its strengths: simplicity. The first few stages and worlds were laid out thoroughly enough that by the time I reached the second half, I felt like a seasoned pro. Actually, pepper grinder Spending too much time guiding you through the action Ultimately a bit hesitant to add more layers when it matters. Once a new mechanic is introduced, like a sprinkler that creates a rapidly dissolving platform in lava, the game just moves on to the next one, so you don’t get the exciting evolution sometimes found in games like this where new elements combine with each other Create a sense of constant upgrading and change. While the final act is explosive and the climax has some crowd-pleasing scenes, the game ends before the “aha” moment when everything comes together.
Some pepper grinderThe twists and mechanics feel additive, but others feel a little wonky, especially where combat is involved. For example, the occasional level will give you a gun attachment, completely transforming the game into a side-scrolling shooter, but there are very few occasions where complex strategy and attack plans are required. While it does change things up, turning you into a sometimes stationary turret goes against the game’s strengths. In fact, the same can be said for most of the “battles” in “Combat.” pepper grinder, which is fairly minor throughout, and is usually over before you realize it, as simply accelerating the drill and pointing it at most enemies will do the trick. It feels a bit like an afterthought, to be honest.
Typically, you have to push yourself off the ground—sometimes with a booster connected to one of the face buttons—and then bulldoze flying sentries, ground bugs, and wandering goblin miners as you go. Pass a level. Other times, you’ll be locked in a room until you take out these enemy-spawning lairs, letting the game’s momentum grind to a halt with a lackluster encounter when all I want to do is scale as quickly and efficiently as possible. Enemies often feel more like another surface waiting for you to crawl through them rather than a separate, complementary obstacle.
pepper grinderAside from the annoyingly inconsistent first one, the game’s boss fights are respectable encounters that attempt to challenge this concept but also serve as reminders of when games ask players to do anything but fight. , the game is at its best. In the third world, for example, the dynamic sequences leading up to the boss fights are thrilling. However, the battle itself that ends this chapter falls short of its setting. The game’s first and last boss fights are a chore, but the middle ones feel like decent attempts at combining action and combat more successfully. Parroting a tired trope in game writing that feels very real in this case, the combat is a bit mixed. pepper grinder.
The running time of about four hours is very satisfying, pepper grinder The result is a wonderful little platformer that’s perfect for spending an evening or afternoon. Even now, I (who almost never revisit a game, let alone one I’m reviewing) still fire it back up and dive into one of the little levels because it feels so good to be in it. Go dig.arrive drill.I’m unlikely to solve one of these pepper grinderAgain an action-focused level, except maybe for the finale, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot going for it. I just wish there were more useful stuff.
pepper grinder Out now on PC and Switch.