tinyBuild and Mandragora, the studio behind I Am Future, unveiled ReStory during today’s Wholesome Snack showcase, inviting players into a cozy electronics repair shop set in mid-2000s Japan. The result is a deeply nostalgic slice-of-life sim that blends hands-on tinkering with heartfelt storytelling, retro vibes, and a branching narrative shaped by the customers who walk through your door.
A limited-time Steam playtest is available now, offering an early look at repairing iconic aughts-era tech, from flip phones to digital pets to video game systems, including officially licensed Atari consoles like the 2600 and Jaguar.
A Repair Shop Full of Stories and Nostalgic Tech
ReStory positions players as the owner of a small repair shop tucked within an urban Japanese neighborhood. Each device that comes in brings with it a story: a customer with a memory, a problem to solve, or a small personal fork in the road. Your decisions shape not only their lives but the direction of your shop’s narrative.
Whether you’re carefully unscrewing an old handheld, cleaning contacts, soldering a loose wire, or repainting plastic shells, every repair is designed to be tactile and satisfying, leaning into the calming, meditative feel of fixing something by hand.
Gameplay That Blends Relaxation With Strategy
Beyond hands-on repairs, players will also manage the day-to-day aspects of the shop:
- Ordering spare parts from an adorable old-school in-game web browser
- Taking customer jobs and juggling priorities
- Balancing finances as your business grows
- Interacting with clients, each with their own uniquely human story
Mandragora describes ReStory as a “nostalgia trip,” directly inspired by polyphonic ringtones, infrared file transfers, rewinding cassettes with pencils, and the sense that every gadget felt distinct, not the sleek, uniform screens of today.
tinyBuild and Mandragora Bring Cozy, Heartfelt Vibes to 2026
The game’s visuals lean heavily into the charm of early-2000s Japanese tech culture, from city backdrops to the iconic shapes and colors of the hardware you’ll be restoring. Between its meditative repair mechanics, branching storylines, and warm retro tone, ReStory aims to be a cozy standout for sim fans when it launches on Steam in 2026.
Players can join the limited-time Steam playtest now and wishlist the game for future updates.
