ⓘ Awaken Realms
A relaxing cleaning simulator is cheaper than ever on Steam. For barely more than a dollar, players can rid the world of dirt and trash – and enjoy the satisfying feeling of watching their surroundings gradually become clean again.
Marius Müller (translated by Marius Müller), Published 🇩🇪
Something that often feels like a chore in real life can actually be a lot of fun in a video game. We're talking about cleaning and tidying up, of course, which is essentially what Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator is all about. Released in 2022 by Chicken Launcher and Awaken Realms, the simulator has just reached a new all-time low on Steam, according to SteamDB: An 86% discount brings the regular price down from $9.99 to just $1.39.
In Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator, players aren't cleaning apartments but restoring nature. Equipped with a device that appears to combine a pressure washer and a vacuum cleaner, they travel around the globe to clean up polluted landscapes and help protect the environment. Mud gets blasted away, trash is vacuumed up and withered plants are brought back to life. What makes the experience special is how dramatically the surroundings change. What was once a gray, muddy wasteland gradually transforms into a lush green oasis – and according to reviews, this delivers exactly the satisfying feeling players expect from a cleaning simulator.
ⓘ Awaken Realms
To add some variety between cleaning sessions, players can also rescue cute animals, solve small puzzles and discover hidden objects. Collecting trash earns experience points that can be used to upgrade equipment. Overall, the game is strongly reminiscent of PowerWash Simulator – except that the cleaning takes place in nature rather than on dirty building facades and filthy cars.
On Steam, Fresh Start Cleaning Simulator has received nearly 2,600 reviews, with a respectable 86% positive rating. Alongside the satisfying gameplay loop, players praise the colorful graphics and the charming environmental theme. However, the game reportedly lacks variety and offers little gameplay depth. Players also report numerous bugs, including faulty collision detection, disappearing objects and cleaning progress that fails to register. At a price of just over $1, though, these issues may be easier to overlook. Steam currently lists the game as "Unsupported" on the Steam Deck. According to ProtonDB, however, it should run without issues on Valve's handheld.
The trailer offers a few glimpses of the gameplay:
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.