PowerWash Simulator Review

When I heard that PowerWash Simulator was coming to consoles I got so excited that I literally counted down the days till it came out. I had previously played it on Steam and I loved it so much that I needed to play it again on my Xbox Series X.

In the game you have to build up your power washing business by cleaning things with a power washer. Simple, right? It’s played in first-person and can feel very relaxing.

Sadly, I had been stuck upstairs in my bedroom all week thanks to COVID and there was only so much LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga I could play before feeling like LEGO myself, so I was very glad when PowerWash Simulator came out and I could start playing right away.

I had played it on Steam while it was still in Early Access and I had played it a few times with my husband in the past, but when it came to Xbox One and X|S I wanted to give it another go with him. Since the game allows crossplay, I just had to send him a code while he was downstairs on his PC and I was stuck upstairs on the Xbox so he could join my level.

When you start the game it brings up a menu where you can choose Career Mode, Specials, Challenge Mode, and Free Play. In Career Mode you can clean various things, including a house, fire station, tree house, some vehicles, and many more. In Specials you can clean the Mars Rover, Gnome Fountain, Mini Golf Course, and a Steam Locomotive. Also in Specials you can get money from the levels to help buy things in Career Mode. Challenge Mode lets you play through levels with either a time limit or a water limit. Free Play just lets you play levels again.

As you make money finishing jobs, you will want to use the in-game shop to spend your money. The shop gives you access to Power Washers, Equipment, Cleaning Liquids, Clothing, and Modifications. Things are unlocked as you progress through the game, so while at first you have a weak power washer, you can improve it with hose extensions until you can buy an upgraded one. Once you have a cleaning liquid nozzle you can buy various soaps to make it easier to clean, say, glass objects. Clothing and Modifications are purely cosmetics. When you play with other people, you can only use the items that the host has purchased. But if your friend has better upgrades then you, you can use what they have brought, so it’s not always a bad thing!

The graphics are nice and bright, and all of the levels are really well designed. Even the areas outside of where you’re cleaning look great, and I wish I could explore further! There isn’t any music and not much in the way of sound effects, so I usually listened to music on my phone as I played. I didn’t really mind the lack of other sounds, as the noise of water spraying would probably have drowned it out anyway.

PowerWash Simulator is a relaxing game to play, and I lost hours just wanting to finish a level and losing track of time. The game saves your progress so it’s not like I had to finish every part in one sitting, I was just so captivated. Thank you FuturLab for an amazing game.

PowerWash Simulator is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows.