Miyuki Aizawa

The core concept immediately sold me on the game. We receive old, damaged game cartridges, and our job is to bring them back to life. Peeling stickers, removing dirt, cleaning contacts, and slowly restoring these "retro relics" to their former glory is simply satisfying.

The developers really captured the feeling of "saving an old game," especially if you grew up buying used games at flea markets or pulling dusty cartridges out of your parents cabinets.

Unfortunately, not everything works perfectly. The tape peeling physics could definitely be better. At times, I felt like I was fighting the tape itself more than the actual restoration process, especially because you first have to remove the tape from the cardboard package the cartridge arrives in. It does not ruin the experience completely, but it is definitely noticeable.

I also had several situations where I simply did not know which tool I was supposed to use to reach certain dirty spots or corners. Even worse, there were moments where none of the tools seemed to work at all, and for a second I started wondering whether I had encountered a glitch or just misunderstood a mechanic.

This is where clearer tool descriptions would help the most. After two hours of gameplay, COMPLETELY BY ACCIDENT, I discovered that the hair dryer is used to dry the drops left by the pipette. Seriously. And while I appreciate that the game does not constantly hold the player's hand, a few extra explanations really would not hurt.

The physics of the tools themselves can also become frustrating at times. Thankfully, it does not have a huge impact on the actual cartridge cleaning process, so it is more annoying than truly disruptive. You know... I would just prefer the brush to actually follow my mouse movement instead of randomly breakdancing across the screen.

One feature I absolutely loved was decorating my own shelf filled with restored games. Using the money we earn, we can buy decorations and personalize the area where we display our restored treasures. It is a small detail, but exactly the kind of thing that builds a cozy atmosphere.

One thing I would personally love to see in the future is the ability to change the time of day. Light reflections sometimes made cleaning surprisingly difficult, and there were moments where I genuinely wanted to turn off the virtual sun.

Keyboard shortcuts for switching tools would also be incredibly helpful. You know, press "1" for tweezers, "2" for the brush, and so on. Constantly clicking between tools starts becoming slightly tiring during longer sessions.

I would also appreciate the option to completely disable ambient sounds and music. Do not get me wrong - the soundtrack is pleasant and fits the game perfectly. I am simply the kind of person who launches cozy simulators while watching YouTube or listening to podcasts on a second monitor to relax.

Looking at other player impressions, many people point out the exact same things I noticed: the satisfaction of restoring cartridges and the incredibly strong cozy atmosphere. At the same time, there are repeated suggestions regarding better tutorials and clearer tool functionality, so it seems I was not the only person who occasionally felt slightly lost. JUST TO BE CLEAR! I only check other people's opinions after I finish playing a game myself. It is simply nice to know whether others share the same criticisms I had ^^

Despite these few issues, after the playtest I can confidently say one thing: Cozy Game Restoration is absolutely worth keeping an eye on. It has a fantastic concept, a very relaxing gameplay loop, and that specific kind of satisfaction that is difficult to explain to someone who has never restored old hardware or cleaned retro games before.

And honestly? I am really looking forward to the full release.