The Zen of Squeaky Clean Incremental Progress
PowerWash Simulator 2 has been banned from the front room in our house. “Too much like work”, my wife says, as she unsubtly gestures to our front drive which has apparently become “a little slippery”. Well, at least I will be able to put my elite, newfound PowerWashing skills to good use.
I can kind of see where my wife is coming from. While PowerWash Simulator 2 has basically been my rock – a wellness boost – over the past few weeks, it’s also clearly not a spectator sport. I can’t imagine that watching another player methodically lather and then spray a barn is going to lead to some slap and tickle.
But I hug my copy of PowerWash Simulator 2 to my chest and defend it. This is forty hours of me-time in a box. I can kick back, put on Spotify, and incrementally clean a rollercoaster.
Uncovering The Qualities Of PowerWash Simulator 2
I didn’t play PowerWash Simulator 1, so this is all a bit new to me. Veterans will probably be reading this with a knowing, wry smile.
It is exactly what you imagine it to be. You’re placed in front of a hulking edifice that needs cleaning. Heaven knows how all of these buildings get so dirty: we can only imagine a Poop Vandal, tee-heeing as they lob excrement at a wall before running away. Whatever the cause, it’s a sign to pull the power-washer from your back.
I’m not even sure if I’m playing it the optimal way. Part of me couldn’t care less. My routine is to begin with something small, to get something notched early. So, I will saunter up, switch to my frother (I’m sure it has a better name) and then I will lather it. Up, down, up, down. Then I will sidestep and do it again, covering the whole kaboodle. Then it’s a satisfying click as I move to a wide-nozzled spray, which I use to go up, down, up and down again. The froth is gone, the blinding colours of the target are revealed (I’m sure it’s not this satisfying in real life) and I will check the % counter in the top-left of the screen to see how much headway I’ve made. Then it’s onto the next bit.
(All of the above is available in audiobook on Audible. It makes for delightful ASMR.)
Sure, sure, there are some other things that I allow into my routine. Some mucky roofs and ceilings are out of reach, so I’ll be forced to play with the various ladders, abseils and elevators to reach said muckiness. There’s also a kind of “wait, I missed a bit?” stage, where I am at 99% completion but not 100%, as there is clearly some bird poop that I confused for decoration. Off I trundle to follow helpful indicators that say “Dave, we tried to tell you”.
Sorry, Did Someone Say Something?
There’s some story stuff ping-pinging in the bottom-left corner of the screen. I don’t care for it, if I’m being honest with you. It wants me to pay attention when I am frankly in The Zone, and I am not altogether bothered about a stolen cat, a merman’s balls (?) and a naughty mayor.
I’m slightly more interested (but not much) in things to buy with all the money I have made from my power-washing. I feel a little worried about my dude and his business: he seems more interested in buying irrelevant furniture for his home and gently improving his nozzles, rather than stashing some away for food or a mortgage. Frankly, I found the one power-wash nozzle that I liked and stuck with it, completely afraid of change. The money-stuff washed over me (ha!).
But oh boy, the washing. It’s delightful. I find it’s best when developers FuturLab Limited embrace their inner child and get playful. A shooting range is a joy because – hey! – I am actually shooting. The spray causes targets to fall and cardboard yetis to jump out. Another example: a climbing wall needs to actually be climbed to reach its tough spots. And throughout the levels, doors open, mechanisms turn, and vehicles trundle, as certain elements become interactive.
If there was a suggestion box (a mucky one, of course, contributing 1% to my cleaning total), I’d request more of these moments. Slightly too many levels are a touch “is that it?”. I’m not sure what the criteria for inclusion was, but a Streetcar and Farm doesn’t meet it. They stand, indifferent, as I wash them, and I often wish that spraying a door would cause it to open and something, anything to happen. Even the Poop Vandal popping out.
While we’re at the suggestions box, I’d request some more outlandish props, too. The abseil is nice and intuitive to use, so it gets a bravo from me, but there aren’t many others like this. At least, not that I could find. It doesn’t matter to me if the real-world has failed to invent them yet: I want power-washing drones, ride-on sprayers, a jet-pack, a grappling hook. Turn me into a giant water bomb and let me fling myself at walls. Yeah, you heard me.
Washing With Friends
Oh, we should mention the multiplayer, as it’s different gravy. PowerWash Simulator 2 is astonishingly long, with a generous streak that could rival Saint Nick. We’re thirty hours in and still washing. But that’s because areas like the Rollerskating Rink are mahoosive: both large and intricate, with nooks that need to be washed out just as much as walls. It might seem daunting if it weren’t for multiplayer, both local (two-player) and online (up to four). Things go by so much faster when you have three other players, all with their designated washing spots. Not that my wife would join me.
I’ll end with an admission. While PowerWash Simulator 2 is good on Xbox, it’s better on Xbox for Windows. There’s a zigzagging inexactness to using a gamepad that can’t compare to the precision of a mouse. If you have a PC and the capability, we’d recommend taking advantage of the Play Anywhere feature and playing it there instead.
The Paradoxical Wellness Tool
PowerWash Simulator 2 is a paradox. It looks like work and should feel like it too, but it somehow ends up being a relaxation. When I need to empty my head (mucky, needs a rinse), I’ll boot up PowerWash Simulator 2 and give myself thirty minutes. Out comes the frothing nozzle, then up, down, up, down. Now switch to a wide nozzle. And before I know it, a couple of hours have washed away with the foam.
Important Links
Get Ready to Power Up! PowerWash Simulator 2 Release Date Confirmed – https://www.thexboxhub.com/get-ready-to-power-up-powerwash-simulator-2-announced/
PowerWash Simulator 2 Unveils Abseiling, Cat Companions, and More in New Gameplay Trailer – https://www.thexboxhub.com/powerwash-simulator-2-unveils-abseiling-cat-companions-and-more-in-new-gameplay-trailer/
Download from the Xbox Store (through Game Pass if you like) – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/powerwash-simulator-2/9p45ggdtfnsm
