Powerwash Simulator 2 offers more of the same relaxation, but can it warrant its sequel status?
I’ve got quite into rug cleaning videos recently. You may have seen them on YouTube and TikTok: the most horrendously filthy, black, infested rugs are sloshed with an inordinate amount of water and soap, and scrubbed with a plethora of brushes and scrapers until brightly coloured patterns (usually from the 70s) emerge from underneath. These videos are immensely satisfying and relaxing to watch. I’ve spent far too long getting sucked in by the soothing sounds of a water jet pummeling dirt away. I just wonder where people even find these rugs?!
Powerwash Simulator scratches a similar, ASMR-esque itch. Perhaps that’s partly why the 2022 game became such an unlikely hit – it’s the anti-FPS, where you aim and shoot to cleanse rather than kill. The environments are warm and inviting, despite the dirt, and there’s no soundtrack beyond your water spray and the “ping!” of a job well done.
FuturLab recognises that unexpected success and, with this sequel, is aiming to become the developer of what it calls ‘soothing games’. And Powerwash Simulator 2 certainly is a soothing experience – I played the sequel for around two hours and it was a perfectly pleasant time. But as the dust has re-settled from the first game ready for another clean, I’m not quite convinced this does enough to warrant sequel status.
The studio admitted this is an evolution not a revolution. It’s the sort of sequel that retains what players enjoyed from the first game, but now with various minor improvements. There’s a new Dirt Finder, for instance, where each job is divided into subtasks that are still unclean, and which are then revealed in the environment with a target. It ensures it’s easier to find spots to clean without spamming the highlight dirt button repeatedly. There’s a new adaptable nozzle too, so you can easily scroll through different spray widths without switching to a new device each time. There’s also a new home-base you’ll be able to customise and chill in with friends between jobs.
Then there are the visuals, which have received a pleasing – if not drastic – upgrade. Listed out, the improvements seem solid enough: environments are more detailed, texture quality has seen a “significant jump”, dirt particles now match the type of dirt you’re squirting away, better lighting ensures a cosy vibe. Yet in practice, these are the sorts of changes you’ll only notice in side-by-side comparisons. At a glance, this is the same (if slightly refined) Powerwash Simulator. And while the visual effect of water following gravity down vertical surfaces looks more realistic, it doesn’t impact gameplay by realistically dripping as you’d expect. FuturLab said this is for performance and to avoid frustration, but it’s another example of the sequel bringing visual tweaks over changes to gameplay.
The preview build started off simply enough with a removal van job that had me crouching to clean in and around the wheels, as well as climbing up to its roof. These sorts of bite-sized, manageable tasks I think are where Powerwash Simulator has always shined and that’s still the case here. I squirted methodically across each surface, switching between vertical and horizontal sprays; the game rewarded me with visual cleanliness and that joyful ping. It’s a simple pleasure. (If only deep cleaning were this easy in real life.)
Next up I got to try one of the new multi-stage jobs: the public facility. What started off as a sort of advertisement in the ground then popped up once cleaned to reveal the outside of the facility. Once that was fully washed, the door opened to reveal a grimy public toilet, covered in rancid greens and slimy browns. You could practically smell the stench through the screen, but my powerwash jet made quick work of it all. This approach to level design is a smart update in Powerwash Simulator 2 – where sometimes larger jobs can feel overwhelming by their sheer size, here the scale is divided into smaller pieces to feel far more doable, and allows for more intricate, almost puzzle-like, designs.
Two other jobs showed off some new methods to get around levels. The Art Deco House included a scissor lift I could position around the residence and then rise upwards to reach a somewhat hidden balcony, that proved far more convenient than a step ladder. Then there was a huge billboard that included abseiling equipment to swing from side-to-side as I sprayed, although the controls felt a little awkward. Both of these seem like a requirement as the size of jobs increases, and I was nowhere near finishing either of these levels. We weren’t able to test multiplayer in this preview, but Powerwash Simulator 2 will have online co-op with shared campaign progression, as well as two-player split-screen co-op. Those bigger jobs are far more entertaining with friends as you chat away and divvy up squirting responsibilities.
What seemed to be lacking, at least from this preview, is a big new idea to draw players in, beyond another promised bizarre storyline. Powerwash Simulator was a success because it was such a quirky novelty, albeit with a solid game underneath. Now that novelty has been washed away in the sequel, and while what’s left remains an enjoyable experience, it doesn’t feel as fresh. For some players, a quick spruce up will be enough – and I can’t deny that two hours flew by as I settled into a meditative state of easing the water jet rhythmically back and forth, the stress of the day easing away, my mind wandering despite the focused work.
Yet what also made the first game a success were the unlikely collaborations that had players cleaning the Croft Manor from Tomb Raider, or the Seventh Heaven bar from Final Fantasy 7, and plenty more. If that sort of DLC is set to continue, it’ll no doubt extend the life of Powerwash Simulator 2 considerably. With that in mind, this refined sequel provides FuturLab the perfect platform to continue tweaking and experimenting with its cleaning sim – as long as the dirt doesn’t wear too thin. Perhaps we could even get some rug cleaning DLC to really get the ASMR tingles going – and monopolise my relaxation time for good.
