Leaf it Alone

Leaf it Alone is an excellent cleaning simulator. It may not be very large, but its progression systems and leaf-collecting physics are both very well done.

The gameplay mechanics are straightforward. You earn coins by dumping collected leaves into the trash bin. These coins can then be spent on upgrading your tools. In addition to picking up leaves by hand, you can purchase a rake and a leaf blower, or expand the capacity of your trash bag. Each tool features multiple upgrade tiers that increase its range or power. Air vents placed around the environment speed up leaf collection by automatically sucking up leaves that are in their proximity.

Using the rake to drag leaves from the edges toward the center is extremely satisfying, especially at higher upgrade levels, where its wider spread and “sticky” effect let you pull in large piles with one smooth sweep. The leaf blower is just as enjoyable, pushing big heaps of leaves without scattering them outside the air stream too much. Even manual collection feels good: simply hold down the mouse button and swipe across the area. There are a few nice QoL features as well, for instance you can set the highlighting mode to the current area only, greying out all leaves that don’t belong to it. This helps a lot with reaching 100% in said zone, as leaves tend to mix where different areas connect with each other.

The pacing of the upgrades is also very pleasant. The game never feels grindy, yet upgrades don’t unlock too quickly either. Each completed area grants a bonus, for example, faster sprinting, higher leaf sale value, or access to new zones.

It takes roughly 2.5 hours to clean the game’s single level, which consists of a house with a front yard, backyard, pool, and greenhouse. Not every section is required to unlock the secret room that serves as the game’s finale. There are eight collectibles and multiple achievements, some of which are mutually exclusive. Reaching 100% completion requires at least two playthroughs, one of them being a speedrun (finishing in under 40 minutes). After reaching the exit, you can continue playing to mop up remaining achievements, complete all objectives or unlock all upgrades.

Overall, Leaf it Alone is absolutely worth checking out if you enjoy cleaning simulators. It’s a small game, but it offers a cozy, relaxing, deeply rewarding, and visually delightful experience ( the colorful autumn leaves are a feast for the eyes).