PowerWash Simulator lives in a niche all of its own, and it sure manages to dominate regardless. Over the past couple of years, FuturLab's surprisingly engaging wash 'em up has played host to all manner of wild DLC, but the new Shrek DLC may well top it all.

"Playtime is ogre," says FuturLab's latest Steam announcement. Featuring pixie-dust cleaners, faerie soap, and the good old-fashioned mops, PowerWash Simulator's new Shrek Special DLC pack takes players on a romp through a classic fantasy franchise. The gist of it all is still much the same, of course, but who could say no to an opportunity to power-wash Shrek's Swam??p?

Clean up Shrek's swamp in PowerWash Simulator... for $7,99

Priced at $7,99, Shrek Special is actually seemingly quite loaded with content. There are five maps t?o clean up in ?total:

• Duloc
• Hansel's Honeymoon Hideaway
• Shrek's Swamp
• Fairy Godmother's Potion Factory
• Dragon's Lair

Of course, included is the aforementioned roster of magical cleaning tools and supplies, which puts this DLC at roughly the same ratio of content-per-dollar as all the other PowerWash Simulator DLCs. Co??ntent-wise, it seems pretty solid, but there are?? some problems to keep in mind for the time being.

As of October 10, the current build of the game will apparently lock up and make it impossible to do much of anything in-game if you try to actually clean up any of Shrek's unlikely mud palaces. Even en?tering menus becomes impossible, so it may pay off to wait until the developer can patch things up. FuturLab has historically been quite good with these matters, so it won't take lo??ng before the problems are properly sorted out.

Once that's all been sorted out, though, I've no doubt that Shrek Special will take its rightful place as a worthy alternative to the prior Warhammer 40K, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Tomb Raider DLCs, just to list a few.

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I don't know about you, but I get stressed easily. Life's hard sometimes, and my go-to relief is gaming (and hitting the gym). There?? are very few things I enjoy more than spending my nights playing chill games for a coupl?e of hours before hitting the hay.

This got me thinking: how do you define a relaxing game? I have several friends who think games like Stardew Valley and Minecraft are relaxing, while I experience a mix of? chill times and occasional stress. Instead, these will be ones that I can rel?iably hop on, knowing I will always feel much calmer and happier after.

With my exposition out of the way, here are 12 games I can confidently say are some of the most relaxing I've eve??r played, in no particular order.

12. PowerWash Simulator

• Price: $24.99
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Meta Quest

I'm sure plenty of people will see this one and ask how a power-washing game can be relaxing or how I don't get stressed from seeing 99 percent in the top left?? corner. I totally get it. This one might seem a little odd at first, especially since its main (and only) premise is power-washing things.

There's just something about hopping into games like PowerWash Simulator, cleaning a bunch of bu??ildings, and seeing everything go from filthy to beautiful that is oddly satisfying. As someone who focuses on small sections of an area at a time, I find it very relaxing to sit back, power wash part of a level for a few hours, and watch as whatever I'm cleaning sparkles. This is one of those games you don't expect to be fun until you go in and experience it yourself.

11. Minami Lane

• Price: $4.99
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch

If PowerWash Simulator is a game I can sink hundreds of hours into, Minami Lane is the cute, cozy game I spend one night playing in-between sessions. Although it's technically a st??ore manag?ement game, its more casual pacing makes it almost impossible to feel any stress, even in later levels when you have more features to play around with.

To sum it up quickly, Minami Lane is a casual management game where you run shops ranging from convenience stores to flower shops. The price, beauty, and shop diversity on your street determine? your customers' satisfaction levels, which vary as you unlock more character types. It sounds like a lot, but learning its mechanics is surprisingly easy.

If you're looking for a cute, shorter game to play for a few hours that has you strategizing but not stressing, Minami Lane is a great one to pick up.

10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

• Price: $59.99
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Animal Crossing is a game where you, as a human character, pay off your hous??e mortgage while befriending anthropomorphic animals. This sounds like a recipe for stress and anxiety, but the lack of time limits, real-time progr??ession, and events sprinkled throughout make it one of the most relaxing games ever created.

As an Animal Crossing: New Leaf fan, I was initially hesitant to get into New Horizons. I loved the chill vibes of New Leaf and its content, and I wasn't confident the sequel could match that. Considering ACNH came out in 2020, it was either pick this u?p or be more bored at home than I already was.

I don't regret it at all. Animal Crossing has always mastered the art of balancing relaxation and enjoyable gameplay, and New Horizons continues to carry that torch well. While I haven't forgotten about New Leaf, I fully accept ACNH as a worthwhile successor.

9. Dorfromantik

• Price: $13.99
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

At first, Dorfromantik looks like a simple tile-placing gam?e where you collect points and build cute little plots of land. Honestly, that's exactly what it is, which is what makes it so relaxing. It's one of those games that you can play for 20 minutes on a lunch break or for five hours straight if you're on a roll.

Dorfromantik also has multiple modes that determine your level of relaxation. The creative mode gives you limitless tiles, and the monthly mode lets you compete against others. It has the same vibes as Townscaper, which I'd also recommend as a nice chill game.

As a bonus, if you're not necessarily an avid video game fan, Dorfromantik has a board game, too. Although it's best played with four to six people, it's also a solid option for couples or even solo.

8. Spirit City: Lofi Sessions

• Price: $11.99
• Platforms: PC

Some would say Spirit City: Lofi Sessions isn't a video game at all. Honestly, I somewhat agr??ee, but I'm adding it anyway.

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions is a focus tool-video game hybrid that lets you relax to lo-fi music while collecting cute animals. It comes with a customizable character and room, focus tools like a to-do list and timer, and options for adding your own music i??f you get sick of lo-fi and want something different. I have this open daily while I'm working, and I've come to appreciate its ability to calm me down when I'm stressed.

The animals are also cute. While this might not be a selling point for everyone, it definitely was f?or me and a few friends I recommended this game to. Having a tiny hedgehog sit next to me as my character plays next to a fireplace is something I didn't think I'd care much?? about, but we all learn new things every day.

7. Terra Nil

• Price: $24.99
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch

Terra Nil has a lot going on in and outside the game itself. Within the game, you tackle ecological conservation by turning barren, empt?y wastelands into beau?tiful ecosystems full of forests, animals, and vast oceans. It sounds daunting at first, and?? you'll use ?numerous tools to do this, but it's a relaxing experience that positively impacts the game's environment.

Getting Terra Nil also helps support the ?Endangered Wildlife Trust, allowing you to have a positive, real-world impact outside of the game. I already recommend the game just because it's fun, but this is a nice added bonus if you want to help a good cause.

6. Garden Galaxy

• Price: $9.99
• Platforms: PC

Here's another one for the infinite playtime pile. Garden Galaxy is one of the most relaxing and simple games I've ever played, and I mean that in the best way possible. By collecting coins and tossing them into a little bowl in the center of your screen, you'll unlock a ton of land tiles and furniture for building and decorati?ng.

And that's it. There's no complex story or overly complicated mechanics that create stress. Whether you want something to kill time or pour hours into building beautifully decorated landscapes, Garden Galaxy will have what you need. This is ??another one that I usually only play during my lunch breaks or right before I go to bed, but it never fails to calm me down after a stress?ful day.

5. Unpacking

• Price: $19.99
• Platforms: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Unpacking is another one that I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did. I spent extra time making the rooms look cute, letting me clock in just ?under five hours overall. I loved every bit of it.

The game's style, idea, and storyline make for an overall relaxing experience that I enjoyed way more than I expected. Although it isn't a lengthy game, it's another great option for something you can play and finish in a few days or fly through in one night if yo??u immerse yourself in unpacking and tidying up your house.

Learning about our character was also interesting, even if my focus was initially on the cute pig and tiny chicken plushies. It's a surprisingly emotional story that can make you smile and tug at your heartstrings. At ??the same time, it's oddly tranquil and makes you feel at peace, especially as you realize what you're experiencing as you play.

4. Sticky Business

• Price: $9.99
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch

I'll admit it: I have a whole lot of memories and experiences involving games where you own a business, and I can count on one hand how many of them didn't stress me out. Nonetheless, I was optimistic about Sticky Business since it struck me a??s a more casual and cozy game. I can happily? say I wasn't disappointed.

Although you do run a sticker business, there's surprisingly little stress when it comes to actually running it. You mainly focus on actually creating the stickers, which, as someone who loves expressing creativity in games, is always a fun time for me. I've made all kinds of wacky creations in this, from a goblin making potions to floral and mushroom arrangements. The characters in it also have in-depth stories, and seeing their happiness with my sti??cker creations was m??ore gratifying than I thought it'd be.

3. Summerhouse

• Price: $4.99
• Platforms: PC, Mac

We're on a roll with relaxing sandbox games here. Like a few others on this list, Summerhouse is all about creatively expressing yourself by bu??ilding houses, stores, or any other building you wish to make. There's also a ton of secrets, which is a surefire way ??to get me interested in a game.

Although I haven't invested quite as much time into this one as I have in the other games on this list, I still consider the little bit I played to be one of the most relaxing experiences I've had this year with games. I enjoy booting it up to show friends, especially when I get the urge to build something c??ool or cute.

2. Slime Rancher

• Price: $19.99
• Platforms: PC, Android, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch

Slime Rancher is one of the most adorable games I've ever played. You begin your journey as Beat?rix LeBeau, and as you explore the Far, Far Range, you meet a host of adorable slimes. Sometime later, you gradually build a slime ranch, make money, and unlock additional areas to explore, allowing you to meet new characters and learn more about the world around you.

I've considered Slime Rancher one of my favorite games for years, and that still holds true to this day. I've played both Slime Rancher and Slime Rancher 2, and although I'd recommend the second ??game for its qu??ality, it's worth trying out the first to get the full story and experience.

If I'm ever in a bad mood, I look at the slimes' little faces for a quick smile. Otherwise, I'm always happy to hop back into Slime Rancher for a relaxing replay.

1. Rusty's Retirement

• Price: $6.99
• Platforms: PC, Mac

Ending this list is Rusty's Retirement, another peculiar entry considering its purpose. At first, it may l?ook like a regular farming simulator, but there's an interesting twist: it takes up only a third of your screen.

Much like Spirit City, Rusty's Retirement is a game designed to sit at the bottom of your screen as you do ?other things. You can watch videos, work, or even play other games as you have this idle in the background. Occasionally, you can ?check back, replant your crops, and see what's new, but it's not the type of game you actively play for hours on end.

One of the most relaxing aspects of a game to me is how littl??e I need to focus on it, and this is a perfect example of something I can briefly play before moving on to something else. I don't need to crunch numbers or plan out my in-game time in any way. I can just hop on, check up on it every half hour or so, and let it sit as I do other things. It's calming yet fun, peaceful yet interesting, and I'm all for it.

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Developer FuturLab has announced that the Shrek Special Pack for PowerWash Simulator will be released on October 10, 2024. The DLC adds a selection of new levels from the Shrek cinematic universe alongside a fanc??y new costume to wear while cleaning.

PowerWash Simulator's Shrek Special Pack was revealed during a Nintendo Direct earlier in 2024, but no release date was given for it at the time, outside of a fall release window. Now we know exactly ??when we'll be able to return to these fantastical lands and experience the messier side of it all. FuturLab has also confi??rmed the locations we'll be able to clean up, including one that I'm particularly excited about because it's definitely going to be the most covered in colorful spills and thrills.

I need a hero

The levels that the Shrek Special Pack takes PowerWash Simulator players to in October are as follows.

• Shrek's Swamp: The big green ogre's home turf has been coated in a thick layer of colorful grime that has the audacity to make it look more fun. Clean it all up and admire the easter eggs and attention to detail in every inch of the location that's been painstakingly pulled together from the movies.
• Duloc: Duloc castle is usually dull and grey, but a few artistic knights took it upon themselves to spruce the place up. Clean up all their hard work and get the castle back to being as efficient and oppressive as can be.
• Fairy Godmother's Potion Factory: This is the location I'm most excited about. It gets colorful and messy in the movies, and everything is just as disorganized and unsightly as you'd expect from the aftermath of Shrek 2. There are even working machines to clean up as you go, which is no easy feat by yourself.
• Dragon's Lair: Dragon's treasure is as dirty as can be, so you need to return it to its shining glory. There are tasty treats to uncover in the grime, though I'm not sure I'd eat them after seeing what was on top of them.
• Hansel's Honeymoon Hideaway: Shrek and Fiona really pulled a number on this place. Sort it out, and try not to let your imagination get too carried away while you do.

Every level can be played in co-op or solo, so you can clean and clean until you're completely cleaned out. As with most levels in PowerWash Simulator, there are easter eggs and audio tidbits to unlock as you clean up each section of every l??evel. This means it's well worth cleaning everything to 100%, just in case you miss an iconic callback to any of these fabulous films.

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Developer FuturLab announced the next paid DLC for PowerWash Simulator during August 2024's Nintendo Direct. The Shrek Special Pack launches in fall 202??4, and takes players to none other than Shrek's swamp from the DreamWorks movie franchise. A curious choice, considering Shrek is always telling people to get ou?t.

When cleaning up Shrek's swamp in PowerWash Simulator, you can equip a full suit of armor and use a powerful sword pressure washer to blast away the layers of colorful dirt that?? coat the iconic grimy location, as well as four others from throughout the Shrek universe. While the DLC trailer only shows the swamp, we know that you'll also be cleaning up a musty dragon's lair and three other levels for a total of five, and I can't imagine Far Far Away or Lord Farquaad's castle is going to get away with dodging the PowerWash Simulato??r treatment.

A full fairytale world to free from dirt

I love the idea of hitting such a traditionally dirty location with a pressure washer and cleaning it up to an Ogre's standards, and I think it fits perfectly with PowerWash Simulator's zany range of DLC packs. A nice touch is that the ??'dirt' in the swamp is colorful paint that's probably the result of magic or Donkey's attempt at painting the place, which fits reall?y well with the universe.

It's easy to miss the appeal of PowerWash Simulator and the plethora of DLC packs it has to offer. But if you've ever used a pressu?re washer in real life, you'll know how satisfying it is to see the clean slabs of a patio or the sparkling side of your car emerge from what looks like years of grime. The game takes that concept and gamifies it in the best way possible.

In the Shrek Special Pack, you're going to get even more satisfaction from the game because there are so many objects to clean up. Every rock, chair, cup, root, and item that Shrek owns needs to be hosed off. You get a lovely notification when you've completely cleaned an item, and there are usually more than enough easter eggs in every level to keep you motivated to do a 100% clean jus??t to make sure you've seen them all.

I'd love it if the dragon swooped into its lair after you've cleaned the entire place, but the real prize would be Shrek arriving and screamin?g, "Get out of my swamp!" once you ?hit 100% cleaned up on his home. We'll have to wait and see what's in the DLC when it drops later in 2024.

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PowerWash Simulator is no stranger to unusual collaborations. From Final Fantasy VII to SpongeBob SquarePants, this compelling cleaning sim is willing to tackle dirt no matter where it may be. Following a series of teasing posts on X by the PowerWash Simulator account, we finally have a release date for what might be the most ambitious crossover yet, Warhammer 40,000.

Use the might of the powerwasher to purge the unclean

PowerWash Simulator leaps to the 41st Millennium to clean the various instruments of death and destruction of the Warhammer 40,000 universe on February 27, 2024. Players will be able to clean everything from a Rogal Dorn battle tank to an Imperial Knight and even an entire Sacristan Forgeshrine. There isn't a pric??e listed yet, but I would expect it to be in line with other, non-Square Enix, collaborations at $7.99.

I'll admit that I know next to nothing about Warhammer 40,000, but my love for powerwashing might?? lead me down a dangerous path of learn??ing deep lore and using my savings account on minis. As I trade in my gills from Bikini Bottom for a sacred MKII Aqua-Santica Arquebus powerwasher, I step into a world filled with fanaticism, endless war, and utterly filthy machines.

Even if I ultimately don't fall head over heels in love with Warhammer 40,000, I'll take any excuse to boot up one of my favorite titles and zone out to the hum of a powerwasher. Still, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some of the masters in the Warhammer community fashioning powerwa??shers for their minis.

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It's that time of year when things start to slow down and everyone settles in for the arrival of winter. For those looking to boost their ranking on Santa's Nice List, PowerWash Simulator is taking us to Santa's Workshop to clean up after ?a wild elf party.

In an X post made by the PowerWash Simulator account, a gift has arrived for those who wish to clean a bit more. Players on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam can access a new fre??e level on December 14, 2023, and Switch players can get in on the fun on January 8, 2024.

PowerWash Simulator brings Santa's Workshop to life

The level itself is a small but densely packed affair, with plenty of nooks and crannies to blast clean. I hadn't touched PowerWash Simulator since the SpongeBob SquarePants DLC back in June and I was pleasantly surprise??d at how quickly it all came back to me. Before I knew it, Christmas had been saved and my trip to the North Pole could be written off as a business expense.

Every one of PowerWash Simulator's offerings, both free and paid, has been an utter delight. Santa's Workshop is no different and offer?s plenty of reasons ??to boot up the relaxing title and spray away the gunk.

With the Warhammer 40,000 DLC being delayed to 2024, this bite-sized DLC should hopefully be enough to tide players over. Either way, if you've been wanting a break from other titles or even want to take power washing into the third dimension, PowerWash Simulator has you covered. Just make sure you wear the proper PPE when cleaning Cloud's Buster Sword in the Seventh Heaven Bar.

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PowerWash Simulator VR will be heading to the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 on November 2. The developer FuturLab revealed a new trailer for the virtual ??reality spray-fest today.

You'll be able to explore the town of Muckingham like never before ?with a 360-degree view of the washing action. If you pre-order this experience, you'll get the Cat-Proof gloves as an in-game item.

Power washing in VR sounds like a relaxing task

Throughout the town of Muckingham, you'll be able to clean a skate park, p??lay golf with your spray gun, and wash cars in a garage. You can even clean up the mayor's house. How fancy.

The co-op VR experience may be a bit odd, however. The PowerWash Simulator VR release date trailer shows each team member as a floating head with two hands. It might be strange for th??ose who want to see th?e bodies of each person in your squad.

What makes VR so entertaining, on the other hand, is the physical interactivity behind your movements in-game. I don’t know about you, but that pulls me into a VR game so much. According to the game’s official Meta listing, we’ll “reach up, get down and lean-in to tackle those pesky hard-to-reach spots.�/p>

You can also play this game from your chair if you don't want to bend down.

The Meta Quest 3 arrives just before this

The Meta Quest 3 will be arriving on October 10. It has double the graphical processing power and has a 4K+ Infinite Display. The cheapest model has 128GB and costs $499.99, while the 512GB model is $649.99. Hopefully, PowerWash Simulator VR only sinks a small amount of GB of that storage.

Thankfully, PowerWash Simulator VR will support the Meta Quest 2 as well. It might not loo??k as pretty, however.

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Gotta go back in time

Futurlab has announced a new crossover endeavor for the instant classic PowerWash Simulator. This time, you’ll be tasked with cleaning the grime off of the �0s hit movie Back to the Future.

After finally clawing its way out of the muck of Early Access in 2022, PowerWash Simulator has crossed over with a number of properties. This includes games like Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII remake and, most recently, Spongebob Squarepants. There’s even a Warhammer 40K crossover lined up.

Released in 1985, Back to the Future is one of the most recognizable �0s movies. It involves teenager Marty McFly being stranded in the distant past year of 1955. If you want to see anyone over 30 fall to pieces, just remind them that if Back to the Future was made today, Marty would tra??vel back to 19??93. Hold on, I�I need to sit down for a second.

//youtu.be/AWWr1MrrjtA?feature=shared

The Back to the Future DLC will include “Doc Brown’s van, the Time Machine, Hill Valley Clocktower, the Holomax Theatre, and Doc’s Time Train. Plus, there are ten new achievements to collect in-game.�Damn, I was kind of hoping to hose off a J.C. Penne?y sign.

In any case, the Back to the Future DLC will arrive for PowerWash Simulator sometime in 2023?. The bad news is that it will cost money. Specifically, you’ll need $7.99 ??USD for the privilege of cleaning off the DeLorean. That’s not something I expected to be writing today.

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Unclean armor is heresy

Futurlab has announced that their masterpiece cleaning game, PowerWash Simulator is getting its next themed DLC, this time crossing over to the grimdark Warhammer 40000 universe.

After playing Warhammer 40000: Boltgun, I certainly feel like I need a high-pressure blast of water. That game is one of the bloodier first-person shooters out there. There are definitely some floors ?out there t??hat need a good hose-down, which is to say nothing of the armor that probably stinks of rot and heresy.

//youtu.be/EGNJ4l1Jgkg

Unfortunately, right now, we only have a teaser to go off of. I’m taking a guess here, but?? we’re probably not just going to be cleaning the logo off. Although, if we were, I’d appreciate the brazen approach to crossover advertising.

Is it Warhammer 40000’s birthday? No? I’ve just suddenly been getting hit by all these Warhammer 40000 press releases this morning in particular. Maybe it’s just because I reviewed Boltgun, and now I’m on a list somewhere. Or maybe it’s just like when you learn the word “expectorate,�and suddenly you start hearing it everywhere. The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon. Internalize th??at term, you’re about?? to notice it a lot more.

PowerWash Simulator is available fo??r PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and Switch.

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Who cleans up the pineapple under the sea?

PowerWash Simulator is heading to an interesting place to be power washing: an underwater locale. A SpongeBob SquarePants Special Pack will arrive this summer for PowerWash Simulator, bringing t?he serene cleaning simulation to Bikini Bottom.

The pack was created in collaboration with Nickelodeon, and will include a character model makeover to make the player fit in a bit more with the ocean-floor setting. No exact date has been set yet, but PowerWash Simulator's SpongeBob pack wi?ll arrive sometime this summe??r for $7.99.

Six new maps will arrive as part of the pack. They'll spotlight Conch Street, the Bikini Bottom Bus, the Krusty Krab, the Mermalair, and more. Ther??e will also be ten achievements to h?unt, and it seems like there's some story behind all the muck that's appeared in Bikini Bottom.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rByUJRGccWE

If nautical clean-up be something you wish

Developer FuturLab says we'll hear more about a release date sometime in the coming weeks, so we'll hopefully know soon when the cleaning crew can head underwater. Still, washing-underwater situation aside, this is a pretty interesting crosso?ver.

Honestly, PowerWash Simulator has really been landing some wild crossovers. It wasn't that long ago that the Final Fantasy VII Remake pack went live. Now, we're going from Midgar to Bi??kini Bottom.?? And I've heard fairly good things about the crossovers thus far, too.

PowerWash Simulator really became a surprise hit, finding a chill vibe in a slow, methodical simulator. It's nice to see the team continue adding wild new reasons to keep going back??? to it.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Special Pack for PowerWash Simulator will arrive fo??r PlayStation, Xbox, PC?, and Switch sometime this summer.

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Clean Sweep

FuturLab's unique and strangely compelling rub-a-dub-dub title PowerWash Simulator has officially welcomed seven million players to its h??ot water action �as opposed ??to its hot, water action �since its release in the summer of 2022.

Originally released on PC and Xbox platforms, with PlayStation and Nintendo Switch ports arriving earlier this year, PowerWash Simulator is something of a first-person-shooter with a difference, as players race to clean up a series of ?grubby locales with maximum efficiency. These stages range from suburban homes and playgrounds, to cleaning vehicles such as speedboats and a Mars Rov?er. Players found the jet-washing action both satisfying and relaxing, which has led to the title's success.

//twitter.com/PowerWashSim/st?atus/165664624135310132?0?s=20

Now published by Square Enix, PowerWash Simulator has received several crossover DLC packs, which afford players the chance to polish up familiar locations from franchises such as Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider. Essentially, the sky's the limit for the title, as any and all manner of vehicles, buildings, and familiar vid??eo game scenarios can be added to the list of available stages in future... futr.

PowerWash Simulator is available no?w on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platf??orms.

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Prepare to get wet

Futurlab has revealed its plans for the transcendental dad-game Powerwash Simulator for the rest of 2023. While a l?ot of these plans are currently just winks and eyebrow wiggles, it will at least give you an idea of what to look forward to.

The most concrete of plans is patch 1.2, which brings additional jobs and updates old ones to expand Powerwash Simulator’s mystifyingly deep lore. This is coming April 18, 2023, which is just around the c??orner, so you won’t have t??o wait long. This patch will be followed by another free content pack every quarter, including a “seasonal�one. While that will probably be Christmas Themed, I’d love to power-wash the feathers off a turkey.

//twitter.com/PowerW?ashSim/status/1646151201237393412?s=20

Along with this is three paid DLC packs for Powerwash Simulator. They haven’t really said much on what those will i??nvolve, but they do say that they will take you outside the fictional county of Muckington to “all sorts of new and exciting places.�Space? The bottom of the ocean? How does a power washer work in a pressurized environment? Like normal, I’m guessing.

The biggest wink, ho??wever, is just “exciting news.�Ooo. I bet it’s VR, which really isn’t exciting to someone like me. Someone who doesn’t own a VR headset.

There’s also a physical version of the game on the way for consoles. I say “physical,�but the Switch version is just a download k?ey, which is just�I don’t see the point. I ??should totally buy my dad the PS4 version, though.

I love Powerwash Simulator, though. It’s like a less janky version of Viscera Cleanup Detail. I can barely keep my kitchen clean, but you can bet I’ll get every no?ok and cranny if ?you give me points for it.

Powerwash Simulator is available for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5??, and Switch.

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One console, two players

Pretty recently, a new expansion for Powerwash Simulator came out. I liked Powerwash Simulator well enough when I played it back in 2021, but this was the first time I was tempted to dip back in for more. That's because the latest update features locales from Final Fantasy VII, and the game added co-op a little while back. My girlfriend finished the original Final Fantasy VII ??not too long ago, so I figured this would be a fun way? to spend a few hours.

Until I took to Google and discovered that Powerwash Simulator's co-op is online only.

Lately, I've watched this play out with a number of AAA games. Games like Gotham Knights and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were total slogs, not just because of their poor technical optimization and bizarre design choices, but because I knew that I could have had more fun if I shelled out an extra $300-600 to play them with my partner. Both of those games heavily touted their co-op offerings in marketing, but neither of them offered anything for folks in the same room. Halo Infinite, a game I loved, would hav?e been that much better if I could've roped in a friend without telling them to burn money on a new consol??e or PC.

Where did the couch go?

I've always been a local multiplayer kind of person. My earliest exposure to video games was a Wii my parents bought to force family bonding. Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart are good online, but I'll usually only break them out when I have people over. I don't have anything against online gaming (it got me through lockdown, and any friend of mine will tell you how often I pester them about playing Final Fantasy XIV with me), but I love local multiplayer.

[caption id="attachment_361397" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I especially ad??ore local co-op. If I'm working with someone else towards a goal, I want to be with that person physically. Having the option for online play is always welcome, but if I can conceivably play the same game as my companion, in the same room and on the same screen, I'll always take that option. I recognize that games are constantly getting bigger, and it's getting harder and harder to justify rendering the same things twice at the same time just to satisfy an increasingly small group that cares about this kind of thing.

But for me, there's simply no energy quite l?ike the energy shared between two (or more) people in one room sharing an experience. It's the difference between calling a friend and going out for dinner—sure, you'll find out what they've been up to either way, but sometimes you want to be in that space, sharing that experience together.

So as franchises like Halo, which was once known for its split-screen co-op, shy away from the couch-sharing experienc?e, I can't help but feel a little sad.

Quiet revival

Blessedly, local multiplayer is down but not out. It's becoming more and more sparse in the AAA space, but indies have kept the dream alive admirably. Spelunky 2 retained the local mayhem found in the 2013 not-quite-original, and the Overcooked series has built its identity around intense, frantic same-screen sessions. It Takes Two recently became the only indie game in the? ?history of the Game Awards to take home the GOTY prize, in large part because of its local co-op offerings.

[caption id="attachment_365200" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

There are also still a few studios in the AAA space preserving the local multiplayer experience. Nintendo has been ruthlessly committed to keeping local co-op offerings available on the Nintendo Switch, a platform that initially sold itself, at least in part, on its two in-built controllers. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an absolutely perfect local experience, and the more recent Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe bumps the player count from two to four. Outside of Nintendo, Diablo 4 is slated to follow in its immediate predecessor's footsteps with a couch co-op mode. The most recent crop of Borderlands games offers local play on consoles as?? well. The scene isn't thriving, nec??essarily, but it is surviving.

All of these games also have online offerings, and that's a great thing. No?t everybody lives near the people they want to spelunk with, and I will always advocate for better online options. But all of these games also recognize that there is a good reason for players to want to be near each other physically. Video games can be an isolating hobby, but they also have the capacity, as a medium, to force people together. I wish more games took advantage of that inherent strength of the format, but for now, I'm simply glad that there's still space for that kind of game somewhere.

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We're cleanin' the earth, Cloud

The glowing city of Midgar is looking a little dirty these days. So it's apparently up to a band of intrepid powerwashers to party up and grind their way through the grime. The Final Fantasy VII-themed PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack is available now.

This Final Fantasy VII DLC for PowerWash Simulator launched on March 2, and is available free for all owners of the game. This spans all platforms, from console to PC, as well  as those who have PowerWash through Xbox Game Pass.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNUHoEHiur0

There are five levels to clean of dirt, grime, and Makoe Residue, which is apparently a special type of mess for the Midgar levels. They take place across locales you might fondly remember from Final Fantasy VII and the FFVII Remake. They are:

• Hardy Daytona and Shinra Hauler
• Scorpion Sentinel
• Seventh Heaven
• Mako Energy Exhibit
• The Airbuster

Cleaning up the energy

Alongside the new levels and new residues, there's also a mini-campaign where Final Fantasy VII characters exchange texts with the player. Tifa Lockhart, Reeve Tuesti, and Heidegger will all chat with the player, same as NPCs do in the main PowerWash Simulator.

It's nice that this pack is free for all players, so you won't have to buy anything but the base game to clean up Midgar. While PowerWash Simulator isn't the first idea I would've considered for a Final Fantasy VII crossover, but the more I see?? it, the more I dig it.

Seeing Midgar through a new, albeit murky, lens is pretty cool. The chill co-op nature of PowerWash Simulator seems like it would make for a good hang-out game for a group that digs Final Fantasy. So go a??head and cast Waterga on the Seventh Heaven bar counter if that so?unds like your jam.

The post PowerWash Simulator’s free Final Fantasy VII pack is available now appeared first on Destructoid.

Making the Golden Saucer that little more golden

[Update: The PowerWash Simulator Special Midgar Pack will launch on all platforms March 2, free to all players.]

In a very fun, and very surprising piece of news, goofy window-washer PowerWash Simulator developer FuturLab has revealed that it is collaborating with Square Enix on a special Final Fantasy VII DLC expansion, which will see our crew of dirt-blaster?s head out to the c??ity Midgar for some deep-cleaning action.

The new "Midgar Special Pack" DLC will give PowerWash Simulator players the opportunity to clean up some familiar locales and enemies located around the miserable, smog-covered 'berg, giving the iconic Final Fantasy VII cityscape a sparkly?? sheen not seen since before the arrival of capitalist scumbags Shinra. Tifa's bar??, The Seventh Heaven; Cloud's motorcycle, The Hardy-Daytona' and the devastating "Guard Scorpion" robot will be among the items awaiting your jet-washing skills.

//twitter.com/sqex_ee/status/1620252315969265665?s=20&t?=0shT7d5tDKcJW45Xt5YSZg

Unfortunately, FuturLab did not offer up a trailer or release date for the new DLC, but obviously, the team wished to get the news out there on January 31, which is currently in the process of being officially designated "Final Fantasy VII Day". We'll be sure to give you a heads-up when more information on the Midgar Special Pack is available. In the meantime, you can still go and spruce up Croft Manor for yer gurl Lara.

PowerWash Simulator is available now on PlayStation, PC, X??box, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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What other iconic Square Enix landmarks should PowerWash Simulator clean up next?

PowerWash Simulator has been a sleeper hit for the better part of a year, and it's only gaining steam. I myself am something of a power washing enthusiast, of which there are whole communities out there, so this sim is right up my alley. The game already has hours of satisfying cleaning content, but along with the announcement that PowerWash Simulator is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, Square Enix also announced that they're dropping a Tomb Raider expansion?? to boot. The free update will be available to players at 9 am EST / 12 pm PST / 5 pm GMT on January 31, 2023.

//twitter.com/playstation/status/1615759845625298951?s=46&t=GyZv8BwH84imB?ShPI-gkHw

"You’ve cleaned a bungalow, a cottage, even a tree-house," says a blog from developer FuturLab, "but how about a manor?" That's right, the new location in need of a powerful wash will be none other than Croft Manor from the famed Tomb Raider series. Not only will the up?date include a new map to take on, but it will also come with "an all-new mini campaign, with a short story and five new leve?ls."

PowerWash Simulator, is also coming to PlayStation 4/5 consoles and the ?Nintendo Switch for the first time, in addition to its launch platforms on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox series X/S. Unfortunately there won't be any crossplay for PlayStation consoles or the Sw??itch, but crossplay will still work between Xbox consoles and PC.

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It's Grime Time

It's almost time to break out the rubber gloves and the big ol' bucket, as FuturLab has announced a release date for the PlayStation and Nintendo Switch ports of its ultra-satisfying release PowerWash Simulator �the viral cleaning sim hits the console platforms on January 30, as noted on PlayStation Blog.

For those less inclined, (or less uncleaned), PowerWash Simulator launched on PC and Xbox platforms in the summer of 2022 to immediate success, having taken the s?imple act of jet-washing houses, cars, playgrounds, trailers, and other locations and vehicles and turning? it into a surprisingly compelling, relaxing, and enjoyable digital pastime. Do a good job, and players can earn money to improve their equipment and business, becoming the best cleaning company on the block.

//youtu.be/nIdOILxKsBA

We are yet to know exactly what form the new ports will take, but one can at least assume that the base game from its launch will be included, and perhaps a deluxe edition featuring any of the title's post-release DLC. It will certainly be neat to take PowerWash Simulator mobile �say via the Nintendo Switch port.So if you're looking for a title to while away the small hours be?fore bed, or just something to chill out to, be sure to give it a squirt.

PowerWash Simulator launches January 30 on PlaySta?tion and Nintendo Switch. It is available right now on PC a?nd Xbox platforms.

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Squeaky Clean

Fun news for everybody who likes to keep things in ship shape �Square Enix Collective has announced that FuturLab ultra-satisfying... shooter(?) PowerWash Simulator is currently preparing to make the world a shinier place on PlayStation and Ni??ntendo Switch platforms. A release d?ate was not announced.

Launching on PC in 2021, before making the leap to Xbox earlier this year, PowerWash Simulator ta??sks players with restoring homes, vehicles, workplaces, and all manner of locales to their former glory, blasting away dirt, grease, and grime with the aid of some supremely soothing jet-wash g??ear. PowerWash Simulator can be played as a stress-free cleaning sim, or players can choose to add a variety of challenges �such as time limits and finite resources �in order to up the antiseptic ante.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoGFZlt4Egw

Players can customize the look of their equipment, and each switch out tools and attachments to deal with those particularly stubborn stains. Don't want to wash alone, then invite along a buddy for some relaxing co-op cleaning action. PowerWash Simulator might have one of gaming's simplest premises, but it is one that has seemingly reso?nated with thousands of players, with the title becoming a po?pular wind-down title for those looking to relax at the end of a hard day or to while away the wee hours of the weekend.

After all, why waste time cleaning your real home when y??ou can just clean a pretend one?

PowerWash Simulator releases "soon" on PlayStation? and Nintendo Switch. It is available now on PC and Xbox.

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A toggle to help with motion sickness

Has it really been a year since PowerWash Simulator launched on Steam? It has! It turns out that time flies when you're meticulously blasting away gunk with a pressure washer. If you like the idea of this surprisingly resonant sim but are waiting until it hits version 1.0, it's still in Early Access �but it's getting closer, as evidenced by this week's Birthday update. There's a new Aim Mode in PowerWash Simulator to help reduce motion sickness.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW-u1WCtPAI

The developers hope that Aim Mode will chip away at "one of the biggest barriers to a minority but significant group of play?ers." Basically, it's a toggle (using "C" or pressing up on the D-pad) that lets you aim your washer independently, so the camera will stay still.

"We think most players will play with this mode to some degree, as many of us at FuturLab have opted to wash in this mode," said the PowerWash Simulator team.

Many of PowerWash Simulator's updates have added new levels �known in-game as "jobs" �and the Birthday update is no exception. There's a Steam Locomotive job (pictured above), as well as a Gnome Fountain (don't make eye contact with the little guys) and a Mini-Golf Course. You'll find all three jobs listed under the "special" ??sec?tion.

Old jobs got a bit more "love"

Aside from the three new jobs, following a bunch of player feedback, FuturLab has also gone back? through to shore up many of the game's existing jobs.

"Several jobs have had a visual and design redux, including the Back Garden, Storybook Cottage, and Shoe House," according to the developers. "Many jobs have had their details renamed to be more straightforward. Large areas like the Playground floor ha??ve been cut down into smaller chunks for more dings. Thresholds have been made tighter or slightly easier depending on feedback (the Skatepark floor no longer completes with a massive piece of dirt left). Plus, many more small tweaks."

[caption id="attachment_323011" align="alignnone" width="1200"] _{Cleaning up the Mini-Golf Course.}[/caption]

A few more PowerWash Simulator Birthday update bullet points:

• Tutorial prompts â€?"Maybe some content creators won't be stuck realizing they can rotate their nozzles over multiple episodes..."
• Controller haptics â€?"Haptics are here for more controller-led washing immersion."
• More money sources â€?"Co-op partners and replaying levels will earn 25% of the total amount of the cleaning job. Player 1 in co-op will get the total amount if they are in career mode. We hope this will help without ruining the economy."

I haven't played PowerWash Simulator in, well, too long �but it's been staring back at me in my Steam library for months, just waiting to be picked over Vampire Survivors. In all that time, I've kept it up-to-date. It's one of those games I know I'll eventually return to, and I don't mind keeping it installed, ??just in case I want to get some Big Dad energy out.

Conceptually, I love that this game exists �and that i?t'?s so popular.

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You can also go "prone" now, which cracks me up

It's not my ideal way to approach a soothing simulator like PowerWash Simulator, but if you need that extra hook to keep you blasting the gunk away, th??ere's now a Challenge Mode.

To start, it's a van that needs to be cleaned as quickly and efficiently as possible for a bronze, silver, or gold medal, though FuturLab says this is " just the beginning" for "fun [extra] modes." On that front, the developers "want to stress that the core gameplay focus will always be on zen cleaning but with these modes, we want to add some extra replayabi?lity to the levels." That's the right move, and originality can set them apart.

I like to go slow, and I like to use copious amounts of water, so I'll sit ??this one out.

Challenge Mode showed up in Update 0.4 �reminder: PowerWash Simulator is still very much in Early Access, though it's pretty fun as is �and that's not all. More substantially, there are new levels to clean up (a fire helicopter, RV, and treehouse), a rework of the soap system, which felt undercooked and too vague before, and the ability? to go "prone" if the basic "crouch" isn't enough for hard-to-reach messes. I could've used that!

The best changes, though, have to do with those pes?ky final smudges that inevitably get missed even after you've thoroughly scrubbed every surface one section at a time.

• Added a "To-do" list to the HUD when three objects/groups of objects are left in a job.
• Added option to highlight remaining objects in the world which still have dirt on them (access via the Details tab).
• Improved thresholds to remove very low opacity dirt.

As it stands, "dirt that is all but invisible to the naked eye" should be auto-wiped once it hits a certain threshold, and there's more info to help you tip from 99% ??to 100% cleaned.

A few other notes from the update worth mentioni??ng:

• Added option to leave the crosshair on to potentially reduce motion sickness for some players.
• Added support for higher frame rates.
• Ulysses The Cat should always run away when approached.

"In a future update, we'll also be adding more FOV options and are looking at other potential solutions for controlling the washer/camera," said FuturLab. "There??'s a lot more to come ??during Early Access, and I want to mention that in particular, we're looking to add control remapping as our next highest priority."

PowerWash Simulator is the right kind of niche sim. It's good, and I hope it becomes great. That said, I still find it am??using Square Enix of all places is?? publishing this game.

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Simple and clean

A very soothing simulator has secured a new partnership to keep its development going. FuturLab has announced a partnership with Square Enix Collective to publish PowerWash Simulator under Square Enix on Steam.

This collaboration will allow FuturLab to continue developing PowerWash Simulator, which recently launched on Steam Early Access.

"Our original vision for PowerWash Simulator was to expand the game in wa?ys that would appeal to a large audience, with the potential of licensed content," said FuturLab founder and creative director James Marsde??n in a press release. "Square Enix Collective is the perfect publishing choice as we share a united vision regarding the future of the game."

This soothing simulator really captured our attention here in the first GIF we saw, and it sounds like Jordan has en?joyed his time with the Early Acce??ss version of the game. Hopefully this collaboration ??leads to ev?en more, and possibly some wild crossover content too. I'd like to imagine Midgar needs powerwashing too, right?

PowerWash Simulator is currently available in Early Access on Steam.

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Big dad energy

Folks, I've spent?? over 10 hours power wa??shing, and I feel great.

Ahem. I've spent over 10 hours power washing houses, cars, and even a skate park... inside a simulation PC game. I know what you're thinking �you've got that trademark Simpsons "Yard Work Simulator" image ready to ??go �and I don't disagree. But for what it is, this game is surprisingly well-thought-out.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it "fun," but I'm enjoying this comfortingly mundane experience.

PowerWash Simulator (Steam Early Access)
Developer: FuturLab
Publisher: FuturLab
Released: May 19, 2021
MSRP: $19.99

I'll keep this Early Access review fairly short. There are only a few main points to make, and you likely already know in your he??art if this is your sort of game or not. I thought it would be for me, and it is.

Here's the thing: PowerWash Simulator doesn't feel like a low-effort toss-it-on-St?eam-and-see-if-it-sticks a??pproach to game design that we've seen in other PC sims lately. Even in Early Access, it's robust.

In the main Career mode, you'll start with a basic power washer and, as you clean out each level, you'll earn more cash that can be put ??toward better tools and alternate attachments, though they're honestly more nice-to-haves than mandatory purchases. You can hold down your mouse to spray, toggle the spray to give your finger a rest, rotate the nozzle, a?nd even hit a key to brightly highlight easy-to-miss dirty spots. There's also controller support, and it works well. I swap back and forth for comfort.

Mechanically, PowerWash Simulator looks and mostly runs as it should, there are low-key story moments with pop-up messages ??(some of which are chuckle-worthy), the cleanable surfaces are pretty varied, and the power washing �the most important bit �feels right. Some surfaces are a breeze to near-instantly clean, some are so gunked up or rusty that you'll need a very powerful nozzle to chip away at them for a few seconds, and many fall somewhere in the middle, allowing flexibility.

If you've never used a real power washer but you liked scrubbing the muck away in Super Mario Sunshine, you may feel at home in PowerWash Simulator. These levels are hilariously caked in grime.

The best part about this game is that the surface?? cleaning isn't all or nothing �you'll make progress on individual nitty-gritty parts of the machine or house or whatever you're cleaning, and you can even bounce between levels as you set fit (once you unlock more). As you power wash a walkway, or trim, or a window, you'll fill up a progress bar that feeds into the level's overall completion. In other words, you're constantly getting small pats on the back rather than just one big loving tap at the end.

In my 10 hours of playtime, I've tried a dozen levels, two of which I'm still powering through. Some �like a motorcycle with a side car �are shorter jobs. Others, like a fire station, are quite the undertaking. I'm not sure how much more cont?ent is left to go given that I just unlocked the third and final power washer, but assuming I'm near the end, this feels appropriate. You can also replay levels in Free Play.

If I have any complaints yet, it's that the game has hitched a handful of times on my PC, and sometimes, it can be a pain to finish cleaning that last 1% of a particular object, even with the "visual assist" highlight ability. It'll seem like you almost need to crawl on the ground to get the right angle, especially for complex objects like vehicles w?ith lot?s of nooks and crannies. Eventually, it kinda just works. That said, I do appreciate having a menu with a full list of every surface and what's left to clean.

I'm also not the biggest fan of the way ladders feel in general. You can place your ladder in several predetermined spots, which is pe?rfectly fine, but I've had my character slip off the ladder for no good reason, and it's unwieldy to power wash while you're standing on a ladder. The same slipping issue has also come up for me on inclines �say, a roof, or halfway up a ramp in a skate park. It's not super frustrating, and it doesn't come up all that often, but it could be a bit smoother.

If FuturLab can continue adding creative levels, further flesh out the Career mode, and implement its planned multiplayer and "experimental" mechanics, PowerWash Simulator will be in a great place. As is, it's? definitely good enough to recommend. Not so much "oddly satisfying" as it is "satisfying, period."

I do wish there was a VR mode, though. That would genuinely be?? amazing.

_{[This scoreless review is based on an Early Access build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Genuinely, I think it's super relaxing

A simulation game that captures the immediate gratification of power washing dirty surfaces without the maddening racket or physical stress on your arms and hands? Oh, I'm in — I'm so incredibly in. After catching this clip of PowerWash Simulator on Twitter to??day, I knew this big dad e??nergy would resonate.

The good vibes have been overflowing the past few days. THANK YOU to everyone for all of your kind words and suggestions! 💜

Here's another clean clip to tide you over to launch!💦

Help us by wishlisting on Steam: â­ï¸//t.co/ecwdHGsEhLâ­ï¸ pic.twitter.com/mpdDTphPvI

— PowerWash Simulator (@PowerWashSim) April 20, 2021

We've seen endless simulation games in recent years, to the point where you could jokingly suggest just about any hobby,? job, or mundane activity and then look on Steam to find an honest-to-goodness real game. Many of them are formulaic and don't feel convincingly authentic??, but there are exceptions.

This one's coming from FuturLab, the studio behind Velocity 2X, Tiny Trax, and Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, and I don't know — I just have a good feeling about it after spending time with the demo.

In the free demo, there's a house and playground to clean, ?with different nozzles suited for up-close and far-off areas, and your power-washing progress is tracked across the whole level and also in specific spots, like the garage door or the roof. In case you're wondering, no, you don't have to hold your mouse down indefinitely to spray; there's a toggle. It's a simple, breezy game. I'm not a dad, but I dig it.

The developers released this "proof of concept" slice on itch.io last year and the reception was reassuring enough to convince them to pursue a fleshed-out commercial title. Flash forward to today, and PowerWash Simulator has plans for a Steam Early Access release in Q2 2021. It's almost ready.

Clean every nook and cranny! 💦#indiedev #indiegame pic.twitter.com/WQ6P7OqNYx

— PowerWash Simulator (@PowerWashSim) April 18, 2021

The expanded Steam version will have a career mode (in which yo?u run a power-washing business and unlock tools and upgrades), challenge modes (with a leaderboard), and even multiplayer — you can "invite a friend to join you on career jobs, or create multiplayer hangouts for up to six friends."

That all sounds so pleasant, especially the idea of chilling with yo??ur buds while you spray the gunk away. As the creators themselves admit, it's hard to believe this idea for a PC game wasn't done sooner.

"If it wasn't for the outbreak of a global pandemic and the global decision to transition millions of people to a 'stay at home unless you really really have to leave the house' protocol then perhaps we never would have found the right moment in time to introduce this idea to the gaming world," said FuturLab.

"There is a recognition amongst the team every day that we are working on the right game at the right time with ??a vision that is not only simple and elegant, but also over?flowing with creative and technical potential."

I've had my fun with guilty pleasures like House Flipper, but this feels more... polished.

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