It’s hard to believe that it’s only been three years since developer FuturLab bestowed the blessing of PowerWash Simulator upon us mere mortals. While I’d still consider the game somewhat of a niche title, it’s growing level of popularity (no doubt helped along by streamers and YouTube playthroughs) and addictively satisfying gameplay have managed to scratch a unique itch for many out there. This pleasantly surprising level of success even allowed FuturLab the opportunity to self-publish their recently released sequel, PowerWash Simulator 2, without the aid of Square Enix Collective (publisher of the original).

For the legions of confused newcomers looking to wield the mighty hose for the first time, allow me to explain what PowerWash Simulator is. Players control a customisable avatar dropped into one of many absolutely filthy maps of varying sizes and complexity, tasked with cleaning up every inch of grime using a selection of high-pressure power washing tools. And that’s pretty much it. Sure, this might sound like the most uninteresting gameplay concept you’ve ever heard of, (and this may still be the case for a lot of people) but the novelty of the experience, coupled with the sheer satisfaction of watching surfaces covered in dirt slowly reveal their secrets and the relaxing, zero-stress approach to getting the job done proves a potent combination for those wanting to wind down after a tough day, or merely looking for something to do while listening to music.



There is an overarching storyline continuing on from the first game, delivered mainly through intermittent mid-level text messages. You don’t need to pay attention to these bits of contextual information and lore drops, but doing so will certainly enhance your overall enjoyment of the title – providing explanations for how levels ended up in their current disgusting state, typically in humorous fashion.

PowerWash Simulator 2 makes zero attempt to reinvent what was already established in the original title, which I’m sure fans will be eternally thankful for. There are additions, to be sure, but these all fall firmly under the quality-of-life category – enhancing the washing process in some truly excellent (and timesaving) ways. The new circular surface cleaner, for example, makes short work of floors and tops of structures/buildings, although catching the edge or corner of a nearby wall with the device can result in some odd movement – and I’d highly recommend pointing the camera down towards your feet to ensure effective cleaning here with minimal hiccups or lifting. The shiny new scissor lift and abseiling gadgets are another double godsend, especially if you’re up against a tall structure (like a billboard or climbing wall). I used to dread these kinds of levels in the first game, but now I enthusiastically welcome them.



Dirt highlight colour may also be changed to suit your personal preference now (optional location icons for identifying missed areas are also included), and your soap dispenser limitations have been lifted. In fact, there seems to be a noticeable increase in levels prominently featuring thicker grime clusters to accommodate this soap adjustment, for better or worse. Of course, you could always just brute force your way through these sections without touching the frothy stuff, but doing so is highly ill-advised unless you enjoy tripling your cleaning time.

Aside from these gameplay tweaks and equipment changeups, several interesting gimmicks have been thrown into the mix. You now have three adorable cats to relentlessly pet (power washes have no effect on them, unfortunately), appearing in select spots within every level and at your home base. Yes, you read that right – you finally have access to your very own piece of real estate. Here is where you can hang out between levels, buy (and clean before awkwardly placing) furniture, check out news articles providing even more exposition and world-building, as well as marvel at your growing collection of tiny decorative models earned through level completion. The new in-universe level selector, cleverly disguised as a world map, now makes it clearer than ever where exactly your contracts are situated – for those who care about that sort of thing.



In terms of technical performance, PowerWash Simulator 2 is mostly bug-free on PlayStation 5, save for some framerate fluctuations and the occasional bit of cleaning equipment-related weirdness, usually with regards to unusual physics behaviour. I kept running into an issue where picking up and placing scaffolding while against a wall (invisible or otherwise) would lift me up off the ground – and I’d then have to run down what felt like an invisible ladder to reset the issue. The gas station map had me scratching my head for a while, as well, thanks to a tiny bit of dirt appearing seemingly unreachable, apparently located on an inaccessible wall. I ended up solving the problem by slamming the surface cleaner around the general area until that oh-so-sweet ding of completion graced my ears.

It’s also worth noting that the autosave-related crashes I ran into in the original game seem to be non-existent here, at least so far. The jury’s still out on whether the odds of encountering this anomaly have been reduced to zero, so bear that in mind. Still, I’d advise disabling the feature and settling for manual saves as a precaution.



PowerWash Simulator 2 does exactly what it needed to do in order to remain within the fanbase’s good graces – keeping the core gameplay intact while offering more cleaning options and quality-of-life changes to sweeten the deal. Fans of the original know what they’re getting into here, and newcomers will reap the benefits of a slightly more feature-rich and polished experience. Now all that remains is to patiently wait for further inevitable DLC announcements.