PowerWash Simulator offers a unique kind of satisfaction to its players, one which is possibly more scrutinized than many other forms of relaxation. Digital cleaning in video games is a frequently criticized pastime. Many of the naysayers point to physically cleaning as being more worthwhile use of time, though digital cleaning does have its own obvious merits. Video games similar to PowerWash Simulator, like Viscera Cleanup Detail and Serial Cleaner, also provide similar satisfaction while focusing on adding more "game-like" qualities rather than attempting the more realistic interpretation of a simulator, like the immersive Rover Mechanic Simulator.
Video games centered around cleaning or organizing are easy to question. Spending time cleaning objects that don't exist and can't be utilized or serve a purpose, much less be improved by being cleaned, seems like a time sink to some. Why doesn't everyone prefer to do something tangibly productive and clean something physical?
Digital cleaning allows people to relax and accomplish something that they find fun and satisfying more easily. Taking an item that is damaged or dirty and fixing it up to be functional and clean is very rewarding. It's well known that cleaning will often give a rush of dopamine, and completing the same task digitally can provide the same rush. This is the joy that most video games are selling, variations of fun and relaxation. All types of fun are covered in gaming, a perfect example being Just Cause 3 and its expansions, why not the joy of cleaning?
Why Video Game Cleaning Works
Some digital cleaning games also let certain parts of organizing a typical cleaning session be part of the resource management, really helping players feel involved in the process. It may become necessary to order supplies, like additional soap or fresh paint. Buying new parts or upgrades for tools, like new spray nozzles or a more effective squeegee, can be exciting when it is part of a game.
All of the most annoying details of cleaning like the cost of supplies, breaking tools, muscle pain, getting covered in filth, suspicious smells, and more can all be avoided or easily negated when it is part of a video game. Digital cleaning also streamlines shipping, with ordered tools and products often being delivered immediately in games. Simulator games commonly represent a realistic but gamified interpretation of their subject matter; Gas Station Simulator is one recently released example, making even the most honest representation of chores more fun.
The cost of time spent while digitally cleaning is saved in other ways as well. Cleaning physical objects will usually take much longer than it will in a video game, with methods to speed the process up further often available in the form of soap or, possibly, super powers. If relaxation and a sense of satisfaction is the goal, a digital cleaning session may be the best choice.
PowerWash Simulator & Super Powers
PowerWash Simulator encompasses these values entirely, fully committing to providing the similar satisfaction that a person can get from power washing. Players will choose from available odd jobs where they'll make use of the hi-tech cleaning tools at their disposal, taking more jobs to earn more in-game currency to buy better power washing tools and increase the speed and efficiency of their cleaning. The items players are hired to clean can be dirtied with a variety of different forms of filth, adding a difficulty slope and a necessity to buy better tools or use optional upgrades like soap to get the job done.
PowerWash Simulator also provides players the option to use super powers to assist them as they clean, making dirt glow bright orange at the push of a button. Once a job is complete, players will be left with a very satisfying result and some more game currency in their digital pocket.
House Flipper & Its Satisfying Mechanics
House Flipper shares many of these same principles, offering various jobs that range in value and difficulty of requested work. House Flipper also gives players a before-and-after effect, letting them see the fruits of their labor manifest before their eyes. House Flipper adds to the digital cleaning formula by covering many different facets of homeownership that can be satisfying like installing a shower, trash removal, and tiling the floors. This game also allows people to get creative in many of the available jobs by selecting different paint colors, floors, furniture, and more.
Viscera Cleanup Detail & Its Added Twist
Viscera Cleanup Detail is another digital cleaning game that is highly satisfying and rewarding to play. This game adds a gore element to the digital cleaning formula, helping it stand out from other games and reach new markets. Players will work as a janitor hired to clean up various grisly scenes with many interesting level designs including an experimental medical science level, a secret lair level, and even features a Christmas-themed level.
Viscera Cleanup Detail's mechanics focus on the organizational aspect of cleaning, with players corralling body parts into containers for proper disposal and carefully cleaning the floor in an appropriate pattern so as not to spread the filth around. The nuances of cleaning in this game aren't meant to be realistic, and the violent slaps of the mop can wreak havoc on well-cleaned floors. Players of Viscera Cleanup Detail will be treated to a lovely finished product after some effort.
Serial Cleaner & The Stealth Element
Serial Cleaner further evolves this formula, bringing digitally cleaning gore to another level by adding stealth elements. Players of this game are a janitor for hire, who quickly and quietly remove evidence from crime scenes, right out from under the watchful eyes of the police that were sent to investigate. Fans of Clue and similar strategy board games may especially enjoy Serial Cleaner's strategy elements. This game is less focused on cleaning than other titles mentioned, though it is still a key element to Serial Cleaner. The satisfying sweep of the vacuum cleaner makes it tempting to clean more blood than is necessary to complete the contract.
The number of games centered on the satisfaction of digital cleaning is no surprise. The benefits are obvious, offering the same simple pleasures at a fraction of the effort and cost of physically cleaning. Whether mopping up blood or simply cleaning grime off the sidewalk, cleaning in video games can be just as cathartic as shooting monsters.