LifeisXbox’s PowerWash Simulator Review | Allow yourself to become one with intense cleaning and find great pleasure with the pressure once everything is immaculate in PowerWash Simulator. It’s your job to build up your company’s reputation, whether it’s by yourself or with the help of colleagues, by completing a whole host of horrendously dirty cleaning jobs using any tools you have at your disposal. From vehicles to buildings, ancient statues to amusement park rides, you’ll have your work cut out. Making sure to check every aspect and tiny detail is sparkling clean will be your one and only task. PowerWash Simulator has been developed by Futurlab Limited and published by Square Enix Ltd. to bring us simple and pure gameplay that can be approached in whatever way you see fit. Whether you do clean lines in a strategic way or just blast whatever dirt is in front of you, it’s entirely up to the cleaner; as long as you get the job done because that is what’s important!
Most Memorable Moment
Not necessarily a moment as such but just the sheer amount of satisfaction and relaxation I experienced has to be mentioned here. I don’t think I have to say how special a game has to be for you to lose hours of time ultimately doing one thing and being able to look upon your handiwork afterwards. If I had to mention a moment though it would have to be two missions in particular – one involving a disgusting playground (how does a playground even get that dirty?!) and the other being the final job which I won’t go into detail about to avoid any spoilers. Both were my favourite jobs overall and gave a huge wave of relief once I had completed them – but in a good way as the cleanliness was just beautiful to go around and admire afterwards. The longer the job, the more satisfaction I seemed to get.
ℹ️ Reviewed on Xbox One S | Review code provided by PR/publisher. This review is the personal opinion of the writer.
What we Liked!
- Immensely satisfying | My very first point has to be that which refers to the noticeably incredible satisfaction that is received during the entirety of playing PowerWash Simulator. Yes, there are those troublesome areas to wash down but when you see the overall outcome after all your hard work, it certainly pays off. With all the gleaming colours that shine through after tackling the thick dirt, I don’t think I could have been any more proud and relieved as it’s almost like you’ve been transported to a completely different area. It made me appreciate everyone who does power washing for a living because even though I’ve experienced it in this video game, I can only begin to imagine its hard work.
- Plenty of gameplay | Altogether there are four modes in PowerWash Simulator to enjoy your time in – Career Mode, Challenge Mode, Specials, and Free Play. Career mode is hands down the main mode to play as there are thirty-eight jobs to be completed at your own pace which consist of eighteen vehicles and twenty locations. There is no lack of variety when it comes to the jobs as they all have their own sense of charm plus some can take over a couple of hours solo while others take significantly less time. Then there is Challenge Mode which is where your competitive side can be put to the test. In a choice between either using the least amount of water or the quickest time possible to complete a single job using the power washer and attachments provided. Finally, you have Special mode that consists of four additional jobs that I believe are larger and more detailed and Free Play that allows you to play any job the host has completed prior. Plenty to go around and keep everyone busy.
- Co-op included | Having the option to play career mode in co-op I think was a fantastic feature to be included meaning you can play with a friend, almost like you’re starting up your own company together. If you choose to play free mode, however, up to five additional players/friends can join in on the action to get the job done quicker and more efficiently. Whether it’s just for fun or you’re clearing up some miscellaneous achievements that have been missed along the way. I did play in co-op and certainly found you got jobs done much quicker as ideally, each person can focus on separate areas. It was rather amusing to see other cleaners laying prone trying to get into all the devious tight spaces too.
- Graphically appealing | PowerWash Simulator uses clean and soft graphics that aren’t too intense but still manages to be visually engaging. I believe most jobs, if not all, have pops of colours – whether it’s the actual job or surroundings you find yourself in that bring the simpleness of the game to life. With regards to the detail itself, I found myself enjoying them considering they aren’t the best I’ve ever seen but they are also far from the worst. It has to be taken into consideration that a large part of this game revolves around two graphical appearances though – the grime-covered surroundings and the dazzling underneath that is uncovered once cleaned; both look the part. I have to mention the water effects that I thought looked great too with it trickling down areas, the gleaming visual, and the washer itself.
- Different tools to use | When it comes to the tools you can use, you do start off with a basic washer and a varied selection of nozzles to switch between, dependent on which power and spread you feel happiest using and get into creases and cracks. As you progress through PowerWash Simulator and earn money for completing jobs, you will gradually be able to buy more powerful washers and attachments that ultimately do make your cleaning life that much easier. There are a range of extensions that can be bought that make those higher places far easier to reach, a soap attachment that allows purchasable cleaning liquids to be used for different surfaces (metal, wood, glass etc.), and a couple of extra nozzles too. It should be noted that some are locked behind progression. Additionally, not a tool obviously, but cosmetics can be bought for your character and washer should you wish to look more dashing and professional. I can just picture a group looking like the Power Washers right now. Yes, a Power Rangers reference.
- Highlight feature | A much-needed aspect in PowerWash Simulator is the highlight feature that can be used at any given time to show dirt that hasn’t been cleaned or missed. With its bright illuminating effect, it’s almost impossible not to see what dirt is yet to be washed away. Whether you want to use it when your job is almost complete to finish off everything or click it every five seconds to keep track of the section you are cleaning at the time, the choice is yours. Without it, the game would still be very much doable but I think it makes it increasingly accessible and easier for everyone to play, enhancing those pesky areas.
- Easy controls | For people who want to stick at the game for hours or those who want to slowly chip away over a more extended period of time, the controls can be easily learnt and picked up whenever the mood takes you. Nozzles are easy to switch between, you can simply press left on the d-pad to auto-spray rather than using your trigger if you prefer, use the analogue sticks to move your character and/or washer, and toggling between aim and free mode is a simple one-click. I didn’t expect anything to be overly complicated and I was more than content with the controls meaning I think anyone would be able to get the hang of PowerWash Simulator quicker than you can say “You missed a spot”.
Mixed Feelings
- Difficulty finding smaller details | Although the highlight feature/s can be utilised to find dirt, whether it’s on a certain labelled section or just to see missed dirt in general with the vibrant orange lighting, I did find some of the finer details and smaller parts quite difficult to find even when using said feature. I’ll be honest that I’m not sure how it could have been made easier to spot other than perhaps the inclusion of an overall diagram that pinpoints every part; that would be my suggestion anyway. It just caused a little frustration for me in a handful of missions that made me perhaps spend more time on them than I initially should have to look for these irritatingly small details. I mean, do you know what a tail scoop is? Neither did I.
What we Disliked
- Little to no music | My first impression was that I couldn’t hear any music in-game as I did see the option for music volume in the settings. However, as only one job included music in PowerWash Simulator, the only sound being heard was that of the power washer itself and the completion dings. I honestly was quite surprised that no music was included in most levels and I personally would have liked the option at the very least included – perhaps the idea of a radio where you could choose which station you want to listen to while you work could have been fitting. I understand many people may not want any music or would prefer to play with their Spotify in the background perhaps but I think the option of music would have been a nice addition.
How long to beat the story | Approximately 40-50 Hours
How long to achieve 1000G | Approximately 40-50 Hours
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Hello, I’m Victoria. I’m from the UK and have been playing video games for as long as I can remember; back on DreamCast. I’ve pretty much fallen for Xbox since I was around eight years old and remember BioShock being my first game on the Xbox360. Although I find it thoroughly enjoyable to not only experience gameplay, I also find comfort in getting lost and engrossed in the online worlds that sometimes differ greatly from what we know. Another side of my Xbox passion would be achievement hunting and gamerscore. I thrive when I hear the little sound of one popping up on the screen and I’m always finding ways to work on my backlog when possible. Horror is my favourite genre so if you have any recommendations, don’t be afraid to send them my way!