Can it really be that simple? Yes it can!
What seems like a simple job in an even simpler career path quickly drags you into a world full of conspiracies and odd twists in “PowerWash Similator,” a game developed by Futurlab and published by Square Enix. It might be a long journey but all you’ll need is some determination and a good power washer.
“PowerWash Simulator” is a first-person shooter (FPS). Sort of. You are shooting at something but you’re shooting at dirt, grime and anything else filthy with your power washer. It’s not a high-octane experience like you would expect from a more standard FPS like “Call of Duty,” a movement shooter like “Ultrakill” or a retro FPS like “Cultic.” It’s a title in opposition to all of those. “PowerWash Simulator” is a relaxing and slow experience (Unless you’re playing with friends which would help speed-up the cleaning) that doesn’t ask too much of you.
Each level that you play in this game is presented as a different job. There is not a single job in the game where you won’t be cleaning. Each job will tell you how much you’re being paid when looking through them on the job menu (payments are further detailed when you take the job). You will be earning the money in increments since you get paid for every section that gets cleaned completely.
These jobs can range from something as simple as cleaning someone’s car to something as complicated as washing an entire Ferris wheel (the Ferris wheel is moving, but there is a button to shut it down to help with your cleaning). There are currently 55 jobs (Downloadable content (DLC) included) available in the game with plenty more to come. There’s also currently free DLC that includes crossover content in the form of jobs with “Final Fantasy VII” and “Tomb Raider.”
To help you clean all of these locations, there are four different levels of power washers that you can buy with the money you earn. Alongside this are different nozzles for each power washer that will help diversify your cleaning kit. There’s also different types of soaps that you can buy for washing specific surfaces, but I think the only useful one is the metal cleaner. The game isn’t on the cutting edge of graphics but the locations and objects you’re cleaning look nice and bright once all the grime is gone.
The gameplay isn’t complicated by any means which makes it an easily accessible experience, even for people that aren’t familiar with games. The gameplay loop may not sound interesting to most audiences, but there’s a lot of satisfaction to be had when looking at a freshly cleaned wall or driveway. Especially when coupled with a loud “ding” noise that plays after you finish (or get close to finshing) a specific section.
If you want to have a bit of fun outside of that, you could always just draw on the dirt using your power washer. You could play a game of tic tac toe with a friend on the side of the building you’re cleaning or you could write “Wash Me” like most people seem to do on dirty cars. There’s also an interesting story to keep track of through the job descriptions and text messages that you receive from the people that employ you.
“PowerWash Simulator” doesn’t break the mold of the gaming industry, but it doesn’t need to. The only molds that need to break are the ones that you find on the job. I recommend this game to anyone looking for a relaxing time that can be enjoyed with friends.