Spotless: A Retro Rogue-Like Adventure in Cleanliness

Spotless - Title Screen

Overnight Cleaning

Do You Have an Itch to Defy Dirt?
If you've got a wish to wash filth and an appetite for dust bunny combat, Spotless might be your next favorite retro-style rogue-like. Recently, I had the pleasure of diving into this unique game that combines cleaning and combat. Though I’m not a seasoned rogue-like player, I know the genre’s popularity, especially with titles like Enter the Gungeon and Crypt of the Necrodancer. Despite my limited experience, it’s easy to see how Spotless beams with personality.

Game Overview: An Overnight Cleaning Service with a Twist

In Spotless, players work for an overnight cleaning service, taking on jobs that bring the grime—and sometimes hauntings. You’re tasked with completing these cleaning missions before cashing out with your nightly pay. Health retention is crucial across missions, so don’t underestimate the grimy, haunted threats that lurk in each location. Cash rewards go toward useful upgrades to aid in your cleaning quest.

Spotless Gear System

A Nostalgic Aesthetic and Simple Controls

True to its retro style, Spotless adopts a Gameboy-inspired aesthetic, which keeps the visuals purposefully minimalistic. The controls are refreshingly simple: a couple of buttons cover both cleaning tools and weapons, plus a dash command to jet around each area. This dash is essential since every mission is timed.

The Dustiary

Timed Missions and the Challenge of Efficiency

One of my few challenges in Spotless was adapting to the timed missions. I found myself wishing for a bit more time to learn the game’s nuances while aiming for a high cleaning score and discovering secrets. But that’s the challenge: time management is a key resource. Players must clean and fight strategically rather than chasing every speck of dirt. Fortunately, there are resources to practice and improve, including a 5-minute practice map, a “dustiary” of previously fought specters, and a helpful controls guide.

Spotless: Fun, Humorous, and Value-Packed

RECOMMENDED

So, is it fun? Spotless packs a lot of pep into its simple package, with gameplay that feels like a blend of Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Luigi’s Mansion, only with a twist—you’ll be vacuuming up more than just ghosts. The dialogue perfectly captures the 3rd-shift work vibe, with a supervisor who’s both bored and hard to please. Between the solid, expanding gameplay, humorous and self-aware writing, and a budget-friendly price of $9.99 on Steam, Spotless comes highly recommended for anyone ready to take on a quirky cleaning adventure.