Get into the Spring Cleaning spirit with PowerWash Simulator!  Yeah they’ll make a game out of anything these days, won’t they?  View the action in a first person shooter style perspective as you spray away dirt on vehicles, backyard patios, playgrounds, and much more!  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

There are several modes to choose from to start.  Career mode lets you earn money from jobs so you can buy new nozzles, sprayers, soaps, and more.  There are also special stages where you’ll power wash things like the Mars Rover or a steam locomotive!  You can also do Free Play or take on challenges.  There are also special DLC stages you can buy, like Lara Croft’s manor from Tomb Raider or locations and vehicles from Final Fantasy 7!

Even though you use pretty much every single button on the controller, play control is very intuitive.  You’ll move and aim with the L and R sticks, spray water with the R trigger, switch nozzles with the shoulder buttons, and equip cleaners with the face buttons.  You can also jump and duck.  My only problem was that it was hard to tell at first if I equipped a cleaner or not.  But you have to buy a special nozzle for that and they don’t tell you that in the instructions.  And man the soaps run out quickly!

Really my only problem is that they are way too persnickety when it comes to finishing a job.  You have to clean every nook and crevice.  You can press a button to see the dirt easier, which helps.  But I wish they were a bit more lenient with that.  Luckily you can save at any time and start exactly where you left off, which is nice since some of the jobs are a bit too big for one sitting!  While you wouldn’t want to use a real power washer the way they do here (like spraying doors and such), it’s still pretty realistic.  You can even write your name in the dirt!  Oh yeah, there is a co-op mode, but it’s online only.  I wish they could’ve implemented a split screen mode for some local co-op fun.  So if you want a unique and relaxing game experience, PowerWash Simulator really cleans up otherwise.

Kid Factor:

Nothing violent or objectionable here.  Reading skill is helpful for the menu text, and younger gamers may need help with some of the longer jobs.  But kids do like to do pretend ‘grown up’ jobs, that’s why they still sell toy lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, workbench and kitchen playsets.  So they might like to do some pretend power washing, too.  PowerWash Simulator is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews