The sequel to PowerWash Simulator is exactly what we need right now games

DDoes the world really need another PowerWash Simulator game? No, some will say. Probably people who never played the original and don’t understand the appeal, but they like to tilt their heads in a mixture of confusion and condescension and say, “So what do you do?” He does In the game? Just wash things?”

(It’s unfair that other pastimes don’t have to justify themselves in this way. No one ever says: “Wait, you’re running around the park in a circle for five kilometers?” or “So, you’re just kicking the ball with your foot?”).

Yes, is the short answer. Point your hose at whatever filth is in front of you – a shed, a monster truck, Lara Croft’s mansion – and blast all that filth into oblivion. Every time you finish a part, it makes a pleasant “thumping” sound, stimulating your brain to release more dopamine. This is the only sound in the game, other than the rushing of water and the occasional tinkling of the metal ladder. The whole experience is so soothing, so satisfying and amazing. I love him.

I love it so much that I played PowerWash Simulator for 24 hours, 6 minutes and 33 seconds in 2023, live on the streaming service Twitch – setting the Guinness World Record for the longest time spent playing the game.

I don’t recommend it. Although the game is fun, the shine starts to wear off after about… 20 hours. I remember things starting to get weird around 4am. The bright primary colors of the children’s playground I was cleaning began swirling together in a psychedelic frenzy. My vision was blurry, my fingers were hurting, and I was overcome with intense anger at the local council for allowing the climbing frame to get into this state.

I’ve been able to move forward with the support of my Twitch community, who have encouraged me to keep going and reminded me that there is a truth outside the game. But I had flashbacks for months afterward. Sometimes, as I lay in bed at night, I was convinced I could still hear the endless hiss of the mist, and I worried that I might give myself tinnitus. To this day I have a hard time walking past a slide without checking the underside for mildew.

Funny enough, I didn’t feel like playing PowerWash Simulator for a while after the record setting session. But it was a pleasure to catch the second part and rediscover the feeling of accomplishment that comes just from sweeping the last speck of encrusted feces out of a chrome toilet bowl. bliss.

It helps that this batch feels a touch more forgiving when it comes to cleaning every speck of dirt. There’s also a new goal icon that directs you to parts you missed, making completing quests less frustrating.

And of course there are new things to wash. PowerWash Simulator 2 features 38 missions in total, including an airship, a mobile scooter, and a shopping mall. New tools include a surface cleaner to polish floors more efficiently, and a harness system so you can get off buildings. There’s a wide range of soaps and nozzles, plus a new home base where you can display evidence of your achievements. This is especially attractive if you’re the type who hangs your (all three) Guinness World Record certificates in your hallway, so they’re the first thing a DPD driver sees when you open your front door.

None of this adds up to a radical departure from the original game. And the second part is unlikely to win people who could not see the point the first time. But PowerWash Simulator 2 It gives fans what they want: new things to wash, additional toys to play with, and more easy and satisfying gameplay. In addition to the option to sometimes draw a crude representation of male genital organs in the dirt. With all the craziness going on out there, this is exactly the game the world needs right now.