Restoring the Past (2025)

Developer: Catnip studio
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Casual, Free To Play
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 253 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 2.8 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

You calmly piece together ancient artifacts with simple mouse controls, accompanied by soothing music and a sleeping cat companion.

casualrelaxingpeacefulpuzzlenostalgiccozyrestorative

What players say

Players say the puzzles get brutally difficult after level 8, with tiny same-colored pieces that turn assembly into a guessing game. The reference image can't be zoomed, and many find the experience stressful rather than calming, though completing a puzzle reveals a historical artifact with a description.

Screenshots

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More by Catnip studio

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.