PowerWash Simulator: Fight Grime in the World of Final Fantasy with the Free Midgar Special Pack
Summary
- The Midgar Special Pack is available today for free for all PowerWash Simulator players.
- It includes five new levels based on iconic vehicles and locations from the world of Final Fantasy.
- I went hands-on to tell you about every new addition.
When PowerWash Simulator launched in July of 2022, I initially dismissed it as just another sim game. When it began topping the charts, trending on social media, and skyrocketing in popularity, I decided to give it a shot — and was immediately hooked. After I completed the campaign and cleaned up nearly every achievement, I wound up having a conversation with a fellow fan about the endless collaboration opportunities available to the game, and potential expansions I hoped to see.
Fast forward to present day and my PowerWash Simulator dreams are coming true, as FuturLab and Square Enix have brilliantly partnered to bring some of the biggest brands in the gaming industry for future power washing opportunities. January delivered us the Tomb Raider Special Pack, and today, we’re being treated to one of the most unforgettable episodes in the Final Fantasy series. What’s even more amazing is both packs are available as free add-ons to the base game, which is also included with Game Pass.
The PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack features five new levels, including the Hardy Daytona and Shinra Hauler, Scorpion Sentinel, Seventh Heaven, Mako Energy Exhibit, and the Airbuster.
Final Fantasy fans will appreciate some of the subtle details paying tribute to the original games, but even if you’re not a hardcore fan, you’re still likely to recognize a few items symbolic of the series. When I discovered one of these items in the Seventh Heaven level, I didn’t even recognize it right away since it was completely covered in debris and bio-residue (one of the new types of dirt you will encounter). Once I did, I shut my power washer off and just gawked at it for a minute, as if I had just discovered some long-lost treasure. I was not expecting PowerWash Simulator to invoke such a surreal moment.
TIP: Different equipment configurations (power washers, extensions, and nozzles) work better on the various types of dirt, and sometimes your best option is a soap nozzle and one of the cleaning liquids for a specific surface type.
Most of the items you power wash in the game are static models, but with this add-on, the developers added small animations and interactive elements. It’s a little detail, but a nice touch that adds to immersion and realism.
Power washing the Scorpion Sentinel was a little unsettling. A giant mechanical scorpion armed with all sorts of deadly weaponry and better known for being a boss battle in Final Fantasy VII Remake now sits in a Shinra Warehouse waiting for you to restore it to a shiny, like-new condition. It’s “eye” scanner darts back and forth, and left me wondering if it was viewing me as its next target.
In a different part of the warehouse rests the Airbuster, a massive and fearsome machine that is another boss battle from the game. It’s a pretty simple task, but the Airbuster’s spinning Waist Gears are one of the neatest things you’ll clean. You’ll also have to open its chest door plates and big bomber cannon covers to get to those hard-to-reach crevices.
TIP: If you’re struggling to complete a job and can’t find the remaining areas needing cleaned, bring up the job details page in your tablet (Menu Button) and it will show you the status of each item. If you select a specific item and close the tablet, the corresponding item will flash on the object, identifying its location.
These are now some of my favorite levels from the game and expansions. They’re not the largest, but they are some of the most detailed, with each model containing numerous parts, articulated joints, and complex weapons systems. The Scorpion Sentinel and Airbuster undergo a significant transformation after you finish scrubbing all the muck off them. It’s like discovering the plastic protective film on your new gaming monitor you never removed and then peeling it off and feeling like its brand new again.
You’ll also get to communicate with recognizable characters from the world of Final Fantasy, including Heidegger, Tifa Lockhart, and Reeve Tuesti. Their stories will be shared via incoming text messages in similar format used throughout the base game, and you’ll discover what led to each of these locations and objects getting mired in muck.
The Midgar Special Pack add-on introduces Bio Residue, Mako Residue, and Battle Damage dirt-types unique to this expansion. In a game where all dirt is the enemy and must be eliminated, this isn’t a major change, but it does add a toxic sludge appearance to some of the levels – a more befitting look than some of the traditional dirt types like moss and mold.
TIP: You can easily identify soiled areas using the “show dirt” feature by pressing right on the D-Pad. This will illuminate the affected spots, so you’ll know where to focus your power washer.
Whether you’re jumping into PowerWash Simulator for the first time or a returning player looking for something new to clean, the Midgar Special Pack is some of the best content available for the game and it’s available today as a free add-on.
PowerWash Simulator is available for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, plus it’s included with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Cloud Gaming.
PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack
Square Enix Ltd.
PowerWash Simulator
Square Enix Ltd.