Beginner Guide — Your First Days in the Shop

Overview

ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs drops you into a small repair shop in mid-2000s Akihabara. Your job: take in broken gadgets, fix them, get paid, pay your bills, and buy licenses that unlock new device types and push the story forward. There is no combat, no timer and no fail state — the game is deliberately slow and meditative.

This guide covers your first few in-game days and the habits that set up a profitable shop.

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The Core Loop, Step by Step

1. Open the shop. The shutter controls business hours — closing it stops walk-in customers (and courier deliveries), so keep it open while you want work.
2. Accept orders. Walk-ins arrive at the counter; online orders (up to 11 per day) come through the shop computer with a 3-day deadline. Accept only what you can finish.
3. Receive the device. The courier delivers online orders to your counter. Remember: a finished repair is auto-packed, but you must place the package back on the counter so the courier picks it up — otherwise you never get paid.
4. Disassemble. Unscrew the case with the correct screwdriver, remove components carefully, and use tweezers on delicate cables. Rushing strips screws.
5. Inspect with the notepad. The To-Do List tracks every part's condition (clean / dirty / broken), highlights parts you can't find, and lists the assembly order.
6. Clean first. Dirt, dust, corrosion and sticky buttons cause most "broken" symptoms. Clean everything before you buy a single replacement part.
7. Repair or replace. Broken boards get the soldering iron; hopeless parts get replaced from stock or ordered online.
8. Reassemble in notepad order. If a component won't install, a part listed before it is probably still missing.
9. Return it. Packed device on the counter → courier picks it up → you get paid + a review.
10. End your day with the bicycle. The bike saves progress and starts the next day.

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Your First-Day Checklist

Task	Why
Accept 2-3 simple walk-in jobs	Learn disassembly without pressure
Clean, don't replace	Saves the most money early; most jobs are dirt, not damage
Check the mailbox	Online orders are your steady income stream
Don't buy brand-new parts	Order only what you truly need; harvest from junk devices instead
Pay attention to customers	Their dialogue hints at hidden issues and shapes the story

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10 Mistakes Every New Player Should Avoid

1. Buying new parts for everything. The fastest way to destroy your profit margin. Clean and test every part first — a "broken" button is often just sticky.
2. Rushing disassembly. Stripped screws turn a 2-minute job into a 20-minute headache. Use the right screwdriver and remove screws in a consistent order.
3. Using express shipping. Express delivery fees eat your profit. Plan ahead, batch orders, and stock common parts (batteries, screens, buttons, charging ports).
4. Forgetting the package on the counter. Auto-packed devices must be placed back on the counter for courier pickup, or you don't get paid.
5. Ignoring the notepad. It tells you assembly order and prevents buying parts you already have — a part may be dirty, on the table, or still in the cleaning machine.
6. Accepting every order. Too many open jobs clog your workbench and similar devices get mixed up. Mix quick cleaning jobs with repairs that use parts you already own.
7. Skipping the tip jar. It generates free income from work you were already doing. Buy it early.
8. Spending on cosmetics first. Painting adds no resale value and reprogramming barely raises resale worth early on. Licenses and tools come first.
9. Ignoring bills. Rent and the bank loan are due — refusing to pay triggers warnings (and an achievement). Keep cash flow positive.
10. Wasting canned air. It's consumable — save it for large shells and awkward panels, not tiny buttons.

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Daily Routine That Works

• Morning: Check the mailbox and accept online orders you can actually finish within 3 days.
• Day: Do the shortest, surest jobs first; run the Sonic Bath while you hand-clean another part.
• Evening: Reorganize spare parts, batch a parts order if needed, then take the bike home.
• Money rhythm: Every repair funds the next license. Licenses > tools > cosmetics.

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What to Do Next

• Read the Repair Process Guide for the full mechanics of cleaning, soldering and reprogramming.
• Check the Device Database to know which devices appear when.
• Plan your yen spending with the Money & Profit Guide.
• New players with questions should also see the FAQ.