Why this repair simulator with 95% positive reviews is blowing up right now

In ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs, players run a small electronics store in 2000s Tokyo. Handhelds and phones land on the repair bench, along with cameras, music players and even virtual pets. In addition to fictional products inspired by real-world technology, the game even features officially licensed Atari devices. However, ReStory is more than just a repair simulator. Players also run their store, accept jobs, order replacement parts and keep an eye on bills and finances. Money earned can be used to purchase new tools and repair licenses, which in turn unlock additional types of devices.

Repairing is still at the heart of the gameplay, however. Broken devices are unscrewed and taken apart piece by piece before players start looking for faulty components. Parts and casings are cleaned, defective components are replaced and, of course, everything then has to be put back together correctly. As the game progresses, increasingly complex devices land on the workbench, while new tools make repairs easier.

There is also a surprisingly extensive story. Customers do not just bring broken electronics into the store – they also bring their own personal stories. During conversations, players repeatedly make decisions that can influence how the story unfolds. This creates branching storylines that can even lead to different endings. It is precisely this combination of relaxing repair gameplay, 2000s nostalgia and a surprisingly extensive story that likely explains much of the current hype.

Gaming website GameSpew awarded the game a strong 9 out of 10, particularly praising the satisfying repair gameplay, detailed devices and successful balance between realism and accessibility. The nostalgic presentation and combination of repairs and shop management were also well received. Criticism was limited to the somewhat repetitive gameplay early on and a few issues with controller support.

The Steam community is even more enthusiastic: 95% of nearly 5,000 reviews are positive. On Metacritic, ReStory currently has a Metascore of 81 and a User Score of 9.0. On the Steam Deck, the game is rated “Playable.”

No. 1 on Trending Games and Popular Releases

The repair simulation from Mandragora was published by tinyBuild on August 6 and has since reached No. 1 on Trending Games and Popular Releases on SteamDB. It also ranks No. 2 on the Hot Releases chart. The player numbers are impressive as well: The game has already peaked at 19,647 concurrent players.

ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs normally costs $19.99 on Steam. At launch, however, the developers are offering a 10% introductory discount, bringing the price down to $17.99 until August 20.