I don’t know about you but as a kid and even an adult, I’m not too fond of housework and chores and will do anything to put them off and do them later. As a parent now though, I have no choice but to plough on through just for the sake of a tidy house for ten minutes until it’s a mess again. I have found as a grown-up though there is a smidge of excitement in some tasks. Lawn mowing is one and power washing is the other. When the Karcher powerwash comes out of the shed, even the kids are desperate for a crack at washing the car or blowing the dirt off the garden patio.

Well, we’ve recently had Lawn Mowing Simulator launch to the world and now we have Powerwash Simulator developed by Futurlab Limited and published by Square Enix Ltd. After plenty of testing and overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam for PC, we see the arrival of the high-pressured funfest arrive on the Xbox family of consoles. Not only that though, but it has also launched onto Xbox Game Pass and can be enjoyed by all who are part of the subscription. So grab your waterproof overalls and waste no time.

Introduction

There are a plethora of simulation games on consoles now, granted there are more wacky and wonderful ones on the PC platform, but most end up on Xbox eventually. Powerwash Simulator is the latest craze to drop into Xbox Game Pass and is proving so popular that it is currently the fourth most played title in the catalogue with only Forza Horizon 5, FIFA 22 and Rainbow Six Siege brushing it to one side. This game does what it says on the tin and it is simply power washing, but what the developers have created here is something that is not only intriguing but oddly addictive once you start spraying. The beauty of Xbox Game Pass is the ability to try before you buy or even play something to death while you have the chance. Powerwash Simulator is one of those games that I wish I’d played sooner as I actually adore its calm and therapeutic attention to detail. There is nothing more rewarding than cleaning something that is absolutely grim and leaving the end result gleaming.

Gameplay

Powerwash Simulator eases you in gently with a clean in the garage. You’ll be washing your car and ensuring that it is absolutely spotless and this is the perfect opportunity to get to grips with the control scheme. Playing this is an absolute doddle and even my four-year-old son picked it up in no time at all. Simply pull the right trigger to blast away with the washer and use the analogue stick to control where you want your stream of water to target.

There is a little more to just watching dirt disappear and with the array of nozzles, it gives you a chance to play around with different ways to get the job done. Changing these nozzles and adding extension hoses give you different coverage levels and allow you to reach hard to get to spots. There are ladders and stools that you can carry around and place in a location that suits you if you want a leg up. As you progress you’ll earn more cash which will enable you to invest in more reliable equipment, chemicals to make cleaning easier and even cosmetics such as fancy gloves and colourful skins for your powerwasher.

Visibly you’ll be able to see what is becoming perfectly clean and what is still mucky, but I found that there is no one behind you to say “You missed a bit!”. Not an issue though as a click of the right button on the D-pad will display what is left to be cleansed by glowing in bright orange. This makes it straightforward to go back and get into all the nooks and crannies required to finish the job. You can refer to your tablet which will indicate what you have and haven’t completed and the payment received and expected for each area of the environment you’re tending to.

How Does It Handle?

I was seriously impressed at how smooth and realistic the game was. I’ve played far too many simulation games where areas are lacking, not realistic, riddled with bugs or just so basic the experience becomes a bore. I spent approximately 10-12 hours with Powerwash Simulator and achieved a solid 60FPS locked on Xbox Series X which is the most polished “simulator” game I’ve had to endure. Switching nozzles is a breeze and you can even rotate it to spray horizontally or vertically.

Co-Op Powerwashing You Say?

If you’re bored of tackling an entire level by yourself then you can call for help from your online buddies. Powerwashing Simulator supports cross-platform online multiplayer co-op for up to six players. Whilst I didn’t test this aspect for this review, this can extend the possibilities of the game and also give players longevity and replayability.

Graphics 

I’ve played an awful lot of simulation titles with sub-par graphics and a wealth of bugs that make the game unbearable to play or just hamper the experience. Powerwash Simulator is an all-around magnificent visual presentation. The different environments ranging from a car in the garage to a backyard, a crazy golf course and even a huge playground are all wonderfully displayed. I encountered zero bugs or glitches throughout my time with the game and whilst admittedly I haven’t finished absolutely everything on offer in the game because there is a lot, I have every faith that the rest of the content will be spot on. There is a vibrance of colour awash throughout certain levels, especially areas such as the playground where the flooring is covered with vivid coloured synthetic rubber.

The animation of the powerwasher is the highlight of the game by far. With a plethora of different nozzles, extension hoses, chemicals and better equipment there are several ways to get the results of a sparkling clean. You enter pretty much every entire surface covered in dirt and grime and as you progress you start to feel like you’re really achieving something. Standing back and observing the difference between what you’ve cleaned and what is still filthy not only shows you the mammoth task that is in front of you, but also brings a feeling of true satisfaction. The water effects are brilliant with clouds of vapour emitting from the end of the forceful blasts with trickles of liquid residue cascading down wherever you’re washing.

Audio

There isn’t much to speak of when it comes to the audio department in Powerwash Simulator. If you’re a fan of in-game music then it is non-existent here and you’ll have to make do with the constant sound of the powerwasher. For me though, this is the perfect game to zone out to my personal playlists on Spotify or listen to my favourite gaming podcasts. To be fair to the developers, there isn’t much more they can do other than ensure the sound effects that are there have been nailed, and they have. I noticed that whatever you’re washing had different sounds, for instance, the difference between blasting scum off wood or metal mirrored how it would really sound.

In Conclusion

Powerwash Simulator has a strangely addictive nature to it and you really have to play it to understand why. Before I took the plunge and played this I was questioning what the appeal was, simply because watching someone power wash is just as boring as in real life, you are itching for a go. Anyone who has read my reviews knows that I have played and reviewed almost every simulator-based experience on console. This one is by far the most polished in terms of its visual appearance and mechanics. What I would have loved a bit more depth to the overall package. What I mean by this is potential some deep business management aspects and more control over finances. What is here though is a rock-solid gameplay loop that will consume you for hours on end and by some kind of magic is just as satisfying as power-washing in person. Since it is part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription at the time of writing, it is well worth a download to see if it clicks with you.