PowerWash Simulator 2 Switch 2 Review

PowerWash Simulator 2 Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

I’m not a huge fan of doing chores, but surprisingly, I am a big fan of doing simulated chores. If my wife asks me to wash the car, I die a little inside knowing I’ll be giving up an hour or two of gaming to make sure my Pajero is nice and shiny. But if you task me with spending 30 or so hours power washing all manner of items in a video game, then shut up and take my money. PowerWash Simulator on the Switch 1 was a fantastic experience that let players wash away their stress in an almost zen-like setting. Now, the sequel to that game is arriving on the sequel to that console, and I couldn’t be happier to check it out. What’s it like? Soap up, scrub down, and prepare to get wet as we review PowerWash Simulator 2 for Nintendo Switch 2.

I also want to give a shout-out to a fellow Power Washer and a huge supporter of What’s It Like, Nicked Fenyx. I hope you’ve been enjoying this one as much as I have, mate!

PowerWash Simulator 2 is back, and your business is booming in Muckingham, letting you take jobs even further out from the city to new locations like Sponge Valley, Power Falls, and Lubri City. This time around, you can customise your office in between jobs using PowerWash points while saving your precious money for essential upgrades. Futurlab have upped the ante with jobs, introducing multi-stage tasks that evolve as you clean. An early example of this is a public toilet, where cleaning the exterior causes it to rise further from the ground, revealing a new exterior and interior area to wash. These jobs are usually interesting, and I found that the balance between larger tasks and smaller jobs is just right. It keeps the gameplay flowing and gives players a good sense of progression instead of getting stuck on monumental tasks that slow the pace. There is also a range of new tools, like a suspension harness and a floor scrubbing disk, that add something fresh to the gameplay. It never reinvents the wheel, but it aims to improve on the first game. Credit where credit is due, I feel like Futurlab has achieved that here.

Gameplay follows the solid structure of the first game. You pick a job, clean, and then use your money to upgrade gear to take your business to the next level. While it could be seen as “more of the same,” the developers made plenty of quality-of-life changes that impact the game in ways that make it less of a grind and focus more on what made the first game so good. One major change is how soap works. You no longer have to purchase limited bottles that ran out too fast and ate into your profits. Instead, you simply buy the soap attachment and can sud things up to your heart’s content. Hardware limitations mean you can only dispense a certain amount of soap before washing it away, but you can rinse and repeat as much as you like.

The game also seems more forgiving with cleaning surfaces. Many frustrations from the first game came from hunting for specs of dirt despite desperately mashing the eagle eye vision button. In PowerWash Simulator 2, those moments are few and far between, and as you get closer to the end of a job, your to-do list highlights sections much more accurately. Gear switching and upgrades are also easier. You can assign attachments to the d-pad and tap to change the length of your washer, nozzle type, and, like the first game, the width with a simple button press. If you need a particular part for a job but are strapped for cash, you can refund previous upgrades to purchase something else. There are plenty of smaller changes that improve gameplay across the board. It feels like Futurlab has listened to player feedback and made the game less of a chore while keeping the fun and satisfaction that made the first title so appealing.

There is plenty of content on offer here in PowerWash Simulator 2. From decorating offices to a wide variety of new jobs, fans of the game will have more than enough to do. There is also split-screen for two players who want to scrub up on the same console, and four-player online multiplayer for friends looking to expand their business in Muckingham together. Each job gives players a small memento to decorate their office, and you can even pet the cats. Futurlab have already laid out a roadmap, with more free and paid DLC coming over the next few months. If it is anything like the first game, these additions are likely to be epic and keep the fun going well after launch.

PowerWash Simulator 2 improves on its predecessor with bright, detailed environments that include everything from a public toilet in a bustling city square to a billboard in the desert and a farmhouse out in the sticks. The variety of jobs keeps everything feeling fresh and interesting despite the… muddy visuals. (I’ll let myself out.) All dad jokes aside, this is a big visual step up from the original. Each environment feels more alive, with richer textures, improved lighting, and a noticeably more vibrant colour palette that makes every surface pop once it’s clean. Watching dirt and grime peel away to reveal glossy tiles or colourful signage underneath is still as satisfying as ever. Soap and water effects are also much improved,  and while it may not be a technical showcase, PowerWash Simulator 2 looks crisp, clean, and perfectly suited to the relaxing tone the series is known for.

While the game performs very well in solo mode, there are a few minor issues to note. Performance understandably takes a hit in split-screen, often resulting in a lower frame rate. It is still more than playable, but there were also instances of disappearing sound effects. Some of the movement and traversal quirks from the first game carry over into the sequel, which may impact newer players. There are also a few odd pixelated textures, mainly in shadowed areas, that can be mistaken for dirt. Despite the improved cleaning mechanics, some jobs still require awkward angles to reach certain spots, which may frustrate some players. Additionally, there have been reports of a progression-wiping bug, where players may get stuck on an infinite loading screen. The only current fix is to delete your save. I have put over 30 hours into the game and have not experienced this bug myself, and the developer is actively working on a fix, which should arrive soon. Overall, these issues are relatively minor and do not significantly detract from the relaxing and satisfying core experience, but they are worth being aware of.

For my Power Washers after accessibility options, there are some visual assists that can help make your time in Muckingham more enjoyable. These include the ability to change the dirt highlight colour and duration, adding task markers, reticle visibility, and field of view. You can also adjust nearly every audio source in the game to your liking. I personally love zoning out while powerwashing to a podcast or Spotify playlist. As always, I recommend further research into finding out if PowerWash Simulator 2 suits your needs.

At just under $35 AUD, PowerWash Simulator 2 offers outstanding value for money. There is around 40 hours of power washing gameplay on offer here, with both free and paid DLC planned to add even more in the future. Combine that with split-screen play and online multiplayer, and there is plenty to keep players busy. If the original PowerWash Simulator wasn’t your thing, the sequel most likely won’t change that. But for those who enjoyed the first game, PowerWash Simulator 2 improves on it in almost every way. It is bigger, messier, and more ambitious, while implementing several quality-of-life changes that address most of the complaints I had about the original. Much like the tools used in the game, there was a lot of pressure on Futurlab to deliver a sequel that could stand tall next to the first, and thankfully, they were up to the task. The result is a follow-up with some extra polish that scrubs up rather nicely on the Nintendo Switch 2.

So, What’s it Like? Power Wash Simulator 2 is like the original, only bigger and better.

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