When I downloaded the demo for Restore Your Island, I thought to myself, “another cleaning sim”. I wondered if I’d find enough to write about. I played the game for 1 ½ hours, and I have 3 pages of handwritten notes that I’d like to share with you!! There’s a lot more to this game than I initially thought.
The Backstory of Restore Your Island
Restore Your Island begins with what looks like a live-action cut scene where you and your dog are washed up on a very small, deserted island. When you arrive, the island is full of trash that must have washed ashore. What a mess! Your task is to clean it up and restore the environment.
The Gameplay in the Demo for Restore Your Island
Restore Your Island doesn’t provide a lot of instruction, maybe because there isn’t much to do at first, except try to clean the place up. I like a lot of handholding when I start a game, but it didn’t take me long to figure out how to play. I was able to use the graphic on the bottom left corner of the screen (plus a quick peek at a YouTube walkthrough!) and figure out how to equip my trash grabber. It took me a minute or two to figure out how to place a trash can, but it wasn’t all that hard either.
At the beginning of the game, my task was to pick up pieces of trash one at a time and place them in the trash can. I thought it would be tedious, but it’s actually kind of zen!!
I also noticed a dock, so I walked to the end of it. I found a sign that said “shop” and easily figured out how to sell the trash I had collected so that I could purchase things I needed. First, I purchased some food since I was running out of energy. Then, after I collected and sold more trash, I was able to upgrade both my energy levels and the size of my trash can.
To pick up trash, I hover a small dot over it until the edges turn a specific color. So far, I’ve seen blue and yellow. Then I carry the item in my grabber to the trash can. When I’m at the right distance to dispose of the item, the edge of the trash can also light up. I can pick up my trash can and move it so that it’s closer to the trash I want to pick up. It’s pretty simple, although I found it a bit fiddly to get the small dot in the exact right place to pick up items. Hopefully, that will be improved by the time the final game is released.
I can see from the Steam page that there are more tools I can upgrade to, including a tool to vacuum trash. I didn’t run into those in the time I played the demo.
The Experience of Playing the Game
The trash I found was all very familiar and recognizable, which I thought was neat. I found toothpaste tubes, over-the-counter medicine bottles, single-use plastic bags, protein powder containers, bleach bottles, single-use water bottles, empty food cans, soda cans, and spray paint containers. For a long time in the demo, every item I picked up had blue on the edges, but lately I’ve run into some of the yellow edges too. I assume the different colored items have different resale values, but that has not been explained to me yet.
I can initiate a day/night cycle by sleeping in my bed, but it’s unclear to me at this point what I gain from it. I don’t seem to get much energy restored; that seems to come instead from foods. Maybe the reason for sleeping will be more obvious as the game goes on.
My Dog
There is a dog present in the demo, but he doesn’t do much yet. He will be more important in the finished version of Restore Your Island. At that time, he will play some mini games with you, which may unlock cues or small rewards. In the demo, all you can do is pet your dog, but he rewards you with tons of hearts!
The Setting of Restore Your Island
The island depicted in Restore Your Island is beautifully rendered, and the graphics are amazing. There is a great ambient wave noise in the background, which is hypnotic. I also found a “music player” which looks like an old school cassette player! It has a variety of music that I can listen to. So far, I’ve heard a couple of soft soothing songs as well as some upbeat ones. I would not be surprised to hear different musical genres later in the game. Calypso would sure fit the game! I can also turn the music off and just listen to the waves.
There is a hut on the island; it’s not clear who built it. It’s very spartan and yet really sweet too. I don’t seem to have many belongings yet. I wonder if new ones will wash ashore for me?
Final Thoughts
Restore Your Island’s demo surprised me with its complexity, in a good way! I was anticipating just another cleaning game, but this one has some interesting mechanics and a stunning setting.
It’s meant to be played slowly, which is just my type of game; it rewards small, meaningful actions. There is no need for speed, no timers, no combat. Just a slow, steady progression of restoring the environment. Patience is key; I am supposed to restore one area at a time.
This is the type of game that can be played in short bursts or extended sessions; there are no complicated plot lines to remember. The demo for Restore Your Island was developed and published by Paiband. The full game is set to release late in 2025. I played on a PC with a controller. I hope you enjoy this game as much as I did.
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