As the release of FuturLab cleaning sim’s sequel draws nearer, PowerWash Simulator 2 previews start flooding in like a soapy run off from a cleaning job.
Recently several outlets such as Eurogamer and IGN got to spend some time with the sequel to one of the most relaxing games of recent years, and while we did not get to do it ourselves, we can report on their insights to bring you the news about your next PowerWash adventure.
Well, some news, and some “olds”, because the jury’s out on whether the changes are enough to merit calling this game a proper sequel.
Let’s get stuck in.
New toys
First and foremost, some attention needs to be given to new tools the sequel is bringing in, as well as some tweaks to the old ones (not to confuse with The Old Ones).
There are two new mobility options mentioned by the previews. One is a scissor lift, which is going to make things so much easier to handle than the first game’s ladders and scaffolding. Probably easier to transport, and definitely more convenient in terms of adjustable height and lines of sight. The other one is a brand new option, rather than a straight upgrade of a previous one, and it’s the abseiling gear, which will allow you to hang from the environment to handle especially tricky and elevated jobs.
Another new toy is the SwirlForce surface cleaner, a broad disk which should be able to make short work of even persistent dirt on surface, at the cost of being pretty short-range. The PowerWash Simulator’s equivalent of a typical videogame shotgun.
Finally, IGN reports that cleaning liquids were reworked, and now follow the logic of everybody who loves soaking their dishes: you cover a surface in suds and then powerwash it off with water. Just like on these rug-cleaning videos on the internet!
New places
This time around you’ll see more of the somewhat wacky county, with towns whose names are going to be every bit as punny as the original’s Muckingham. As the scale of the setting increases, so do the individual maps and mission structures get larger and more complex. An example the previews mention is the public toilet: you start by cleaning its exterior, and when you’re done it rises up from the ground, showing the toilet proper.
This kind of multi-stage jobs would have been nice to have in the original, for example in the FF7 or the Warhammer 40k DLCs, so it’s great that the sequel is keeping things a bit less overwhelming.
Lookin’ good
Finally, the sequel is bringing in some graphical improvements, but the previews suggest it’s not a leap as much as a hop. Nicer textures, including more differentiated dirt, nicer and grander backgrounds, that kind of stuff. It will look better, but it’s going to be “incrementally better” not “a generational leap”. Fair enough.
When is the game coming?
PowerWash Simulator 2 in its full “the same game, but better and refreshed” glory is currently set to arrive this year, but nothing more concrete has been given yet.
In the meantime, if you haven’t tried the original yet grab a copy and give it a shot, and if you have, you might have missed the Muckingham Files, a bunch of free DLC with a ton of extra things to clean. There are a few premium colabs as well.
Honestly, there is so much stuff in the first game, it should easily tide you over until the sequel’s release. And when it comes, it’s likely to get featured on many “cozy and chill games 2025” lists.