Review: Undusted: Letters From the Past Is a More Relaxed PowerWash Simulator

Undusted: Letters from the Past is the sort of game that feels like a smaller and more contained take on the PowerWash Simulator series. We’re still cleaning things up, hoping to get every possible part looking fresh and tidy. We’re attempting to fill up a gauge and ensure we’re not missing everything. However, 5minlab’s title is offers more insight into each object we scrub, while also presenting us with tasks that probably will only take us 5-15 minutes to complete. 

Adora’s returned to her childhood home with a task. Following her mom Lily’s passing, her aunt asked for a missing necklace back that might be somewhere in the home. It’s in the attic. However, Adora hasn’t been back there in years. After clearing rust off the house key to even get back inside, she heads to her former home. However, it won’t be as easy as just finding the missing jewelry. So she cleans up other memorable and notable items, remembering her past with her parents as she does. 

Like PowerWash Simulator, Undusted: Letters from the Past focuses on using an array of tools to clean about 99% of dirt off of specific items in order to progress. In this case, commentary comes up as you clean, and you learn more about memories tied to each object as you restore them. You start with a toothbrush, which is used on the key to get rust off. However, eventually you also get a  sponge that can cover wider areas, a vacuum more efficient for dust and certain types of materials, and a rag that’s good at polishing. There is the same sort of hint system as similar titles, where you can press a button to enter something of a “dark mode” where only the remaining dirt is highlighted, but you need to reach a certain percentage of cleanliness to unlock that.

What I really like about the execution is the care put into realizing different objects. When you clean the turtle-shaped ocarina, rubbing the sponge over the holes will cause it to play notes. When you turn the snowglobe around, you can hear the water inside sloshing around. It’s very atmospheric, even though we’re in very contained scenarios cleaning certain items. It’s really satisfying, in that it feels like it lends weight and realism to the items we’re cleaning. 

Another thing I really liked about Undusted: Letters from the Past is the sense of ambiance it builds that we don’t get in games like PowerWash Simulator. Sure, in some of its scenarios we got insight into the situation or, if it was a crossover add-on, lore. But this is a full look at the family dynamics and life of Adora and her parents. We watch as she gets explanations as to why Lily behaved as she did and who she was as a person beyond “mom.” We see what things meant to Adora and how the experiences tied to them shaped her life. It’s very personal in a soothing and touching way.

I’m also quite pleased to report that Undusted: Letters from the Past feels incredibly comfortable when played on a Switch. The control scheme doesn’t feel limited to mouse controls. The easy swapping between tools with the d-pad is great. It’s easy to hold and adjust the position of objects while simultaneously scrubbing them. It’s convenient, and I never once felt like I needed a mouse instead.

However, I also feel like sometimes I enjoyed Undusted: Letters from the Past more than I did games like PowerWash Simulator. It’s a shorter experience, to be certain. I could get through most item sessions in five to fifteen minutes. It’s easier on the eyes, since I’m not straining to find dirt or get the right perspective to reach that 100% goal. I also felt like it’s whimsical in a different way, since we are more directly interacting with the objects and maybe being pleasantly surprised by certain reactions. Some people might find it not as satisfying, since it is shorter for both each session and as a whole, but I liked the pacing a lot.

Undusted: Letters from the Past combines cleaning up interesting and poignant items with stories about why each one matters. It’s an incredibly soothing and cozy kind of game, much along the lines of PowerWash Simulator. It’s definitely a little more condensed with a more contained focus, which some may or may not appreciate. Still, I loved the pacing, the attention to detail on each small item, and the way we learn about Adora and her family as we restore everything. 

Undusted: Letters from the Past is available for the Switch and PC.