PowerWash Simulator VR Review (Meta Quest)

Never in a million years did I think I’d be spending the twilight hours of most mornings battling with sleep deprivation and a significant other who, to my knowledge, is absolutely fine with me being both physically and emotionally absent for the sake of cleaning a van with a power washer. Needless to say that PowerWash Simulator VR has finally given me a new excuse to dig out the Meta Quest and go on a world-hopping adventure through new waves of soap, suds, and bubbles. And yes, while I have been around this particular block once or twice before in previous iterations of Square Enix’s series, I am, weirdly enough, surprisingly keen to, you know, do it all again. Go figure.

In my mind, PowerWash Simulator was made to stand the test of time on VR. And while I can still very much sing the praises of the original, in some ways, I always knew that a virtual reality counterpart would be the greater, more satisfying experience overall. And for what it’s worth, I was right — even though it did cost me several precious hours of socializing in the outside world. Not that it mattered all that much anyway, because I was the one with the Prime Vista 3000. Who’s the boss now, Molly?

Anyway, having spent a dozen or so hours jet-washing grime out of a gazebo, I can safely say that, to the power washing powers that be, I am, more or less, something of an expect in the field. And so, with my ego successfully inflated, I can just about chalk up a conclusive answer to the following question: Is PowerWash Simulator VR worth playing, or is it barely worth strapping on your overalls and goggles for? Let’s jump right in.

Clean Up on Aisle Muckingham

PowerWash Simulator VR starts you out with a small but seemingly important task: wash the van, and with it, scoot around until you’ve given the town of Muckingham a well-overdue makeover. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, thanks to Meta Quest’s 1:1  accuracy and touch motion control capabilities, it actually is all rather straightforward, and thus, not a disadvantageously criminal slog, after all. To put it short, you grab your power washer, which can come in one of four sizes, and set out to acquire different nozzles and extensions—add-ons with which you can experiment with to clean different types of terrain.

Sure enough, the goals in PowerWash Simulator VR aren’t all that tough. On the contrary, thanks to virtual reality offering a complete 360-degree immersion, completing such tasks is actually thrice as easy as they are in the original, which of course means less time cleaning, and more time scrubbing over the nooks and crannies for additional perks. Also, with the ability to actually move around and take sneak peeks at all the grubby crags and crevices that each location has to offer, it also means you can really get your hands dirty. Fun times.

Going back to what I said about PowerWash Simulator being made for VR — I meant it. Thanks to the motion controls allowing you to flex your entire body and whip the washer in any direction you see fit, it meant I could crouch down, lean forward, and even stretch out like a ballerina to reach all the tightest spots. I enjoyed that — even if my chronic back pain didn’t. Swings and roundabouts, I guess.

Sick of Cleaning

Motion sickness is a common symptom that ties in with overstaying your welcome in the realm of virtual reality. Sadly, not a whole lot is different in PowerWash Simulator VR, as it more or less forces you to swing your head about to locate certain nozzles and cleaning equipment in order to check the boxes and complete a project. Having said that, the VR port does offer the option to either snap to certain locations, or simply teleport back and froth between the van and the property. So again, while the odd burst of motion sickness was unavoidable, I did find that the game’s accessibility options helped to alleviate such issues — if only slightly.

Let it be said that, as far as motion sickness goes, extreme fatigue can often lead to shorter periods of work, and in turn, more headaches and soreness around the eyes. And while such issues often vary from person to person, I for one found that after an hour or two, I would often need to take a break from the game and set the washer aside for a while. But, in all fairness, that’s one of the many drawbacks of using a VR headset — so I can’t exactly call out the creators for something that’s simply out of their control.

The good news is, most, if not all components that made it into a menu in the original version are now available at the tap of a button. Due to your trusty utility belt having all the gadgets and gizmos slotted into one convenient place, you can quite easily swap out your extensions and other parts without having to scroll from menu to menu. So that’s a bonus.

Patience Is Key

PowerWash Simulator VR isn’t the most difficult game in the world, although it does require a lot of time and patience to complete. Therefore, if you’re all for the idea of sticking on a lo-fi playlist and going to town on a patio with a Prime Vista PRO for a few hours, then boy, I give you the Holy Grail of therapeutic simulation games. It isn’t all that long, either, as a great deal of the projects you fork your assets into rarely ever cross the sixty-minute threshold. Again, it often depends on how much you’re willing to get your hands wet, so to speak, as certain jobs may require a bit more time and effort. Either way, it’s the same basic process in each level: grab your kit from the van, and wash away until all the grime and dust are but distant memories on an otherwise clean property.

All in all, you’re looking at a rough forty-hour campaign, give or take. Again, this can go as far as the fifty-hour threshold, though only if you’re desperate to scrape the barrel squeaky clean and rinse out each and every sponge and nozzle along the way. So, if you’re looking for something that’ll keep you busy for those long autumn evenings sat by the Quest — then look no further.

On a side note, it is worth pointing out that each level in the VR version is just a straight-up replica of the original. What’s more, with no new levels to play outside of the base campaign, there isn’t really a major difference between the bog-standard copy and the VR counterpart. That said, if you’re fairly new to the series, and are looking for the definitive way to play PowerWash Simulator, then you should definitely consider picking up the latter.

Verdict

Running through all the same old motions in PowerWash Simulator VR is not only blissfully therapeutic, but also incredibly satisfying and, most of all, rewarding, to say the least. Granted, it isn’t the most emotionally demanding VR experience in the world, nor is it exactly littered with tough-as-nails objectives or lofty progression walls, either. Having said that, it does offer enough of a challenge to keep you busy for hours, days, and perhaps even weeks, depending on how much you really love cleaning grit out of a treehouse. And if there’s one thing that I learned during my time in PowerWash Simulator, it’s that I friggin’ love cleaning.

So, has PowerWash Simulator VR given me the motivation to step out and purchase all the tools of the trade? Not exactly, though I’d definitely be up for giving up my two cents if a neighbor came to ask for guidance on the subject. To that I say, congratulations, Square Enix — you’ve officially handed a fledgling introvert a new secret obsession: cleaning grime out of a driveway. And on that complete and utter bombshell, I really hope my wife doesn’t take the time to read this.

To answer the question, is PowerWash Simulator VR worth the price tag? In short, yes — especially if you’re one for indulging in chore-core simulation games with rudimentary gameplay mechanics and rich lo-if aesthetics. If, however, you’re more of the run-and-gun type who’s hell-bent on getting caught up in bullet storms and lofty narratives, then you may want to search for an alternative way to get your fix.