PowerWash Simulator is one of those games that is almost therapeutic in nature. It might be due to the game requiring the player to perform repetitive motions to progress, much like doing chores. There’s no denying that the game has had a tremendous impact on simulator games and gaming in general. Then imagine my surprise when they announced PowerWash Simulator 2 out of nowhere. 2025
PowerWash Simulator 2 is a direct sequel to the first game. According to the developers, it takes place a few years after the events of the first game’s ending. The town is still reeling from the fallout of the mayor’s actions. (I’m surprised there’s an actual story to the game. Has that always been the case?) As for our character from the first game, we are now working out of an office building, instead of a garage. And we have access to a wider array of gadgets at our disposal. Some of which are present in the Steam demo we played recently.
The current demo of the game on Steam consists of two levels: a truck tutorial level and a public facility cleaning job.
Remember the truck you had to clean in your garage at the beginning of the first game? Yeah, you’re cleaning a moving truck for an antiques store now. The game right now treats you as the experienced cleaner your character is in-game. There is a bit of hand-holding, but it doesn’t plaster objectives on the screen like other tutorials would. Instead, you are free to figure out the controls at the pace you are comfortable with. If you’ve never played the first game or have no clue what the game is all about, you might not even know if you’re making progress or not. In case you don’t already know: you’re supposed to remove dirt and grime until the level is satisfied that you’ve cleaned off enough.
This is the ideal time to become familiar with your equipment. You have access to a general-purpose hose and a high-pressure one. Your choice of nozzle determines the coverage area you are spraying at any given time. A wide spread might cover more area, but a focused nozzle is key to removing stubborn spots. Also, you have access to soaps right off the bat. Very much appreciated.
The second job is where we learn about “multi-stage job”, or what I refer to as “the real surprise mechanics”. You start the job cleaning an unassuming small surface. I should have known something was up when I saw nothing else in the area to clean. The next thing I knew, a structure was rising from the ground, and that’s when I realized that I was cleaning a futuristic public toilet. And it was not just the dirty exterior I was commissioned to clean, but the dirty interior as well. Oh, joy.
Much like in the first game, at the conclusion of each level, we are treated to a time-lapse of all the work we did so that you can look back at your work with some semblance of pride. The second game expands on this idea, showing our character as part of the montage. Quite a neat idea, if you ask me.
Apparently, we have come a long way since our days in the first game. We were operating our business from inside a garage and taking jobs close to home. This time around, we have moved up in the world and now we operate inside a two-storey building. This is such a huge step up from the previous game. It almost justifies the creation of the sequel. Almost.
The new home base allows you to acquire and place furniture and decorations that are available in the store. I don’t know how you will unlock these items right now, but I’m assuming that they unlock gradually as you progress through the story. There is a catch, however. You will need to clean each item you add to your collection before you are able to place it inside your base. Talk about bringing your work home with you.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am quite excited to cram as much memorabilia in the home base as humanly possible. There is a real sense of progression in seeing your empty rooms slowly filling up with trophies and past accomplishments. And all the while, being accompanied by our pretty cat pals. We have definitely reached the peak of our careers. I wonder how it’ll go down from here?
Another thing I am looking forward to is the expanded map. We are no longer locked within the confines of Muckingham; we are now able to venture forth into the wider world to cleanse dirt-infested locations in Sponge Valley, Power Falls, and Lubri City. I also feel like this part of the game is structured perfectly to allow the seamless addition of future DLC stories, if they’re not too busy making arrangements to add crossover content again.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to play with any of the toys in this demo. I was curious about how the Bosun’s chair worked. (Yes, this is the thing you use to clean windows from the outside of tall buildings. I had no idea they were called that until now.) I have also seen previews of hydraulic platforms based on the trailers. I was looking forward to seeing how those worked as well. I guess I will have to wait a little longer to see them in action.
My expectations for the game are simple: more fascinating lore about what happened to the mayor from the first game, and stuff… a lot of stuff to decorate the home base with. The gameplay hasn’t really changed much from the first game. I don’t see the need to introduce any drastic changes. Why fix something that isn’t broken, am I right?
I predict that the game will go as well as the first game did when it launched. Since the developers are well-experienced in handling post-release content, we can assume that we will be getting more frequent updates, if not more carefully designed collaborations that will not frustrate the playerbase. I hope. If anything else, you don’t really need to be too creative if you want to surprise players. The multi-stage levels are a good enough idea as is.
From what I’ve played so far, PowerWash Simulator 2 really doesn’t intend to replace the first game in any way. But like any good direct sequel, it appears to build upon what made the series so beloved in the first place. I am very excited for the release of this game. In case it’s not obvious, I’m firmly in the camp of “you can’t go wrong with more PowerWash Simulator”. I just hope that content doesn’t trickle in like last time.
PowerWash Simulator 2 is set to be released on October 23rd, 2025, on PC (via Steam & Epic Games), Xbox Series X|S, Windows Store, PlayStation 5, & Nintendo Switch.
