Return Rewound (In Development)

Investigate disappearances through a late-night VHS rental store system.

screenshot of the terminal UI in the game

The night shift was never supposed to become an investigation.

Return Rewound is an atmospheric mystery experience set entirely within the computer systems of a late-1980s video rental store.

Search customer accounts, rental histories, local news archives, movie catalogues, and system logs as strange inconsistencies begin emerging throughout the archive.

Some customers vanish.
Some tapes are returned after their owners disappear.
Some news articles don’t make sense.

What begins as a routine night shift slowly develops into a larger investigation unfolding entirely through exploration, observation, and connecting information across multiple interconnected databases.

Features

  • Discover hidden connections between cases and records
  • Investigate mysteries through interconnected archive systems
  • Search customer records, rentals, articles, manuals, and system logs
  • Pin evidence and build case theories
  • CRT-inspired retro terminal presentation
  • Atmospheric ambient audio and analog visual effects
  • Multiple evolving investigations and archive incidents



‘I’ve had to leave early for a family emergency so I can’t walk you through the system tonight. Just browse through the terminal, get used to the setup. The day shift process rentals and reach out to customers so just review any flags they’ve added.
Don’t worry if you don’t get much done, I’ll give you a proper run-through of the system when I get back.’
L. Reed,
General Manager (NITERAX Store #004)