As another extension of all previously released Simulator games published by Ultimate Games, Car Detailing Simulator might be the most playable of their sim-heavy library but that doesn’t mean it is fun.
This time, instead of fixing cars (or space rovers or tanks), the player is tasked with making them showroom ready. While it obviously is trying to capture the success of Square Enix’s recent cult favorite Power Wash Simulator, Car Detailing Simulator contains some detail but it is still tedious. Power washing is involved but cleaning vehicles require wiping windows, spray bottles must be used, doors and trucks must be opened, and entire cleaning tool kits must be collected. On top of all this, players receive their cleaning missions from using a computer interface and out of place motion comic strips transition tasks.
To me, this game is entirely unplayable because there is no option to invert the camera. Even if there was, I am not sure I would want to spend all this time digitally cleaning a car when my own personal vehicle would benefit from such attention. There are other gameplay elements that also hold back the experience. For example, there is a horrible delay when any button is pressed. So much so that I though the game was frozen or didn’t register each tap. But nope. It records your button presses but there is a three second invisible load time with almost every action. The control scheme, in comparison to other Ultimate Games published sim titles, is more streamlined but still requires a decent learning curve. The stock, general background stock music doesn’t exactly do the game any favors either.
Although this is one of the better sim titles released by this publisher, it still isn’t fun, feels like work (because it is literally a game about performing a chore no one wants to do), and contains a level of jank consistent with the dozens of other sim games. My recommendation is to instead go buy a car wash. Or go wash and wax your car on a Saturday with your favorite playlist filling the background and a beer in your koozie.
SCORE: 4/10
Not As Good As: the satisfaction of detailing your car yourself
Better Than: the early Car Mechanic Simulator titles
Wait For It: the Xbox and Playstation port in late 2023
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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