Simulator games are among my favorites because I love seeing how people do these games and what new mechanics they might bring to the table. This game reminded me of the early PowerWash Simulator, which is why I gave it a chance. But the level design and objects that you get to paint leave much to be desired.
For this Mini Review, I have to kick things off by stating that I only made it three jobs before the whole game had me grinding my feet. Nothing about this game feels complete, which is a shame because the foundation for a great game is there.
The Good
Spray Paint Simulator has a really cool gimmick where you have to cover things before you can paint for extra money. Sometimes, you can skip this part, but I really didn’t mind doing it.
Spray Paint Simulator is a gorgeous game. I really enjoyed the process of just existing in the three jobs that I did. A big part of that is because of the art style, which I absolutely adore. Painting feels fantastic, too.
I found it easy enough to paint with two colors, even without sectioning off specific parts to make sure things don’t mix. There is also a healthy array of colors to choose from, so there is at least some variety.
On the options front, there are a good number to choose from. You can also remap your controls, which I greatly appreciated. The biggest issue with this game is the mechanics and the jobs.
The Not So Good
Painting in this game doesn’t happen as evenly as I felt like it should. You can change the nozzle to get the paint to shoot in a more compact pattern, but something about the way that the paint disperses feels wrong. I understand that it might be realistic to go over the same spot multiple times, though.
The upgrade system is questionable at best. You make so much money, and the only thing you get to spend it on early on is the supplies needed to start painting. The reason this bothers me is that it makes the game feel monotonous. Other simulator games are careful to give you plenty of options in the early game, which you will not get with Spray Paint Simulator.
The reason the game seemingly drove me away is because of the jobs. You start with a car, go to a kitchen, and then take a bus. The car is fine, the kitchen must be done in one color, and the bus is finally when we get to start doing different colors: A mechanic that should’ve been introduced with the kitchen.
Simulator games that do not involve running a store of some kind have this issue with scale. PowerWash Simulator has this problem too, which they kind of fix in PowerWash Simulator 2. The scale of the jobs doesn’t feel right. There should’ve been a smaller job between the car and the kitchen, which could have introduced another mechanic. I also really dislike how the progression for your paint gun works; it makes the game boring.
If you like painting, this could be the game for you. There is a free paint mode, which I couldn’t vibe with because I simply don’t have the creativity to paint white walls. You can also do the freeplay mode, but you can only do that for jobs you’ve completed, making it a bit of a drag.
To put it simply, this game needed a little more to compete in the simulator space, at least for me. I do hope that they keep updating it, though.