PowerWash Simulator, and now it’s sequel, have honed in on a winning formula of giving players already-compelling games of calm and cathartic cleaning action in completely original maps, and then extending their lifespans with licensed DLC from some shit-hot franchises. Having already taken us to Adventure Time‘s Land of Ooo, Powerwash Simulator 2 heads to a galaxy far, far away for arguably its biggest franchise tie-in yet – Star Wars.
Yes, if you’ve ever consumed a piece of Star Wars media and thought, “I’d love to be the person that cleans of all this,” you’re in luck. Across six maps, you’ll clean Empire and Rebel grounds and gear alike, heading to memorable locations and detailing the dirt away from some iconic machinery.
This one even has a strict setting – taking place during the events of the original trilogy, casting you as a PO-W2 (heh) cleaning droid given some incredibly high-profile assignments. It’s all told, in classic PowerWash fashion, through non-voiced text message exchanges that play out as you progress through each job, and while I’ve never really been super invested in the “story” stuff in these games it’s cool to have all the familiar Star Wars characters chime in under the context of the actual events of the films.
Of course, these DLC packs live or die on the quality of their stages, and Star Wars is wall-to-grime-covered-wall bangers. Whether you’re tasked with tidying up every square inch of the Lars homestead, the bridge of the Executor Super Star Destroyer or Mos Eisley Cantina, or the vehicle-based levels featuring Wedge’s X-Wing, an AT-AT or the Millennium Falcon, every job is a fans’ dream cleanup.
Usually, the vehicle jobs are my least favourite in any PowerWash campaign, but my god are they the highlight here. The AT-AT is, in a word, enormous. You’ll need to make use of incredibly tall scissor lifts and abseiling kits just to reach its top, and get in underneath the chassis to rid the dirt from its superbly-detailed mechanics. FuturLabs has done well to nail the minutiae in these levels and models, which is exactly how to cater to the kinds of fans this pack should attract. The Millennium Falcon is another where the sheer size of the thing is something that’s communicated better here than just about any other piece of Star Wars media I can think of. It’s like its own fandom museum, just super filthy for whatever reason.
As is tradition, it’s not just the jobs here that are themed but your player character and their gear, as well. Kept separate from the main game progression, you’re granted new washers that resemble Star Wars blasters, and your tools all look like they belong in-universe. The PO-W2 droid is a delight, though its best observed in multiplayer. I was actually in Japan while playing through this DLC and re-discovered just how handy PowerWash Simulator is as a chill space to hang out with a friend (or in this case, my sorely missed partner) and chat while doing a simple, mindless chore.
Unfortunately, I have a similar issue here as I did with the Adventure Time pack, and that’s a lack of audio fanservice to match the visuals. There are some fleeting nods, like the sound of your “water blaster” as you change around nozzles or put it to use, and the wonderful little robotic jump sound you make as a droid. But what this needs, once again, is any kind of ambient sound.
I said this last time, that I understand why ambient sound isn’t a part of any PowerWash package – these jobs take so long that any repeating audio would become wearisome pretty soon in – but small flourishes wouldn’t hurt. A one-off sound of blasters and fighters heard outside the Star Destroyer, a quick round of the Cantina Band song for pushing a hidden switch somewhere in Mos Eisley. It doesn’t need to be intrusive, just there. The silence is even more deafening when you’re existing in a world so rich in iconic audio.
The game’s stuttering/freezing issues on PS5 have yet to subside, either, and are in fact made worse during massive jobs like the AT-AT. Even on my PS5 Pro, by the last 20-30% of that stage I was dealing with hitches and hang-ups every 30 seconds or so, which almost ruined an otherwise fantastic level for me. I’m not sure what the situation is on other platforms, but it’s frustrating that this has been a problem for years at this point.
Those couple of annoyances aside, FuturLab has now gone two-for-two on otherwise excellent licensed DLC packs, and for $14 you’re getting a solid few hours of marveling at some of the coolest Star Wars video game models and environments (that aren’t moving).
Reviewed on PS5 Pro | Review code provided by publisher
Great
- Six jobs and all bangers
- Awesome scale and detail in the AT-AT and Millennium Falcon
- The PO-W2 droids are adorable
Not great
- Still lacking some audio flourishes
- Freezing issues persist
Born into the world of video games through SEGA, and in particular Sonic the Hedgehog, Kieron’s gaming tastes now consist of the latest, shiny AAA thing, an indie darling or two, and an embarrassing number of hours of Balatro.