20 Tips and Tricks I wish I knew before playing ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs!

ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs is finally out and with a game that boasted over 600,000 wishlists, there are going to be a lot of players diving into this game.

If you’re unaware, ReStory is a story-driven shop management simulator set in mid-2000s Tokyo where you take over a repair shop after the previous Master has gone missing. Not only are you taking over a legacy, but you’re falling into a situation that isn’t exactly the best.

You’ll notice some characters are more rough around the edges and find yourself in narratives with choices that could lead you down paths that may or may not be the best outcome for you or the other characters involved.

While this article isn’t here to help guide you down the branching dialogue paths that you could come across, it is filled with some handy tips and tricks that will set you up for success!

20 Tips and Tricks for ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs

You can skip buying the can of air. It’ll only last for a little while and the brush upgrades are cheap. Prioritize upgrading those for an easier time dislodging dust.
The screwdriver is probably the most helpful upgrade and I’d recommend prioritizing it. It only has two upgrades and the last one instantly handles the screws.
The tip jar is invaluable. Even though it’s a physical jar at your store, you’ll get tips on both walk-up and online orders. Each completed job will reward you with an extra 200-500 yen.
In the beginning, broken parts go straight into the trash. By grabbing the shredder, you’ll see a return on each part you shred of about 200-500 yen.
When pulling items apart, I found it helpful to put the dirty items on one side and the clean on the other so that I could easily find what needed to be cleaned. The notepad will tell you what’s clean and highlight it, but it’s easier when they’re separated.
If you get turned around when trying to put something back together, you can check your notepad. Not only will it tell you what items are broken, missing, or need to be cleaned, but it’s in the order that things need to be put back together in.
You can buy a sonic bath, but it’s useless in the beginning. You can put three items into it, but it takes 30 seconds to clean them and you’re usually sitting around waiting for it. For the cost, it’s not worth it until mid-late gameplay and it’s only worth it if you can continue through to the next sonic bath upgrades.
Early on, you’ll be asked to pick an internet plan. There is a 500 yen plan, a 1000 yen plan, and a 1500 yen plan. As of right now, they don’t really matter, but in the discussions on Steam, the devs have indicated that it may affect the game later. You make enough money to buy the largest plan, so go ahead and get the 1500 plan.
Early on, you’ll need to buy electronics off the market and pull them apart for spare parts. You won’t know the condition of the item until you get your hands on it. There is a description and ratings, but those don’t always tell the truth. By buying a license for that particular electronic, you’ll be able to buy new parts straight from the source. It’s not guaranteed to be cheaper, but you’ll know for a fact you’re getting the part you need.
The market has “spare part boxes” that are small, medium, and large. Buy them. You won’t know what’s in them until they arrive, but it’s several parts for a better price than buying parts or electronics for parts.
The story progresses through buying licenses. Walk-up customers will sometimes have items that you don’t have a license to fix. You’ll still take the item, but you won’t be able to progress until that item is fixed. So, if you’re looking to build up a little nest egg for upgrades, you can continue fixing and cleaning things in this time period without worrying about missing out on major storylines.
You may be interested in buying the airbrush upgrade that allows you to paint your electronics. I’d ignore it unless you’re interested in drawing or a job requires it because painting the item does not increase its value.
Likewise, there’s a toolkit upgrade that allows you to reprogram electronics that is overall useless. You’ll need to play a small mini-game where you constantly tap the keys to fill up a bar until it’s successful, but it doesn’t increase the value of your item. Wait for it to be required by a client.
Online orders come in every single day. You’ll always have 11 to choose from that are a mix of items that just need to be cleaned or ones that also need repairs. You’ll have 3 days to complete them, so be sure to complete them within that time, or it may negatively impact the ratings you get from your customers.
The shop closes at midnight and you won’t be able to send or receive anything until 8 AM the next morning. I like to use this time to blaze through the cleaning jobs since it doesn’t require any parts. It allows me to have a stockpile of items that go out in the morning for a nice hunk of cash to start the day.
While you can stay up through the night and just keep continuing working from one day into the next, the day won’t change over until you actually go home and sleep. So, if you want to make sure your days are counted properly, be sure to go home before 8 AM.
You’ll have bills to pay every week, but it’s manageable. You’ll have rent and internet upfront and with story progression, you’ll eventually pay electricity and a security bill. If you go for the highest internet, your weekly costs will be 6,000 yen, and 5,000 with the cheaper internet. It’s an easy amount to keep on hand and only rent and internet come at the same time.
By going to the other tabs in the depot store, you’ll be able to buy accessories, new shelving, paint colors for the airbrush machine, and stickers to decorate your devices with.
Most characters you interact with will have shady backstories; your choices will affect not just your interaction with them, but potentially the outcome of their lives. So, be very careful with the choices you make and be certain, because an innocent comment may back you into a set of follow-up answers that may force you to unintentionally snitch on someone.
Lastly, there is a character, Haruhi, who will offer to send over spare parts she “comes across”. Initially, I told her no because I wasn’t sure that I wanted to deal with questionably sourced parts. She will send you an e-mail where the offer still stands. If you want to enjoy extra parts, do that in the first conversation. I eventually decided to accept her help and it has been several days with no movement on that front. I don’t know if she only does it once a week or if she’s glitched, but you want to get in on it early for the extra benefit. Just be aware that this may come with negative consequences later.

I’m several hours into the game and these were the things I wish I knew before diving in. I spent a lot of money needlessly trying out upgrades that didn’t serve me because I just bought them too early. My money would have been better spent on licenses at that point.

I hope this guide helps you out and I’d love to know if you enjoy playing ReStory as much as I have!