I've never had so much fun picking up dirt in my pimped-out vehicle whilst kerb-crawling.
Snoop Dogg *wishes* he was Street Cleaning Simulator.
Let me assure you though, SCS isn't for everyone. The dark storyline takes us to a city beyond redemption, an urban dystopia forsaken by its human architects, declining into a labyrinthine hellhole with little circular blobs of chewing gum... all over the pavement. People wander the streets aimlessly, walking into walls and often just sinking into the floor in misery, unable to face the perils of their oppressive litter-strewn environment. Cars plough through each other at junctions, their drivers apathetic, without purpose. Lost souls. This isn't the kind of imagery you expose your children to.
Through a harrowing and, frankly, moving plot, we truly engage with the plight of our protagonist as he somehow finds a shred of resolve and decides to wage a one-man war on refuse.
The level of interactivity here is truly outstanding. We're not only host to a gluttonous array of council-issue technical wizardry in the form of ruthless rotating brushes and road-shampoo, but also find ourselves behind the wheel of an incredibly powerful machine. The titular Street Cleaner is a whirring monster of virile house-husbandry, picking up unwanted crisp packets and discarded cigarettes like they were nothing more than light debris. And the physics are heartstopping. Especially when a shocking accident sends your hunk of alpha male litter-bane 60 feet skywards, prompting a nail-biting moment where you wonder whether your protagonist will ever live to carry out his noble deed.
This is a game that finishes, and demands an instant second playthrough. The wealth of enjoyment to be had in the lengthy singleplayer campaign is not only expansive, but uncommonly generous. You'll want to nail the medal challenges to earn your stripes as a veteran public servant.
It's not often that a unique and memorable experience like SCS comes along. I just hope that it will enjoy the mainstream success that it deserves and not sit in the budget basket until it attains cult status. Do the right thing. Put the kids in school, get yourself over to the Job Centre, and enrol as a Street Cleaner.