PowerWash Simulator is an extremely troublesome sport to justify having fun with if, like me, you are in your 30s and have a house that you’ve a critical grownup duty to keep up. There is a sure awkwardness to exhibiting this sport to your Dad, certain he’ll be excited — in any case, what could possibly be extra of a Dad sport than PowerWash Simulator? — solely to observe his eyes glaze over earlier than he silently heads out to his storage and begins utilizing his precise energy washer to truly deep-clean his precise driveway.
Alright, Dad, you’ve got made your level; but additionally, here is why it is utterly OK for me to play PowerWash Simulator despite the fact that I may simply use that point to go exterior and demoss my patio.
Look, I will admit that I did not perceive the attraction of this sport to start with both, however it all fell into place for me as soon as I realised what it truly is: a type of grownup colouring books, however in reverse.
Significantly, my Dad (who is much extra supportive and fewer judgemental than I’ve made him out to be for comedic functions, however was however unmoved by my early makes an attempt to promote him on PowerWash Simulator) completely loves grownup colouring books, paint-by-numbers kits, and different kinds of stress-free hobbies that can help you flip your mind off and simply vibe creatively for a bit. And that is what this sport is actually all about: soothing working water sounds interrupted solely by an encouraging little chime everytime you clear off an object, watching with light satisfaction as brilliant colors and glowing surfaces slowly emerge from beneath layers and layers of grime.
To sweeten the deal, early this 12 months PowerWash Simulator obtained a free DLC (licence courtesy of writer Sq. Enix) which lets you blast all of the muck off of the outside of Croft Manor from the traditional ’90s Tomb Raider video games whereas Lara sends you pleasant but casually classist texts. That is completely not one thing that occurs throughout real-life house responsibilities and renders this sport undeniably superior to actual cleansing in each conceivable manner. Perhaps if Squeenix made a Zombies, Run!-style house responsibilities app that solid you as Lara’s kitchen maid I would have a neater time getting the washing up completed and, um, this higher not awaken something in me.
Did I purchase PowerWash Simulator only for the Tomb Raider DLC? No, however in reality, I solely acquired round to it in any respect as a result of I acquired a Steam Deck for my birthday this 12 months. To be sincere, I most likely by no means would have checked this sport out on some other platform, Tomb Raider be damned; however I adopted a hunch that it could be nice on handheld, and certain sufficient it shortly turned my go-to sport for aimlessly kicking again with the Deck. There’s nothing fairly like sticking a livestream or podcast on within the background and simply chilling together with your energy washer for a few hours when you atone for all that content material you possibly can’t fairly carry your self to simply sit and take in but additionally cannot bear to overlook.
I truly needed to put a tough cease on my time with PowerWash Simulator beginning in early October, as a result of I realised I would by no means make a dent in all of the GOTY contenders I needed to play for consideration except I went chilly turkey. I will virtually actually find yourself selecting it again up over Christmas although. I will most likely make one other go at exhibiting it to my Dad whereas I am at it. Perhaps the free DLC — which now encompasses not solely Tomb Raider but additionally Closing Fantasy and, as of final week, a festive journey to the North Pole to stress wash Santa’s horrifically filthy workshop — might be sufficient to hype him up this time?
What video games did you lastly get round to taking part in in 2023 solely to search out that they had been among the many highlights of your 12 months? Tell us within the feedback!