Ding me baby one more time
By Paul Hunter
On PS5, PowerWash Simulator 2 is FuturLab’s cleanest take on its idea yet. The core gameplay we love stays on point: aim, spray, ding. Surrounding it is a full follow-up campaign set after the events of the first game, a customisable home base, and a deeper toolkit that handles big slabs, thin trim, and high glass with ease.
There is a more confident shine to the presentation, with sharper textures, clearer menus and progress prompts that help you find that last speck of dirt. Co-op has been improved, both locally and online, with two-player spit-screen and smarter shared progression where time in someone else’s run still counts on yours. As a follow-up, it delivers exactly what you want: satisfying cleaning and plenty of upgrades across the board. Thinking about rolling the van around Caldera County on PS5 for another season of suds? Let’s find out!
Without getting into too many details, the city weirdness quickly piles up. Somebody lifted gems from an ancient statue. A beam in the sky looks linked to those stones. The new mayor wants a Town of the Year trophy, and mining trucks keep rolling through like clockwork. All these curiosities give you motivation to move to the next mission to see what oddities unfolds next.
Between missions, your new hub space helps personalize your story. Trophies you've unlocked pile up on your shelves, furniture you've purchased can be clean and used to decorate your workspace, and even the cats—Ulysses, Bubbles, and Squeak—hang around and even tag along to levels. You can give them a quick pat, too, for good measure.
It’s a gentle kind of storytelling. You’re never forced to chase it, but it’s always there if you want to follow the trail. Wash, ping, clue, pinboard, repeat. It fun to follow along on many mysteries.
Gear-wise, the new surface cleaner clears floor fast and efficiently. An adjustable nozzle lets you shift spray width on the fly. Soap, which is now mult-surface and completely free, is easier to fold into your routine and rinses off fast when you are done. Across the run, nine power washers across two product lines unlock, plus attachments that support different approaches. On a rockclimbing job, I hung from the new abseil seat to reach high areas, then while cleaning a theatre I hopped aboard the new scissor lift to clean the ceiling lights. Later, the surface cleaner made a hotel swimming pool snap to spotless in minutes.
New qality-of-life systems make cleaning less of a chore. A handy Dirt Finder list helps you tag remaining bits, and a checklist breaks the work into manageable goals. Multi-stage contracts shift as you progress; one early town kiosk turns into a full restroom mid-mission, which is both surprising to see and fun to explore.
Two-player local co-op has been added and works great from my experience, and online squads of four can run career or free play with shared progression. If you help in someone else’s job, you get credit and can skip that stage back on your own save. The result is a steady, zen-like cadence where every pass counts and every ding pushes you forward.
Water gets an upgrade as well, at least visually. On windows, runoff follows gravity in a way that looks natural—it has no gameplay effect, but it makes every pass look realistic. You'll also see dirt spraying off objects you wash, and the colour and texture matches the type of grime you are clearing, adding even more authenticity.
And expanded list of cosmetic options round things out. You can change your character's mask and boots independently, and you can paint your van. Decorating your office hub space adds more personality to the experience, but I do wish the arrangement rules weren't so strict. There were plenty of times I wanted to place a rug or a cabinet in a specific spot, but the game wouldn't let me.
All told, the package is tidy and polished. The upgrades are obvious: the finishes look more authentic, and the deeper customizations keep you dialled into the work.
Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Developer: FuturLab
Publisher: FuturLab
Genre: Simulation
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
On PS5, PowerWash Simulator 2 is FuturLab’s cleanest take on its idea yet. The core gameplay we love stays on point: aim, spray, ding. Surrounding it is a full follow-up campaign set after the events of the first game, a customisable home base, and a deeper toolkit that handles big slabs, thin trim, and high glass with ease.
There is a more confident shine to the presentation, with sharper textures, clearer menus and progress prompts that help you find that last speck of dirt. Co-op has been improved, both locally and online, with two-player spit-screen and smarter shared progression where time in someone else’s run still counts on yours. As a follow-up, it delivers exactly what you want: satisfying cleaning and plenty of upgrades across the board. Thinking about rolling the van around Caldera County on PS5 for another season of suds? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
PowerWash Simulator 2's story picks up after a quiet stretch in Caldera County. You’re back on jobs when little hints start stacking up, mainly messages from townsfolk while you work (similar to the first game), along with environmental details that click if you’re paying attention. New this time is a detailed pinboard at your (also new) home base, which updates after each mission, and helps shed details on the bigger picture.Without getting into too many details, the city weirdness quickly piles up. Somebody lifted gems from an ancient statue. A beam in the sky looks linked to those stones. The new mayor wants a Town of the Year trophy, and mining trucks keep rolling through like clockwork. All these curiosities give you motivation to move to the next mission to see what oddities unfolds next.
Between missions, your new hub space helps personalize your story. Trophies you've unlocked pile up on your shelves, furniture you've purchased can be clean and used to decorate your workspace, and even the cats—Ulysses, Bubbles, and Squeak—hang around and even tag along to levels. You can give them a quick pat, too, for good measure.
It’s a gentle kind of storytelling. You’re never forced to chase it, but it’s always there if you want to follow the trail. Wash, ping, clue, pinboard, repeat. It fun to follow along on many mysteries.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The gameplay in PowerWash Simulator 2 is familar and satisfying, yet fresh in many ways. You take contracts across a full campaign of 38 stages, earn cash, and upgrade your gear. The toolbox grows in big ways over the campaign so you can cut through dirty floors, trims, and tall walls without fuss.Gear-wise, the new surface cleaner clears floor fast and efficiently. An adjustable nozzle lets you shift spray width on the fly. Soap, which is now mult-surface and completely free, is easier to fold into your routine and rinses off fast when you are done. Across the run, nine power washers across two product lines unlock, plus attachments that support different approaches. On a rockclimbing job, I hung from the new abseil seat to reach high areas, then while cleaning a theatre I hopped aboard the new scissor lift to clean the ceiling lights. Later, the surface cleaner made a hotel swimming pool snap to spotless in minutes.
New qality-of-life systems make cleaning less of a chore. A handy Dirt Finder list helps you tag remaining bits, and a checklist breaks the work into manageable goals. Multi-stage contracts shift as you progress; one early town kiosk turns into a full restroom mid-mission, which is both surprising to see and fun to explore.
Two-player local co-op has been added and works great from my experience, and online squads of four can run career or free play with shared progression. If you help in someone else’s job, you get credit and can skip that stage back on your own save. The result is a steady, zen-like cadence where every pass counts and every ding pushes you forward.
Presentation and Audio
PowerWash Simulator 2 looks sharper across the board. Surfaces have finer textures, scenes pack more detail, and the lighting, fog, and particles give each site a warmer tone. The upgrade over the first game is clear the moment you roll up to your first contract.Water gets an upgrade as well, at least visually. On windows, runoff follows gravity in a way that looks natural—it has no gameplay effect, but it makes every pass look realistic. You'll also see dirt spraying off objects you wash, and the colour and texture matches the type of grime you are clearing, adding even more authenticity.
And expanded list of cosmetic options round things out. You can change your character's mask and boots independently, and you can paint your van. Decorating your office hub space adds more personality to the experience, but I do wish the arrangement rules weren't so strict. There were plenty of times I wanted to place a rug or a cabinet in a specific spot, but the game wouldn't let me.
All told, the package is tidy and polished. The upgrades are obvious: the finishes look more authentic, and the deeper customizations keep you dialled into the work.
The Verdict
PowerWash Simulator 2 nails the follow-up. A meaty campaign, smarter tools, and better traversal make every job smoother. Couch co-op has arrived, and online squads share progression so your time invested always counts. Visuals are sharper and water effects look better, which makes every clean site pop. It’s the same calm loop with more bells and whistles, creating a more enjoyable experience. If you already like washing locations spotless, this is an easy pick on PS5.Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
PowerWash Simulator 2 details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: FuturLab
Publisher: FuturLab
Genre: Simulation
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.