the zen of powerwash simulator

I find myself regularly treating video games as a “wind down” activity towards the end of my day. Theoretically, this would mean gaming is a relaxing experience that leads to me having a good nights sleep. I’ve found that the older I get the less this rings true for games I used to find relaxing. FPS, action, story-heavy RPG; these are my favorite genres. But nothing, not even Animal Crossing, can compare to the trance like sleep the Powerwash Simulator brings.

I have never been one for simulation games. The first thing that comes to my mind in the genre is calculation heavy micro management of complicated systems. This game is none of that. The gameplay loop and menu structure is as simple as it gets. There is always one clear objective: spray dirty things.

For someone who falls probably in the middle of the pack in terms of general home and gardening cleanliness, I would not have expected some inner demon to awaken within me at the opportunity to make something incredibly dirty instantly very clean. I have that demon.

Seeing the wave of pressurized water and soap wipe away dirt almost as if an artist is painting broad brush strokes across a beautiful canvas, combined with the peaceful and consistent white noise (slightly different per nozzle angle), is calming in a way no other game has been for me. I see myself cleaning treehouses and classic cars in my dreams. I have a list of pressure washers online I wish I owned. I don’t have anything to use them on! I just want them!

A game I downloaded as a joke has become a daily bonding experience for my wife and I. One that sets us both in the perfect mood and leads to good, deep sleep. The suburban zen of powerwashing was a condition I had heard of before playing the game. Now I have a strong understanding of and have experienced the zen myself. And it’s a beautiful.

I rate Powerwash Simulator 10/10.