It’s often easy to pinpoint the spark of inspiration that led to a game’s creation, indie releases especially. In the case of this latest release from Unbound Creations (Rain on Your Parade, Just Crow Things, Leaf Blower Man) it’s harder to spot. It has a distinct tech-demo feel due to featuring countless pieces of discarded trash to clean up, as if the team tried to see how much junk the physics engine could handle. At the same time, it’s also seemingly following a trend set by PowerWash Simulator and House Flipper, allowing players to chill out while cleaning increasingly fantastical locations.
It’s a trend follower with neat tech, then. It also has a similar cutesy look and feel to Unbound’s past works, sporting comical cartoon-like characters – talking buildings included. The vibe here is also laid back, with no nagging time limits or long lists of objectives to beat. After entering a filth encrusted location – viewed from a side-on perspective – it’s then a case of making it spotless, first using a vacuum cleaner and later a mop, broom and more. Gauges show progress for each task – preventing you from wondering what you’ve missed – and after 5-10 minutes of cleaning, you’re given a celebrational round of applause and a “thank you” from the property itself.
Starting out, you’re presented with everyday offices and houses. Then, by the time the whole city has been cleaned, you’re taken into more fantasy-like properties, such as a trap-laden dungeon. Pop culture references are common, too, including a very familiar coffee shop.
Every action is performed by holding down the trigger button, whether it’s mopping floors or using the broom to break down coal-like grime. A new tool is introduced every 5-6 stages, all of which can be upgraded to increase their power and range. Every stage also has a max five star ranking, which you probably won’t gain on the first attempt. See, by revisiting stages more dirty items requiring the later tools are introduced, making them more complex on the second retry. Even with having to revisit stages to gain the best possible ranking though, Cleaning Up! is a short experience. As most stages only last five minutes, you’re looking at around a 2-hour playtime to blitz through it. There are some extra outfits to unlock if you want to hang around a little longer, as well as some fun Trophies to earn.
Surprisingly, and thankfully, there is a degree of challenge present to prevent this from being entirely brainless, as around half the stages have an optional goal which may result in a penalty. The museum location demands that no precious vases be broken, meaning that the vacuum must be used carefully around them. There’s also a library with a patrolling ghost to avoid, a haunted house with three puzzles to solve, and a graveyard with zombies to push back. All of these additional pursuits serve to add some much-needed depth and personality, preventing stages from feeling alike.
In the end though, I was still left feeling that this is aimed more at the younger generation rather than older folk seeking a cosy hangout. It’s a rather twee experience that a younger gamer would have no trouble comprehending, right down to the simplified controls and easy-to-navigate menus. As the stages are short, it doesn’t quite have the same level of satisfaction as something like PowerWash Simulator and House Flipper either. Perhaps a before-and-after screen wipe would have helped here.
Cleaning Up! makes good on its promise of delivering a laid-back experience – and it may even make you chuckle. While it won’t test your finely honed gaming skills, it won’t test your patience either, offering bite-sized challenges for those who want to be entertained rather than tested.
Unbound Creations’ Cleaning Up! is out 15th April on PS5, Switch and PC.