PowerWash emulator If you’re in your 30s, like me, and have a family that requires adult responsibilities to maintain, this game will be hard to justify enjoying. There’s a certain awkwardness to showing this game to your dad, but of course he’ll be excited – after all, what better game for dad than PowerWash Simulator? – just watched his eyes glaze over before he silently headed to the garage and started using his real power washer to really deep clean his real driveway.
Well, dad, you’ve made your point; and, that’s why I’m totally fine with playing PowerWash Simulator even though I could be using this time to go out and clean my patio.
Look, I admit I didn’t understand the appeal of this game at first either, but once I realized what it actually was, everything clicked for me: an adult coloring book, but in reverse.
iGamesNews
Seriously, my dad (who is more supportive and less judgmental than I let on for comedic purposes, but still unimpressed by my early attempts to sell him on PowerWash Simulator) absolutely loves adult coloring books, Coloring books-by-number kits and other types of relaxing hobbies that allow you to switch off your brain and get creative. That’s what this game is really all about: the soothing sound of running water is only interrupted by an encouraging little chime every time you clean an object, looking at the bright colors and shiny surfaces slowly with a sense of gentle satisfaction. Slowly emerging from the layers of dirt.
To sweeten the deal, earlier this year PowerWash Simulator received a free DLC (licensed by publisher Square Enix) that allows you to blow up all the exteriors of Croft Manor from the classic ’90s Tomb Raider game Dirt, while Laura sends you friendly but casual classicist texts. This is definitely not what happens in real-life housework, and makes this game undeniably superior to real cleaning in every way. Maybe if Squeenix made a Zombie Run-style housekeeping app that let you play as Lara Croft’s kitchen maid, I could do the dishes more easily, and, well, it better not awaken anything in me thing.
Did I buy PowerWash Simulator for the Tomb Raider DLC? No, but I actually just got the Steam Deck because of my birthday this year. To be honest, I would probably never play this game on any other platform, Tomb Raider be damned; but I had a gut feeling that it would be great on a handheld, and sure enough it quickly became my rambling Destination Play Deck’s preferred games. There’s nothing better than relaxing with a live stream or podcast playing in the background and washing your hands for a few hours while you can’t quite sit back and absorb it all, but also not be able to give it your full attention. Can’t bear to miss it.
I actually had to strictly stop using PowerWash Simulator for a while starting in early October because I realized that unless I quit suddenly, I was never going to make any progress in all the GOTY contenders I had to consider. I will almost certainly pick it back up over Christmas, though. When I do, I’ll probably try to show it to my dad again. Maybe the free DLC (which now includes not only Tomb Raider but also Final Fantasy, as well as last week’s holiday trip to the North Pole to pressure-clean Santa’s horribly filthy workshop) will be enough to get him excited this time ?
What games did you finally get around to playing in 2023, only to find that they were one of the highlights of your year? Let us know in the comments!
