Sometimes, I look at a game idea and just laugh. "That sounds so silly," I say out loud to myself and no one else in particular, "is that actually a thing?" One Google search and a hydrating glass of water later...well, results may vary, but oftentimes, yes it's a real thing. That's generally how I feel with many games that have the word "Simulator" in the title; ever since "Goat Simulator" burst onto the scene, it feels like so many games have worked to put their own little weird spin on the whole "Simulator" style of game. A lot of times, they sound stupid, but actually end up being good games. This brings me to "PowerWash Simulator," a game that was thrown onto my proverbial doorstep by a biker who might've mixed it up with all the newspapers...which is a shame because I wanted that paper for my collection...and to see the sports score. Well, one minor temper tantrum and another hydrating glass of water later, I took it inside. To be honest, I downloaded this off of Xbox Game Pass out of sheer irony: at the time of the monthly Game Pass lineup, it was either this or "My Friend Peppa Pig." And I did actually try the "Peppa Pig" game...if you want to call it a game. But I hoped that maybe this "Simulator" would actually be pretty fun. Over 50 hours (and several hydrating glasses of water) later, I came to realize that it took over my life...but I'm not upset about it. In fact, I'm massively surprised.
"PowerWash Simulator" is the kind of game I'm not sure how I enjoyed as much as I did, but I did. There's something so bizarre and ridiculous about the concept that makes it feel like it shouldn't work...but it does. Or rather, it seems like something you might get a kick out of for a minute before putting down...but it's not. Cleaning things with your powerwasher is honestly extremely fulfilling, and you largely finish with a sense that you really accomplished something. There's a really relaxed pace to it all, too; there's no rush, no time limit, just go with the flow and wash as you see fit. Upgrades also help balance things out a lot, and goofily enough, there is a slightly humorous, quirky story hidden underneath all of this. It's not very outward, but you can probably glean a laugh or two from some of the in-game moments. I also will say I found "PowerWash Simulator" to be surprisingly beneficial for me as someone who deals with things like OCD and ADHD; it helped give me something to really focus in on, and it put my constantly cyclical nature to very good use. I don't know how many games, good or bad, I can say were like that, so that's pretty impressive.
That said, it's not a flawless experience. Even if it doesn't necessarily "lose" its novelty, the game could feel a bit long. It stays enjoyable, but that's kind of in spite of itself, given that it largely follows the same structure throughout. If it pleases the court, it took me 58(!!!) hours to complete the campaign, which is probably the most hours I've ever put into a game with something of a "story mode" or "single-player mode" that I could beat. Thus, if you're put off by length (especially for a game like this that is not exactly moving at a lightning-quick pace), this won't be for you. Also, I'll admit that the game can be a bit finicky in terms of telling you how much you’ve cleaned of something: one minute, you'll be meticulously searching for one speck of grime that you missed, while the next you'll be cleaning something halfway before the game tells you "oh, that's fine!" One or the other, guys, one or the other.
Overall, "PowerWash Simulator" is the kind of game that shouldn't work, but it does. It's a shockingly fun, addictive game that offers plenty of content for your buck. It's not for everyone, and I think the long length of the campaign mode will absolutely be a turn-off for some, but if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded with a game you might have trouble putting down. Hell, it could even take over your life as it did with mine. At $25, it's a pretty good price (especially given the sheer amount of content), and if you're an Xbox Game Pass subscriber...at least give it a shot. But be careful if you find a real-life powerwasher; those things seem unwieldy.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"