Ryan Gosling drives, I clean. He has a scorpion jacket; I have headphones. He navigates the streets well; I navigate dogs in the way well enough. So naturally, I’m well-suited to discuss Cleaning Up!, a game all about… that.
In Cleaning Up!, you take part in the gig economy by signing up to be an app-based cleaner. You get called out to various locations to take care of their messes. Some are simple apartments with trash strewn about. Others get more complicated in the streets and well beyond. You get harassed by the app’s AI and reminded that you’re there forever, so surprise, things get a little more realistic than you would have expected in a cleaning game!
To accomplish your tasks, you start with a vacuum before building your toolset up with a broom, a mop, a powerwasher, and an air freshener. Each job will give you stars and cash, the latter being used to upgrade your tools or change your appearance.
It’s all as straightforward as that. This casual, cozy game wants you to relax with something that isn’t exactly relaxing in real life, so it’s a cute way to take off the edge. It’s mostly successful at that because of where the game shines the most: its mechanics.
You are operating in what’s effectively a box, with limited maneuverability. In a top-down view, you can move left, right, up, or down, but only a bit diagonally. The tools operate quite well with these movements, particularly the vacuum, your primary tool. The vacuum offers the best, most fluid approach. You’ll use it to suck up most trash and shoot it into one or two available cans, but the creative twist comes in using it to manage other elements of the environment. It’s super fun to use and made me wish things were that easy.
The other tools vary in their success. The broom and power washer are right behind the vacuum in terms of fluidity. I especially liked the broom’s controller feedback and sound, which gives you a small feeling of breaking up grime. The power washer is solid and reminds me of a simpler approach than what I normally do in PowerWash Simulator. I didn’t mind as much success with the mop or air freshener. The mop felt too rigid and could have really benefited from more independent control over its movements, so it felt like a mop. The air freshener felt too choppy, but perhaps its spritzy approach demanded that.
Still, the levels are well designed and offer just enough of a challenge across its 20+ areas. As you take on more jobs, the locations will grow. Some locations will present additional challenges, such as avoiding knocking over vases or getting hit by cars, while others offer hidden bonuses. I really liked the challenges because it did give something else to consider while cleaning. I would have loved to see a few more sprinkled throughout the game.
The game can struggle a bit with its replayability, as you can knock everything out in just a few hours. I liked the ability to go back and earn additional stars in the early levels, and, in general, the expansion of each level. Still, there’s only so many hours to pump out of this, so I’d imagine that constant returns could start to make things a little stale.
Even with that in mind, Cleaning Up! is a solid casual game that owns the vibes it brings to the table. The visuals are cute, the sounds are punchy, and controlling your little worker gives off all the Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley vibes. It can be a good way to unwind from your actual cleaning. You won’t find a ton of depth or complication, but you’ll get just enough of this to make it worth the gig.
Ryan Gosling drives, I clean. He has a scorpion jacket. I have headphones. He navigates the streets well. I navigate dogs in the way well enough. So naturally, I’m well suited to discuss Cleaning Up!, a game all about… that.
Ryan Gosling drives, I clean. He has a scorpion jacket; I have headphones. He navigates the streets well; I navigate dogs in the way well enough. So naturally, I’m well-suited to discuss Cleaning Up!, a game all about… that.
In Cleaning Up!, you take part in the gig economy by signing up to be an app-based cleaner. You get called out to various locations to take care of their messes. Some are simple apartments with trash strewn about. Others get more complicated in the streets and well beyond. You get harassed by the app’s AI and reminded that you’re there forever, so surprise, things get a little more realistic than you would have expected in a cleaning game!
To accomplish your tasks, you start with a vacuum before building your toolset up with a broom, a mop, a powerwasher, and an air freshener. Each job will give you stars and cash, the latter being used to upgrade your tools or change your appearance.
It’s all as straightforward as that. This casual, cozy game wants you to relax with something that isn’t exactly relaxing in real life, so it’s a cute way to take off the edge. It’s mostly successful at that because of where the game shines the most: its mechanics.
You are operating in what’s effectively a box, with limited maneuverability. In a top-down view, you can move left, right, up, or down, but only a bit diagonally. The tools operate quite well with these movements, particularly the vacuum, your primary tool. The vacuum offers the best, most fluid approach. You’ll use it to suck up most trash and shoot it into one or two available cans, but the creative twist comes in using it to manage other elements of the environment. It’s super fun to use and made me wish things were that easy.
The other tools vary in their success. The broom and power washer are right behind the vacuum in terms of fluidity. I especially liked the broom’s controller feedback and sound, which gives you a small feeling of breaking up grime. The power washer is solid and reminds me of a simpler approach than what I normally do in PowerWash Simulator. I didn’t mind as much success with the mop or air freshener. The mop felt too rigid and could have really benefited from more independent control over its movements, so it felt like a mop. The air freshener felt too choppy, but perhaps its spritzy approach demanded that.
Still, the levels are well designed and offer just enough of a challenge across its 20+ areas. As you take on more jobs, the locations will grow. Some locations will present additional challenges, such as avoiding knocking over vases or getting hit by cars, while others offer hidden bonuses. I really liked the challenges because it did give something else to consider while cleaning. I would have loved to see a few more sprinkled throughout the game.
The game can struggle a bit with its replayability, as you can knock everything out in just a few hours. I liked the ability to go back and earn additional stars in the early levels, and, in general, the expansion of each level. Still, there’s only so many hours to pump out of this, so I’d imagine that constant returns could start to make things a little stale.
Even with that in mind, Cleaning Up! is a solid casual game that owns the vibes it brings to the table. The visuals are cute, the sounds are punchy, and controlling your little worker gives off all the Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley vibes. It can be a good way to unwind from your actual cleaning. You won’t find a ton of depth or complication, but you’ll get just enough of this to make it worth the gig.
by Alex Quevedo
