Beginner manual / verified Aug 11, 2026

ReStory
Beginner Guide

Start fixing. Stop guessing.

A practical first-day guide to opening the shop, cleaning the first Pokia, rebuilding the Atari joystick, and finding devices that seem to have vanished.

Start the first day 8 min field guide

First-day quick answer

  1. 01Finish the shop-cleaning prompts.
  2. 02Turn right and use the switch beside the window.
  3. 03Clean the Pokia parts at the cup in the desk’s top-right corner.
  4. 04Use both broken joysticks to build one working joystick.
  5. 05Check the right shelf when a device seems to disappear.
01

How to open the shop

The switch is easy to miss because it may be outside your current view.

  1. Face the shop window.
  2. Turn your view to the right.
  3. Look beside the window for a switch.
  4. Click it to open the shop.

Verified answer A ReStory developer marked this solution as correct in Steam Discussions.

02

How to clean the Pokia phone

1

Open the phone

Place it on the workbench and remove the outer pieces until you can reach the components marked as dirty.

2

Find the cup

Drag a dirty component to the cup-shaped cleaning holder in the top-right corner of the desk.

3

Brush and rotate

Click to begin cleaning. Brush the visible dirt, then rotate the part to check its other surfaces.

4

Rebuild

Clean every part named by the order, reinstall the components, replace the outer pieces, and return the phone.

HEAR CLEANING, BUT SEE NO CHANGE?

Check the other side of the part and the cleaning cursor’s position. If the cursor is offset or no dirt can be removed, restart once and check the latest patch notes. Players have reported display-related cleaning bugs.

03

Complete the Atari joystick job

You do not need to repair both joysticks. Take both apart and use their working components to build one complete joystick.

  1. 01

    Accept the order

    Take one joystick to the workbench and rotate it until you can reach the screws.

  2. 02

    Inspect the first donor

    Remove its casing and check every component. In the footage reviewed, a cable and button were damaged; your device may differ.

  3. 03

    Bank the good parts

    Place usable individual components in the parts box. Damaged parts are not useful replacements.

  4. 04

    Open the second joystick

    If the first one leaves the bench, find its device box on the right shelf or beside the workbench.

  5. 05

    Build one complete device

    Use compatible working parts from either joystick, clean them when needed, then install the inner components before the outer case.

  6. 06

    Hand over one joystick

    The customer asked for one working joystick. After collection, the second joystick is left with you.

04

Where did the device go?

DEVICE BOX

A repair in progress

It represents one partially disassembled device. When you pick up another device, this box may move to the right shelf or the right side of the workbench.

PARTS BOX

Individual reusable parts

Put working donor components here, then retrieve them while rebuilding the device you plan to complete.

Still missing? Check the right shelf, then the right side of the workbench. If neither contains the device or its box, save if possible and restart ReStory. Several players reported that the missing box appeared after restarting.

05

Use the repair checklist

The list on the right side of the workbench tracks the current device and the components that belong to it.

  1. Check which components are still missing.
  2. Look for a white interaction outline on the device.
  3. Install internal components before the outer case.
  4. If a part cannot be installed, another part underneath it may need to go in first.
  5. Replace panels and screws last, then confirm the repair is complete.

The checklist tracks the repair. It is not a guaranteed top-to-bottom assembly order.

06

Why won’t the repair complete?

1

Read the order again

Confirm whether it asks for cleaning, repair, or another objective.

2

Check every relevant part

Continue disassembling if a dirty or damaged component may still be hidden.

3

Check your replacements

Make sure you did not reinstall a damaged part by mistake.

4

Check the parts box

A required component may still be sitting inside it.

5

Check the repair list

Look for an uninstalled part or screw before closing the device.

6

Confirm the device

Make sure you finished the customer’s joystick, not the donor device.

7

Check collection instructions

Some finished devices must be placed somewhere before the order advances.

8

Restart last

Only restart after checking the normal repair requirements.

KNOWN-ISSUE CHECK

If the order involves firmware, an IDM device, the sonic bath, or a missing email notification, read the latest official updates. The developers have acknowledged problems in these areas.

First-day FAQ

Where is the switch to open the shop?+

Face the shop window, turn your view to the right, and use the switch beside the window.

Where is the cleaning area?+

Drag the dirty component to the cup-shaped holder in the top-right corner of the desk.

Do I need to repair both Atari joysticks?+

No. Disassemble both and use their working components to produce at least one complete joystick.

Where did the first joystick go?+

A partially disassembled joystick usually becomes a device box on the right shelf. If that space is occupied, check the right side of the workbench.

Where should donor parts go?+

Put usable individual components in the parts box, then retrieve them while rebuilding the joystick you want to complete.

How do I know which parts are still missing?+

Use the repair checklist on the right side of the workbench and look for white interaction outlines on the device.

Why is the repair still incomplete?+

Check for a dirty component, damaged replacement, missing part, unfinished checklist item, wrong device, or collection instruction.

Sources & update policy

Official information

ReStory on Steam ↗Official news and updates ↗

First-day evidence

Open the shop ↗Clean the Pokia ↗Missing joystick and boxes ↗First-day gameplay ↗