PowerWash Simulator Early Access Review

 












Washing The Time Away-A PowerWash Simulator Early Access Review

As much as I hate to admit it, these little simulator games have become somewhat of a guilty pleasure of mine over the pandemic and the more online atmosphere we have been put through. To put it simply: doing these tasks in real life requires a lot more effort and makes it more of a chore than a game, but in a digital space they are like the junk food of videogames. So after I put around 24 hours into House Flipper I see myself put another 20 into this, and why exactly is that the case? 

Clean in All Aspects

PowerWash simulator is excruciatingly simple; within it you accept jobs where you clean up various dirty locations and objects for cash that you then use to buy better power washers and nozzles in order to clean more efficiently on the next job (the jobs of which get progressively more grandiose and complex). In a similar fashion to all these simulator games, the sensation of finishing a huge job is what keeps you coming back for more hour after hour-despite how simple and mundane the premise may seem. 

In the same way that watching a YouTube video of power washing is satisfying, so too is the act of power washing in a video game without having to go through all the exhaustive effort of using ladders and the like to clean a monstrous four story house. Hearing that distinct little *ding* after successfully cleaning a section of a project as you continue your sanitizing quest really is a nice diversion from the some of the more thought provoking and typical gaming experiences I tend to partake in. 


However, there are many simulator games on the market to the point where combing through them is a nauseating task-so what sets PowerWash Simulator apart?

In a few words...polish and multiplayer.

Following update 0.7, developer FuturLab (with a surprising backing from Square Enix on the publishing end) allowed for a complete 2 player co-op mode of the games main campaign as well as up to 6 player co-op on any of the maps you have previously completed. This really sets this game apart from the pack, as working together with friends makes the levels go by so much faster and allows you to share that sense of accomplishment of completing a huge job among your group. While I'd frankly like the main campaign co-op to cross progression with both players and allow for up to six friends in it as well, I can't help but feel like they will add this in a later patch. In reviewing early access games like this, especially with dev teams like FuturLab who are constantly keeping in touch with fans and updating, you have to approach problems with this sentiment that the game will eventually be complete. 

On the other hand, the polish of this title even at the early access stage is astounding. Comparing it to the genre titan that is House Flipper, PowerWash simulator's engine is much smoother and optimized. It also holds a much higher visual flare with cascading water effects and large environments full of various types of grime and graffiti. In one of my favorite features of any game, PowerWash Simulator provides a time lapse of the job after you finish it, showing the gradual process you employed to reach that spotless finale. It's these little pieces of polish that really go a long way in elevating the experience of a game where you just clean stuff up.  


I was also surprised in seeing a few auxiliary modes in addition to the main campaign, all of which provide neat little twists on the main formula. One mode tasks you with using as little water as possible in completing a mission, where another includes special jobs representative of real world locations (currently the mission here involves cleaning a mars rover). 

The modes at display here are surprisingly robust

Verdict

While it may seem simple, the gameplay loop of just cleaning stuff up has a lot more mileage than I could've imagined. Its the sort of thing that you wouldn't think be massively appealing but it surprises you. If you want something to just mindlessly play at leisure you surely can't go better than PowerWash Simulator. Keep an eye out for a potential second look in the future when this title is fully released!


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