PowerWash Simulator 2: Star Wars Pack review – May the cleaning force be with you

You don’t need me to tell you how great PowerWash Simulator 2 is. I already have done, for one. And for two, if you’ve already played it, then you’ll be very much in the loop. Cleaning digital things with a digital pressure washer just shouldn’t be fun, on paper. But it so is. The ultimate relaxation game, and for me, the perfect game to play while listening to an audiobook. And now, thanks to the Star Wars Pack DLC, it’s just got even better.

Available for just seven quid (bet you can’t even buy a milk in the Cantina for that), PowerWash Simulator 2’s Star Wars Pack adds in six new cleaning missions, all featuring iconic locations and vehicles from the Star Wars franchise. Once you own the DLC, you can jump in at any point from the game’s menu; you don’t need to have made any progress in the base game first. Because, come on, why would you want to clean a van and a regular ol’ house when you can clean a bloomin’ AT-AT, for crying out loud?

Unfortunately, you can’t simply jump into the Star Wars mission of your choice. You’ll need to progress through the campaign, which means starting with the Lars’ Homestead. It’s a pretty big undertaking – in fact, all of the missions in the DLC pack are. These aren’t short cleans that you can be done with in fifteen minutes or so. Strap in, because you’re going to be cleaning for a long time.

It means you’re getting good value for money at least, but if you like shorter missions, it’s a bit annoying. The smaller missions, ironically, come at the end of the pack, with the X-Wing Fighter and Millennium Falcon being slightly quicker to clean than the hulking AT-AT (which requires a lot of scaffolding to reach the top) and the expansive interior of Mos Eisley Cantina. But if you were hoping for a quick pod racer to spruce up, or maybe even C3-P0 to hose down, you’re out of luck.

If you’re a Star Wars fan, though, you’re going to be in your element here. Every location has been beautifully recreated and it’s easy to believe that you really are part of a Galaxy Far, Far Away, living your best life as a cleaning drone. The Lars’ Homestead is packed with little details, like a fully-stocked kitchen, a dining table with cups and plates, and an exterior courtyard where even the texture of the walls feels authentic.

And when it comes to cleaning the vehicles, there’s something so awe-inspiring about looking up at a huge AT-AT and truly getting a sense of scale that isn’t always portrayed in the movies. It towers over you, leaving you feel truly tiny – and like you have a mammoth undertaking of a cleaning job. True, some of these missions can be rather overwhelming to begin with, but as you see your progress meter fill up, there’s a real sense of accomplishment when things begin to look clean.

The only real complaint I can throw at PowerWash Simulator 2: Star Wars Pack is that, like the base game, it doesn’t contain any music. I understand why: this is a game you can play with your own soundtrack or podcast on in the background. But it’s Star Wars! With such an iconic soundtrack to make use of, it’s such a shame that I can’t listen to the Imperial March while cleaning the Super Star Destroyer Bridge, or the Cantina Band while hosing down Mos Eisley Cantina.

Sure, I could put my own Star Wars soundtrack on, but it’s just not the same. With licenses and extra legwork involved in getting music in the game, however, its’ hard to hold it against FuturLab too much, but it will forever remain a bone of contention in the game – especially when the DLC comes from a franchise with such iconic music (we said the same about the Final Fantasy VII content from the first game).

Still, there’s no doubt that this is my favourite PowerWash Simulator DLC pack yet, and I’d gladly welcome a Star Wars Pack II at some point. The choice of locations and vehicles here is excellent, but there are still plenty more yet to be explored. The Throne Room? The Death Star? A Stormtrooper army? The possibilities are endless. Still, if you’re a Star Wars fan who enjoys a spot of powerwashing, consider this essential.