The first week of March has been quite the treat for Steam users. We've seen the arrival of 'Slay the Spire 2', the highly anticipated extraction shooter 'Marathon' that Bungie is pinning its future on, and even a remaster of 'Poker Night at the Inventory'. Then there's the CRPG 'Esoteric Ebb', which has already secured a 'Very Positive' rating. Amidst this deluge of new titles, we have 'DrainSim', a cleaning simulator that brings a rather literal meaning to the term 'flooding the market'.

The game kicks off with a cheeky premise: a city absolutely battered by a deluge. Our protagonist starts off by flushing a toilet with a plunger, looking immensely satisfied with themselves. Naturally, this fleeting moment of peace is shattered by news reports of catastrophic flooding. With a dramatic look of resolve, our hero steps out into the rain, trusty plunger tucked firmly under their arm.

In short, your goal is to bring order back to a waterlogged world. With rain pouring from the heavens, clogged gutters, and basements turned into indoor pools, you've got your work cut out for you. Your routine involves draining puddles and unclogging drains to get things relatively dry. It shares a certain 'zen' satisfaction with other cleaning simulators, most notably 'PowerWash Simulator', though the grime here is decidedly more aqueous.

To get the job done, you'll need a proper kit. Many gutters are choked with layers of silt and sand that have built up over time; you’ll have to get in there with a rake to clear the path. Since the drains are essential for any further progress, the rake will quickly become your best friend. Just don't get too comfortable—silt builds up again, so you'll need to keep up with regular maintenance.

Once the path is clear, it’s time for the heavy lifting: the actual water removal. For deeper puddles or flooded basements where conventional drainage is non-existent, you have three tools at your disposal: pumps, plastic buckets, and a water vacuum.

The bucket is your basic, entry-level tool. It’s not exactly efficient, holding very little water and requiring a manual trip to empty it, which limits its use to smaller jobs. The water vacuum, on the other hand, is a nifty gadget that sucks up a decent amount of water quickly, making it perfect for mopping up shallow surface water.

The pump is your powerhouse, the fastest way to clear large volumes of water. However, it’s a bit of a diva—you have to hook it up to a small generator, and the hose length is strictly limited. If you don't have a nearby drain or a suitable place to dump the water, you're going to have a bad time. Also, a cheeky quirk of the game's engine: it’ll keep pumping even if there’s no water left, so be sure to switch it off the moment the job is done to avoid wasting resources.

Your objective is to use these tools to lower the moisture level of each designated area below a certain threshold to complete the mission. The faster you clear the flood, the bigger your payout.

As you progress, the stages grow significantly larger and far more complex. You start with a simple flooded basement, but soon you're clearing road sections, and eventually, you're tasked with saving a flooded national highway running down a mountain. The constant runoff from the heights makes this a real test of skill. You'll need to carefully plan which tools to bring based on the mission briefing. Succeed, and you'll earn reputation points to upgrade your gear and abilities.

As of 4 PM on the 9th, DrainSim holds a 'Very Positive' (90% positive) rating on Steam. Players are chiming in with comments like, "As a plumber of 7 years, this is the most fun I've had with a game recently," "The water physics are surprisingly realistic," and "It’s such a unique concept." While some have noted a lack of stages, it’s currently in Early Access, so there’s plenty of room for future updates.