REVIEW: ‘Powerwash Simulator 2’ Is the Kind of R&R We Need Right Now

With how stressful 2025 has made life for all of us, we need more games that are pure bliss and mind-numbing to play. Thank goodness Powerwash Simulator 2 is finally here. The sequel to FuturLab’s 2022 hit cleaning sim game has elevated the genre in even more ways. No management stress, fixed previously annoying mechanics, and the introduction of massive game-changing elements make Powerwash Simulator 2 even more chill, and it is the de facto stress relief game we need.

Taking place after the powerwasher saved the world in the first game, they are back in action. Now, their business has expanded past Muckingham to the nearby towns and cities. And business is booming. Yet as things slowly get back to normal (and become spotless once again), something dark happens to the one place that is keeping our world safe. The gems that helped suppress the volcano were stolen! You are now tasked to answer the call, clean everything, and rescue the gems before a new disaster strikes. 

Powerwash Simulator 2‘s story is as nonsensical as ever. Even while involving more characters, the text-based storytelling just doesn’t seem to have the same progression as the first game. The introduction of a mystery was neat and gave some levity to the different jobs. At the same time, there was a sense of the levels being less connected, only really making sense about what is happening once you reach the last stage. 

But Powerwash Simulator 2 not having an outstanding story is ultimately not that much of a negative. The presentation adds to the evidence that if you want to ignore the story and just clean, you can. You’ll still find dozens of hours of enjoyment just the same. Of all the elements, the changes to the story are its weakest part. But don’t let that fool you. This game is as stress-free as ever and makes powerwashing random objects/locations even more fun. 

Powerwash Simulator 2 will actually make you obsessed with its soap mechanics.

One of the most satisfying mechanics to use in Powerwash Simulator 2, regardless of how powerful your powerwashers get, is by far the soap. Previously, soaps could only be used with specific purchasable detergents that worked best on particular types of objects—wood detergent for wood objects, metal detergent for metal, etc. It would simply clean a larger area quickly, but only for a limited time. 

The soap’s tediousness is now completely gone. Instead, it serves as a step one to a two-step process. Soap now coats whatever you spray in a nice sudsy layer. Once you cover everything, all that muck and grime will spray off effortlessly with just about any nozzle.

Soaps are especially helpful when you reach that 99% point for an object. When you can’t find that last microspec of dirt, soap will cover only the dirty spots as you spray it.  Even while it’s still limited, soap refills over time as you spray off the already-soapy areas. For the smallest levels, you can clean them almost instantaneously by soaping the whole thing down, but you’ll end up with dings in your ears. 

Regarding the level designs in Powerwash Simulator 2, they’re all impressively detailed. Fine touches like a workable rollercoaster, a shooting gallery with numerous interactable objects that change when you hit their targets. They are all overshadowed by the new multi-stage levels. 

The various details in each level and in the cleaning mechanics immerse players in the muck.

This is highlighted by the second level you play in Powerwash Simulator 2 – the mid-street bathroom. Once you finish cleaning what seems to be a sign for a bathroom, the entire floor rises to reveal the actual bathroom itself. Finish the outside, and then the door opens, allowing you to clean up the inside. 

When the multi-stage levels appear, their presentation is exceptional. It’s just a shame that despite the significant focus on this mechanic, it was used very infrequently. Especially in levels where you’d expect the stage to evolve as you play, like the Barn and Silo, it doesn’t. But maybe it’s for the better that multi-stage levels aren’t overutilized. When they do change, it makes that moment all the more impactful.

They are mainly used to emphasize massive leaps in the story. In that regard, they’re used quite well. You’re really paying attention when a whole new area opens up, and the game knows that. They give you big “lore bombs” at these times. 

Regardless, Powerwash Simulator 2 has made more vertical and intricate levels. And with them, FuturLab has given us many more tools to use to navigate them. Every tool from the first game feels better to use. This includes the ladders and multi-level scaffolding. Ladders are smoother to climb and easier to aim at. Every scaffolding now has much more apparent directionality to help you set it up as you want, and it has ladders on each side.

A variety of different tools adds new, exciting challenges for players with some quirks.

It’s particularly helpful when you have a narrower, taller object to clean. The scaffolding can be used much more broadly, rather than having to move it around constantly to cover every spot. These are very easily overshadowed by the new tools, though.

The scissor lift and chair lift give much better control over how you clean taller objects. They each add a new level of free-flowing movement and precision with cleaning. But they are also more limited. The chair lift itself is infrequently used. And even then, they can only be used on specific walls, similar to the deployable ladder. At least the scissor lift can be placed just about anywhere in the more expansive levels. 

Finally, let’s talk about the nozzles and attachments beyond the soaps. The biggest, newest one is a spinning buffer head. This one was not nearly as satisfying to use, and a stronger power washer quickly outshone it. It’s clumsy when used and only really works on purely flat surfaces. Any jagged edges or using it near the edge of an elevated platform will lead to some wonky, albeit frustrating, interactions, particularly when the spinner flips all over the place as it switches between the side and the top part of an object that you’re trying to clean. 

Regardless, the remaining powerwash nozzles are constantly helpful and satisfying to use throughout the 30+ jobs you’ll do in Powerwash Simulator 2. Even the newer ones, like the adaptable nozzle head, which can change the angle of the shot water more gradually than the base four nozzles, still come in handy even after already unlocking the still-overpowered triple nozzle head. 

The greatest weakness of Powerwash Simulator 2 is its home base mechanic.

What is especially nice is how the dirt gets cleaned. The detail in the dirt, grime, and muck is impressive and is fitting for each job. For example, there is an emphasis on wet fallen leaves on roofs or more rust on metallic objects. The cleaning itself makes having more detail pay off. Some of the grime sticks, or takes longer to clean off with wider-angle, less powerful nozzles. What you initially see being displayed in the environment also makes sense based on what you first observe. 

That attention to detail in Powerwash Simulator 2 also helps you plan your attack earlier on to take it all out efficiently. You don’t have to use the highest power or the narrowest nozzle. You can plan to soap specific objects first that appear dirtier than others. Then hit the more easily cleanable areas with the 45-degree nozzle head for a quick sweep (and fast dings). 

Yet one major new mechanic in Powerwash Simulator 2 wasn’t as impressive in its execution. The home base quickly fell to the wayside, being visited minimally. Decorating the base felt much clunkier compared to lining up the different equipment throughout a level. You could never arrange the purchasable objects exactly the way you’d want them to fit in a single decorated space. Similarly, the objects aren’t as satisfying to clean as expected. If they had multiple targets to clean (including the dings), maybe then they’d be much more fun to make spotless. 

Powerwash Simulator 2 really has hit at the perfect time once again. Its stress-free gameplay feels so much better to use, especially in ways where you wouldn’t expect improvement. Its new tools fit very well into any playstyle. Just about every level is well designed with enough differences never to feel repetitive. And the dings still hit as strongly as ever. While the home base and story were lacking, they didn’t bring down an excellent product. Now that the over thirty levels are completed, the next question we should all be asking is, “When can we get more?” 

Powerwash Simulator 2 is available on October 23rd on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.