PowerWash Simulator 2: Adventure Time Pack Review (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

Adventure Time feels like the perfect complimentary piece for PowerWash Simulator’s catalog. Heck, I’m surprised that it hasn’t been implemented before, given the fact that it houses some of the most visually “interesting” locations and world designs. Shrek had his hand in the suds — but not Adventure Time. Well, that is until now; Adventure Time finally has a pile of gloop to call its own. And not just any old gloop, but a multi-tier stack of gunk and slobber that features its own collection of familiar landmarks and filth. Oh, it’s still the same old PowerWash Simulator, only with a little more color and, well, kookiness.

If you’re unfamiliar with PowerWash Simulator, then one can only describe it as a self-explanatory cleaning simulator—a chore core experience in which you, the juggler of nozzles and suds, must eliminate grease and other questionable stains from various structures and surfaces before, well, doing it all over again in another location. You rinse, repeat, and essentially complete the same tasks several times over whilst whittling down various percentage sliders until the final speck of grit vanished and leaves you with a squeaky clean finish. That, in short, is PowerWash Simulator: a slow and satisfying graft that, frankly, doesn’t require much effort to complete. What it does require, however, is time. Oh, PowerWash Simulator isn’t the romp that you want it to be; it’s a snail-like procedure that invoices holding triggers down, crouching and climbing to locate hidden stains, and volleying back and forth between areas to pulverize the dirt.

To state the obvious, Adventure Time Pack doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel or add anything fresh to the existing gameplay formula. Similar to all of the DLC and various expansions that have come out before it, it more or less keeps to the same format, but also chooses to add a handful of original locations and challenges for you to work through. The idea remains intact, and the objectives are still as transparent as ever before. It just so happens that this expansion opts to move away from the traditional landscapes and instead leans more towards the eccentric biomes of Adventure Time’s cult classic universe. Honestly, there isn’t much more that you need to know about it. If you enjoy either Adventure Time or PowerWash Simulator, then you’ll probably love romping through this chapter. If, however, you still need convincing, then allow us to expand on the details.

The Adventure Time Pack features five new levels to explore, including the famous Tree House, Ice King’s Castle, and Pizza Sassy’s. Like the previous chapters in the series, AT allows both solo players and teams to embark on their quest to scrub, jet wash, and clean a plethora of areas, both externally and internally. The mechanics, much like those featured in the vanilla version of the game, involve operating various nozzles and taking full advantage of equipment to reach crucial points on the map—a ladder, for example, which can be used to climb and locate tricky stains.

It goes without saying at this point, but if you have previously played PowerWash Simulator, then you should be properly equipped to deal with the ragtag task of eliminating grease slicks and sticky substances in this colorful expansion. Frankly, it’s the same job. Alas, there are no special surprises to unveil — only five original locations to carve through and a handful of theme-appropriate Easter Eggs to locate, all of which nod their heads to the source material. Really, though, it doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of Adventure Time or not, because at the end of the day, you don’t need to be well versed in the lore to understand how this story works. It’s simple cleaning, but with a twist and, of course, a lot of heavy nods to Finn and Jake and their timeless animated adventures across vast swaths of peculiar territories. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots here, basically.

The good news here is that, even with as little as five stages to carve through, the Adventure Time Pack will surely keep you busy for a handful of hours or more, depending on how much time you spend on each of its obstacles. With a ton of themed rooms, buildings, and uncharted boroughs to flaunt your jet washing skills in, what you essentially have is a stacked voyage that will keep you scrubbing for a bit longer than your average DLC. Well, sort of. The question is, is the Adventure Time Pack worth the asking price, or is it merely a rehash of old material with yet another lofty price tag?

To answer the above question — yes, it is worth it, but only if you’re a fan of the base game. As PowerWash Simulator can be a bit of a slow burner, the chances are that you’ll lose interest long before being able to reap the fruits of your labor. It isn’t a quick gig; it’s a long and oftentimes grueling process that requires a lot of legwork and a great deal of effort. Unfortunately for most, the rewards here are rarely worth the hassle — even with the appealing Adventure Time aesthetic. Therefore, if you happen to be on the hunt for a new experience that brings a lot more to the table than a fresh skin and a new lick of paint, then you might want to consider taking your power washing tools to another allotment. If you’re relatively easy to please and simply enjoy the graft, however, then it’s likely that you’ll find your money’s worth here.

Verdict

Adventure Time makes for a fitting choice for the cult classic scrub-and-soak PowerWash Simulator, given that it shares ties with a huge deal of eccentric themes and photogenic biomes. It might be vaguely similar to the previous expansions in the PowerWash saga and without the full weight of a lofty DLC, but I can certainly vouch for its original artwork, at least. I just can’t quite believe that it has taken this long for it to find its way into the bucket. Better late than never, I suppose.