Spray Paint Simulator Review: A colorful experience?
, by Enzo
A small, casual simulation project from a two-person studio, Spray Paint Simulator invites you to add color by (re)painting worn surfaces all with the aim to deliver a deeply satisfying experience, where you’ll enjoy covering every square centimeter with paint. While the inspiration drawn from Powerwash Simulator seems evident, it remains to be seen whether the game has managed to capture the excellence of its role model.
Inspired… but not that much
Anyone who’s come across the trailer for Spray Paint Simulator might think of Powerwash Simulator, and rightly so! While it might be tempting to present them as twin games, they’re actually more like cousins: they’re certainly from the same family, but not necessarily identical. Whereas Powerwash focuses on (and brilliantly executes) cleaning, with virtually no other mechanics besides that, Spray Paint adds a light dose of resource management and organization.
Here, the goal isn’t the satisfaction of transforming a dirty surface into a perfectly clean one, but rather turning a worn-out structure into a new one with more appropriate, refreshing colors. Unlike Powerwash, the satisfaction doesn’t come once the level is completed, but rather from going throughout the entire level.
Refreshing gameplay that gets old quickly
In Spray Paint Simulator, you have access to a fully stocked store with a wide variety of items: spray guns, various paint colors, protective tarps, masking tape, a magazine, and more. Here, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the environment before you start. Purchasing the necessary resources in sufficient quantities to protect the area, selecting the right paint colors, and ensuring your batteries are charged are all essential.
On paper, the game offers this entire management phase even before you spray the first bursts of paint. This is quite enjoyable during the early missions but quickly becomes tedious as the game progresses and the missions grow more complex.
In fact, you spend quite a bit of time (too much) exploring and uncovering the different parts of the level to prepare the areas for painting or protection. This diminishes the enjoyment of the experience, turning it into something rather tedious, with no real fun to be had. As for the painting itself, it’s quite satisfying. There’s nothing in particular to note except for the difficulty in reaching certain angles, which sometimes require a bit of persistence.
Content and Co-op
It takes a little over 15 hours to see all that Spray Paint Simulator has to offer, which is reasonable for its price of €14.79. The game includes a good dozen levels, all of which can be played cooperatively in career mode, something that wasn’t available before.
The environments and levels are varied, so you don’t feel like you’re spending your time repeating the same mission over and over. There’s a bit of lore, a few secrets to discover, and company statistics. While completely optional, these elements add a nice little layer (of paint!) to the game that’s worth appreciating.
Tested on PC. See our rating policy here.
6.5/10
Spray Paint Simulator lives up to its promises and holds its own overall. It draws inspiration from a title that features solid mechanics and polish, but lacks that same level of refinement, which is understandable, really, given that it was developed by just two people. It’s easy to pick up, and the painting aspect can appeal to both adults and children, who may see it as a form of coloring. It’s an interesting coop experience to run in the background while chatting and passing the time on the occasional quiet evening, but it might not be the best choice for those looking for a new, comfortable game to return to regularly.
- + Overall satisfying
- + Easy to pick up
- + There's co-op available (in free mode)
- - It can prove difficult to reach certain points
- - Physics can be a bit finicky at times
- - Managing protections and supplies isn't that fun