ReStory first impressions: Cute, cozy clutter

Ever wanted to repair old phones and games consoles for a living? ReStory: Chill Electronic Repairs is an upcoming cozy game about restoring old-school electronics, developed by Mandragora and published by tinyBuild. 

Below, you’ll find The Escapist’s first impressions of the ReStory preview build, looking at an hour of playtime overall, covering everything from the cute and cozy aesthetic to the meditative gameplay loop.

The Escapist recaps

• ReStory: Chill Electronic Repairs is an upcoming electronics repair simulation game, developed by Mandragora and published by tinyBuild. It’s set for a 2026 release window, with a playtest available for players to check out on Steam.
• It’s delightfully cozy, with a slow, meditative style of play, gently-building narrative, and soothing aesthetic.
• While the predominant focus is on the gameplay itself – taking objects apart, fixing tech, keeping the store tidy – there’s an interesting story, told through short conversations with a variety of characters.
• ReStory’s preview build highlighted a strong future for the full game. It was calming and immersive, with a believable world and an enjoyable style of play. There were no visual quirks or glitches to note. 

Comforting clicks and clatters 

In ReStory, you’re tasked with running a retro electronics repair store, tinkering with old, dusty pieces of tech, and making them feel brand new again for a wide roster of customers. 

The gameplay is simple yet meditative, allowing you to dust items, remove screws, and rebuild pieces of technology, all while managing customers and keeping the shop tidy. The preview of ReStory included a handful of unique customers, all with their own requests and personalities.

As the game unfolds, you’ll learn more about the world you’ve set up shop in, including more about the person who ran the store before you. The story is subtle and told predominantly through conversations with your customers. 

The preview build for ReStory offered roughly an hour or so of play, giving a short but sweet glimpse of what to expect from the full release of the game.

One of the highlights was the visual style. It’s hard to understate how beautiful ReStory looks; the color palettes are warm and comforting, each item has been designed with care, and the lighting throughout the game is striking, with sunlight peeking through the shop blinds and dancing across the workspace. 

Meditative gameplay 

The variety of items on offer in the preview was interesting to see – a “Pokia” phone, an Atari joystick, and a chunky torch – meaning that there’ll likely be an even bigger roster of items to play with in the full release of the game.

Each item required a different treatment, some needing spare parts to get them working again, while others simply needed a thorough clean.

If you enjoy the mechanical nature of simulators like PowerWash Simulator and the comforting nature of cozy games like Tiny Bookshop, you’ll get a kick out of the gameplay that ReStory offers. It’s low-stakes but still engaging.

In terms of performance, there were no quirks or glitches to note with the ReStory preview. It looked beautiful and ran smoothly on PC, with an approachable control system and easy-to-navigate menus. 

ReStory’s preview was a delight to explore for cozy game lovers. The gameplay loop is calming and easy to get lost in, particularly if you’re someone who’s interested in older tech. 

With a comforting art style and interesting premise, ReStory: Chill Electronic Repairs is one to watch as it approaches its 2026 release window. A detailed release date has not been confirmed yet, but those interested in checking it out can sign up for a playtest on the game’s official Steam page and add it to your wishlist. 

Ask The Escapist

References

1. Join the ReStory Playtest (Steam)