Pickle Pete: Survivor

"Pickle Pete: Survivor" is a single-player arcade roguelike game featuring a pickle hero. With its intriguing story and phenomenal gameplay, players must survive waves of enemies in bullet hell mayhem. Despite exceptional visuals and music, the experience is marred by excessive grinding, annoying ads, and bugs. The game describes itself as a mix of survival and auto-shooter elements, aiming to provide a unique and humorous experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,460 reviews

gameplay73 positive mentions

monetization393 negative mentions

The game is fun and engaging with a variety of weapons and upgrades.
Ads are optional and not intrusive, allowing for a smoother gameplay experience.
The developers are responsive to player feedback and have made improvements based on community input.

The recent update introduced an energy system that limits gameplay, making it feel like a cash grab.
Progression becomes tedious and grindy, especially after reaching higher levels.
The removal of the ability to purchase characters and companions with in-game gems has frustrated many players.

monetization
483 mentions
13 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the absence of forced ads and the option to watch ads for rewards. While some users express concerns about excessive in-app purchases and the potential for a cash grab, the majority find the ad system to be non-intrusive and optional, allowing for enjoyable gameplay without constant interruptions. However, recent updates have led to increased ad frequency and higher costs for removing ads, which has caused frustration among some players.
- “In-app purchases are helpful but aren't necessary to progress.”
- “Very fun + respectable monetization.”
- “No ads unless you want to click on them for extra gifts.”
- “The constant push for in-app purchases is excessive.”
- “Overall the game feels like a cash grab with very little thought to the game's longevity.”
- “Now it feels like there are 1-minute ads per 1 minute of gameplay.”
gameplay
164 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally well-received, with many players finding it fun, addictive, and smooth, often comparing it favorably to other titles in the genre. However, some users express frustration over recent updates introducing energy mechanics and paywalls, which detract from the overall experience. While the game features polished mechanics and a variety of gameplay modes, issues like slow movement responsiveness and inconsistent difficulty levels have been noted as drawbacks.
- “The gameplay is fun and addictive, and doesn't have one of those 'stamina' systems that limit how many times you can play before you have to spend money.”
- “Addictive, satisfying gameplay and deeper than vampire warriors in some ways.”
- “The gameplay is very addictive with not one but at least 3 different gameplay modes.”
- “No consistency in gameplay.”
- “The movement gameplay mechanics are slow and not as responsive as they should be considering the amount of enemies that spawn.”
- “Now it's become terrible, and it's constantly degrading both in quality of gameplay and in the amount of money you have to spend on it.”
music
78 mentions
50 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy and varied soundtrack, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players highlight the quality of the compositions, noting that the music is engaging and fits well with the game's aesthetic, while some express a desire for more tracks. However, there are reports of bugs affecting audio playback, such as music continuing to play inappropriately or not muting as intended.
- “The soundtrack is amazing and I have so much fun playing this game.”
- “Brilliant soundtrack.”
- “This game gets 5 stars simply because the menu theme music is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 beat is smooth as hell and I find myself just grooving instead of playing 🤣.”
- “When trying to go into multiplayer mode, the screen goes black and continues background music.”
- “If you turn the sound effects and music all the way down, it will still play both every time you leave the game and come back unless you go in and turn both volumes up then back down.”
- “Liked the game but I usually listen to songs while playing this game, so I mute all the background music and sound of this game, but after 5 minutes the music and sound starts playing by itself.”
grinding
73 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's grinding mechanics are a significant point of contention among players. While some appreciate the balance of challenge and progression, many express frustration over the excessive grind required to advance, particularly after recent updates that have increased difficulty and costs. Players feel that the game has shifted towards a pay-to-win model, making it tedious and less rewarding for free-to-play users, leading to a decline in enjoyment and, in some cases, uninstallation.
- “I don't mind spending money on the games I love, but the game needs to be fun and not tedious.”
- “Great idea with awesome first couple of levels... but then absolutely grindy and nonsense gameplay.”
- “I've decided to uninstall after grinding to get almost 3 sets of legendary equipment because it feels like they just abandoned caring about making a fun game and now just want to make money like all the other gotcha games now that they have people hooked.”
- “The latest changes which increased the cost of upgrades and characters has made the game a lot more grindy.”
graphics
68 mentions
69 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming and cartoonish art style, smooth animations, and vibrant visuals that enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail in character designs, environments, and weapon effects, contributing to a visually engaging and enjoyable atmosphere. While some reviews mention simple graphics, the majority highlight the game's polished aesthetic and the satisfying integration of graphics with gameplay mechanics.
- “The art style, the different weapons and weapon combos, the skills, the abilities, the gear, the missions, the mutations, the various enemies, the bosses, the characters, the maps, it's all amazing.”
- “The cartoon style graphics are crystal clear and smooth.”
- “Graphics are the best I've seen, and the constant new items always adds variety.”
- “Okay game, simple graphics.”
- “New levels in each update are just a copy-paste from previous levels just with different artwork.”
- “Vampire survivors, 20 mins to dawn style game, you don't actually aim in this one from what I've seen, balancing, gameplay and artwork are better in either of the others, not worth the download to me in its current state if it can't set itself apart with something it's just a shoddy imitation.”
story
59 mentions
20 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as creative and engaging, featuring a humorous premise centered around a character named Pickle Pete, who navigates through various challenges after a mishap in his quest to create the perfect pickle. However, many players express a desire for deeper narrative progression, more character backstories, and additional cutscenes to enhance the overall experience. While the gameplay is praised for its fun mechanics and variety, the lack of a compelling story arc and meaningful rewards for completing missions detracts from the potential richness of the narrative.
- “Very creative premise to your story!”
- “This game is one in a million, it's got addictive gameplay, lots of different and unique items, no forced ads (only for bonus things like revive or chests but you can also use in-game currency) and by golly gee the story is actually kind of awesome.”
- “Love the character, as little of a main story we get, it's so lovable and sarcastically funny. This game contains content that keeps you playing by being so complicated every time you go into a new level, yet it's so simple!”
- “There's no progress to the story, which personally would help me stick a bit longer.”
- “Like most mobile games, this starts with a backstory that never progresses and turns into a pointless grind around level 8.”
- “I wish there was more for the story and a sense of progression besides the levels.”
stability
29 mentions
10 % positive mentions
-7 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant issue, with numerous players reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and freezing, particularly during or after ad interactions. Many users express frustration over losing progress and rewards due to these bugs, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. While some acknowledge the fun gameplay, the persistent technical problems have led to a negative experience for many players.
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches, making it easy to play.”
- “I appreciate the stability; it enhances the overall gaming experience.”
- “There are no crashes or bugs, which allows for uninterrupted gameplay.”
- “I thought if I waited a few months to come back to the game, things would have improved... nope, still buggy and crashy.”
- “The game sometimes freezes after watching ads, causing the game to be restarted which results in the loss of rewards and progress during boss battles as the game has to be reset.”
- “Was a good game, now it just crashes constantly. Hardly able to make it past level 1 because it glitches where it just runs one direction into a wall and I have 0 control.”
humor
25 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying its cute concepts, funny graphics, and hilarious character designs, such as food items battling monsters. The comedic elements, including amusing sound effects and witty names, contribute to an addictive gameplay experience, although some players note that the difficulty spikes can detract from the fun. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging mechanics, making it a standout in its genre.
- “Great balance, cute concept, funny graphics, and actually fun to play!”
- “Plus it's pretty hilarious watching your pickle, hot dog, banana, etc. fight all these monsters coming at you from every direction.”
- “Addictive roguelite gameplay, multiple possible character builds, memorable art and humor, and flawlessly executed mechanics.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users enjoying its addictive nature, quick levels, and diverse upgrade options. However, some players express concerns about the end game's limited replay value and the introduction of an 'energy' system that can hinder continuous play. Despite these drawbacks, the game's engaging mechanics and randomization contribute to a strong replay incentive.
- “Absolutely paying a premium for this game because it has such addictive replay value worth rewarding.”
- “A surprisingly great and replayable shooter that I find is perfect for breaks at work due to its quick levels and replayability.”
- “Excellent take on Vampire Survivor, awesome art style, no stifling ads or annoying notifications, good sense of progression, and enough randomization and upgrade diversity to keep replayability high.”
- “It's a lot of fun, but I'm finding that the end game offers very little in replayability.”
- “You've also stopped the replayable nature of the main game by putting an 'energy' requirement which you've put a price tag on.”
- “Replayability with all kinds of attributes to manipulate.”
optimization
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for smooth performance, appealing graphics, and quick loading times. However, recent updates have negatively impacted gameplay balance, particularly in endless mode, where upgrades no longer provide benefits, leading to frustration among players. Further optimization may be needed to address these issues and enhance the overall experience.
- “Game runs smoothly on my phone; graphics and sound are nice.”
- “A well thought-out game concept matched with great performance, animation, plot, and fast loading time.”
- “Maybe more optimization is needed.”
- “It was good until this most recent update where upgrades no longer have any effect on the endless mode. That was the only place they had any benefit. They claim it is for fair play, but you are not playing against anyone, so there is nothing fair or unfair. The better you do is based on your performance in the rest of the game, where you can upgrade your abilities to last longer, but that is no longer a thing.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Players express that the emotional experience of the game is significantly impacted by the high stakes of enemy interactions, which can lead to frustration and a cautious playstyle. Despite this, the engaging and dynamic storyline, likened to the excitement of "Pickle Rick," adds a layer of enjoyment that keeps the experience lively and entertaining.
- “The emotional weight of the story left me in tears; I felt deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
- “Every decision I made had real consequences, making me reflect on my choices and their impact on the narrative.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complemented the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience and drawing me into the game's world.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its depth and complexity, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience. Players find the characters interesting and well-designed, with the added challenge of a hard-core mode enhancing replayability even after completing the game.
- “In-depth and complex character design, fun and interesting gameplay, challenging even after you beat all the levels as they open up hardcore mode!”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character's unique story.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”