Dishwashing Simulator

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 294 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • grinding
Dishwashing Simulator Game Cover
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In Dishwashing Simulator, players experience an ultra-detailed simulation of washing dishes, with survival depending on keeping things clean and managing resources. The game features procedurally generated dungeons, anomalies, base construction, and a research system, creating an emergent and immersive experience. Players must manage food, water, and agriculture to survive, all while uncovering the mysteries behind their menial tasks.

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Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 294 reviews
gameplay21 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging gameplay loop that combines dishwashing with exploration and horror elements.
  • Atmospheric design and sound create a compelling sense of dread and immersion.
  • Fun mechanics for automation and base building, allowing for creative gameplay.
  • The parkour segment at the end feels out of place and is frustrating due to clunky movement mechanics.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive, especially with limited late-game content and progression.
  • Some physics issues with item interactions, such as crates getting stuck or dishes colliding, detract from the experience.
  • gameplay64 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the core mechanics and automation aspects, but expressing frustration with the parkour segments and clunky controls. While the game features an addictive loop and intriguing elements, some players feel that the late-game progression lacks depth and that the abrupt shift in gameplay during the finale detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is praised for its atmosphere and engaging core mechanics, but criticized for its execution and pacing, particularly in the final segments.

    • “Really fun gameplay with a fairly intriguing story; though I personally prefer playing the game forever and not beating it, you can beat it if you want.”
    • “The gameplay loop is honestly very fun and has a surprising amount of depth considering the overall length of the game.”
    • “Great core gameplay loop that I'm sure will be more refined as time goes on.”
    • “The main gameplay loop of washing dishes isn't interesting, but I understand the point is to build automation through conveyors, etc. However, in my opinion, you aren't given enough opportunity to do so since the game is so short.”
    • “The real kicker for me was the absolute flip in gameplay that the game pulls during the escape.”
    • “In order to even progress to the ending, you have to enter an entirely separate area that removes core gameplay mechanics like hunger and thirst, for an hour-long aggravating parkour.”
  • story49 mentions

    The story of the game is generally perceived as short and lacking depth, with many players noting its predictability and a disappointing ending that feels rushed or lazy. While some find the gameplay enjoyable and the narrative intriguing at times, the overall experience is often overshadowed by a lack of substantial content and a disjointed conclusion, leading to a desire for more expansive storytelling in future updates.

    • “Solid game that broke the format of simulator games to provide a unique experience with a bizarre story.”
    • “The environments in this game are fantastic; they feel dingy and creepy. The story is innovative, and the sound design made me jump a few times.”
    • “Big recommend if you love fun survival scary games with an intriguing story!”
    • “The game is short if you're going through the story, which consists of phone calls and announcements made through intercoms, and it will lead to probably the most frustrating part of the game and the one where you will die the most.”
    • “The story was confusing and lackluster, so I'm not filled with faith that the end would feel like a real reward for such frustrations.”
    • “If you make a casual effort to progress the story, it will end within three hours or less, and is hardly substantive.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the addictive nature of crafting, farming, and base-building, others criticize it for being tedious and slow, particularly in the early stages where resource gathering feels overly grindy. The balance between different gameplay elements is also noted, with farming and fishing being seen as too easy compared to the more laborious tasks like research and scrap collection. Overall, the grinding can be fun initially but may become repetitive and frustrating over time.

    • “Research in Dishwashing Simulator is like if you had to craft every item by hand in Factorio; it's just tedious and boring.”
    • “Scrap costs for research are very high and grindy, making them really boring to get through.”
    • “Good fun game for one day if you are planning on running through it; I ran into a few monsters overall, but it is rather easy to avoid them if they don't spawn near you. The only issue is that there are a lot of scrap upgrades, and I did not want to spend hours grinding for enough scrap; maybe a scrap generator would help.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its well-crafted, creepy, and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the tension and claustrophobia it evokes, although some note that the intensity can diminish due to sparse content. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “A fun few hours wandering through well-crafted atmospheres designed by a loving dev who watches streams and patches in real time.”
    • “Fantastic game, one of the best games I've experienced in recent memory with regards to atmosphere-building.”
    • “Fun game wash dish repeat; it has crafting, construct your base and production line, then encounter monsters and a creepy atmosphere with puzzles and secrets to uncover while managing water and food.”
    • “It succeeds at a creepy atmosphere!”
    • “It is a really neat concept, because the relative safety of your room and the mundane job you have both serve to accentuate the unnerving atmosphere down below.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them underwhelming and lacking realism, while others praise the unique retro-horror aesthetics and immersive sound effects. Occasional graphical hiccups are noted, but they do not significantly detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals seem to appeal to fans of simulation and horror genres, blending various elements effectively.

    • “From the moment you step into the unexpected room, you're greeted with realistic visuals and sound effects that immediately draw you into the task at hand.”
    • “I won't spoil much here, but it's a curious game that blends lethal company, voices of the void, and the best of liminal space aesthetics into one.”
    • “The retro-horror aesthetics and wandering gameplay are underwhelming and overdone.”
    • “From the moment you step into the unexpected room, you're greeted with not much realistic visuals and sound effects that immediately draw you into the task at hand.”
    • “First off, the graphics, they're unbelievable.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game experiences various glitches and bugs, particularly with controls and item mechanics, which can detract from the experience. While some glitches are part of the game's design, others are frustrating and impact gameplay, though the developers appear to be actively working on patches to improve stability.

    • “There's some glitches here and there that get annoying.”
    • “Genuinely fun concept, but the controls, item glitches, and item mechanics feel like you have to fight the game to get anything to function.”
    • “Physics are quite buggy at times, especially with crates, but it seems the dev is already patching that.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, experiencing a range of feelings from laughter to sadness, enhanced by immersive gameplay and atmospheric design. The survival elements evoke a genuine sense of dread and urgency, making players feel like true survivors rather than just completing tasks. Overall, the emotional depth of the game is highlighted as one of its standout features.

    • “I laughed, I cried, I fished scrap metal out of a toilet.”
    • “Early on in playing it, I was extremely pleasantly surprised that it was actually a very good game. The gameplay loop speaks a lot to the good game design that went into it. The best part of it has to be the ambience; without spoiling too much, it's one of the few survival games that really made me feel like an actual survivor, rather than just doing chores. Having to go down into the depths to get more food and other resources has a very fun horror element to it that makes you both dread going down for more while being essentially forced to early on, making you wish to get to the point where you don't have to as much, which I liked a lot.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is multifaceted, with players finding themselves engaged in various activities such as base building, farming, and factory management, all while striving for efficiency in each aspect. This variety can lead to distractions, but it also enhances the overall experience by allowing players to explore and optimize multiple gameplay elements.

    • “I enjoyed the horror part until I got distracted by the base building and enjoyed that, then I got distracted by the farming, then the fishing, then the aesthetics, then my optimal box placement, then the story, then what the monsters look like, then the ball, then the hole, then the monsters again, then factory optimization, then more dish washing. Oh my gosh, the dishes go ding, and drying is a thing too! How to make that optimum?”
    • “The game offers a fantastic balance of mechanics that allows for deep optimization in every aspect, from resource management to layout design.”
    • “I love how the optimization elements encourage creativity and strategic thinking, making every decision feel impactful and rewarding.”
    • “I enjoyed the horror part until I got distracted by the base building, then the farming, then the fishing, then the aesthetics, then my optimal box placement, then the story, then what the monsters look like, then the ball, then the hole, then the monsters again, then factory optimization. Oh my gosh, the dishes go ding, and drying is a thing too. How to make that optimum?”
    • “The game is overloaded with mechanics that pull you in every direction, making it hard to focus on optimizing anything effectively.”
    • “I found myself spending more time trying to optimize my base than actually enjoying the gameplay, which felt frustrating.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating the balance of challenging gameplay and amusing physics quirks that enhance the experience without becoming frustrating.

    • “The difficulty was just right, and there was just enough jank to the physics to make it funny but not annoying.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    While the game lacks official content updates, the potential for mod support could significantly enhance its replayability by introducing new exploration themes, foods, and gameplay elements.

    • “This isn't an EA game, and public statements indicate further content updates aren't expected, but the potential for mod support (more exploration environment themes, more foods, more plates, etc.) would likely extend replayability significantly.”
    • “The variety of choices and paths you can take in the game makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting, encouraging you to dive back in for a different experience.”
    • “With multiple endings and character builds, the game offers endless possibilities, making it hard to resist starting over to explore new strategies and outcomes.”
    • “This isn't an EA game, and public statements indicate that further content updates aren't expected. However, the fever dream of mod support (more exploration environment themes, more foods, more plates, etc.) would probably extend replayability by an order of magnitude.”
    • “Once you've completed the main storyline, there's little incentive to return. The lack of meaningful side quests or additional content makes replaying feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
    • “The game offers a single playthrough experience with minimal variations. After finishing it once, I found no compelling reason to dive back in.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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