Stuck in ReStory? Why Buying Licenses Is the Only Way Forward

The only way to progress the main story in ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs is by purchasing new device licenses from your shop's computer. While you can spend weeks fixing online orders and upgrading your tools, key character interactions and narrative beats are hard-gated behind specific licenses. If a main character has given you a device you can't work on, it's the game's way of telling you to save up and buy the corresponding permit.

This isn't just a background mechanic; it's the central engine of the game's plot. You'll encounter customers with unique, story-relevant devices that are initially locked. Your notepad will show the repair job, but you won't be able to interact with it. The job sits on your shelf, paused indefinitely, until you purchase the required license. This system turns a simple shop management task into the primary key for unlocking the mysteries of your predecessor and the lives of your quirky clientele.

01

What Exactly Are Licenses For?tag

In the world of ReStory, a license does more than just let you work on a new piece of tech. It represents your growing expertise and reputation as a repair master in mid-2000s Tokyo. Mechanically, buying a license for a device family—like the 'non PMP' portable console, for example—unlocks two critical things:

1. Access to New Parts: Once you have a license, you can order brand-new, guaranteed-to-work parts for that device directly from the manufacturer via your computer. This is a massive improvement over scavenging for parts by buying broken 'donor' electronics from the open marketplace, where the condition of components is always a gamble.
2. Story Progression: This is the big one. The main narrative is tied directly to a sequence of unique repair jobs from key characters. These customers will only entrust you with their special devices after you've proven your capability by acquiring the right license. Without it, their personal stories—and the main plot—are frozen in time.

Think of licenses not as optional upgrades, but as story chapters. Each one you buy opens the door to a new piece of the overarching narrative, introducing new challenges, dialogue, and choices that shape your journey.

02

Your First Major Hurdle: The 'Non PMP' Licensetag

Early in the game, you'll be introduced to this core mechanic in a very direct way. A friendly customer from upstairs, the Pac-Man champion, will eventually bring you a hot new portable console, a 'non PMP', that doesn't turn on. He’s heard you’re the only one who can help, but he asks a crucial question: 'You have a license, don't you?'

Even if you bluff, the game won't let you proceed. The device will be added to your inventory, but it will remain unrepairable. Your to-do list will update with a new, explicit objective: 'Buy a non PMP license at Bucket's request'. This is your first major progression gate.

The Path to Purchasetag

To get past this, you need to navigate to your computer and open the license store. You'll find the 'N-PMP License' available for a steep 40,000 yen. For a new shop owner, this is a significant amount of money and will likely be your first major financial goal. You cannot find a workaround or fix the device without it. The moment you purchase the license, the customer will acknowledge it, his dialogue will change, and you'll finally be able to begin the repair, pushing his story and the main plot forward.

This interaction serves as the game's tutorial for its central loop: receive a story-critical device, identify the required license, earn the money to buy it, and then perform the repair to unlock the next narrative sequence.

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How to Grind for Expensive Licensestag

Seeing a 40,000 yen price tag can be intimidating when you're only making a few thousand per job. However, the game gives you all the tools you need to build a nest egg. When the story is paused waiting for a license purchase, it's the perfect time to focus on pure profit. Don't think of it as being stuck; think of it as a dedicated fundraising period.

Here’s how to make money efficiently:

• Prioritize Online Orders: The computer in your shop is a reliable source of daily income. You'll find 11 new jobs every day, a mix of simple cleaning tasks and more complex repairs. You have three days to complete them, so you can stack them up. Cleaning jobs are especially good for quick cash, as they require no parts budget.
• Work Through the Night: The shop clock stops at midnight, but you can continue working. The day only officially ends when you go home to sleep. Use this quiet time to clear your backlog of cleaning jobs. You can then ship them all out first thing at 8:00 a.m. for a huge morning cash injection.
• Buy Smart Upgrades: Don't waste money on tools you don't need yet. The Tip Jar is an excellent early investment, adding 200-500 yen to every completed job. The Shredder is also vital, giving you a 200-500 yen return on broken parts you'd otherwise trash. Prioritize the Screwdriver upgrades; the final one instantly handles screws, saving you enormous amounts of time.
• Avoid Money Sinks: Steer clear of the Sonic Bath in the early game. It's expensive and only becomes time-efficient with later, even more expensive upgrades. The Airbrush and Reprogramming Toolkit are also largely useless for making money, as they don't increase an item's value. Only buy them if a specific job requires it.

04

Should You Ever Delay Buying a License?tag

Absolutely. The game's structure gives you a strategic choice. Since the main story only moves forward when you buy a license, you are in complete control of the narrative's pace. If you feel your workshop is under-equipped or you want to build up a financial safety net, you can deliberately hold off on buying the next story license.

This 'paused' state is the ideal time to grind online orders and invest in workshop upgrades. You can max out your tools, buy decorative items, or stockpile cash without any fear of missing out on time-sensitive story events. The main characters will patiently wait for you to become a licensed expert.

This creates a balanced gameplay loop: focus on profit and upgrades, then, when you're ready, buy the next license to unlock a new burst of story and character interaction. It allows you to tackle the narrative at your own comfort level, ensuring you're never under-funded for the challenges ahead.

The Takeawaytag

In ReStory, your path through the compelling narrative isn't paved with dialogue choices, but with yen. Each license you purchase is a direct investment in moving the story forward. When you feel like you've hit a wall and characters are just repeating themselves, check your to-do list. The answer is almost always waiting in the license store on your computer. Save up, make the purchase, and watch as a new chapter of your life as a repair master unfolds.