Tidy Up History Review (PC)

Take a moment to absorb your surroundings. What do you see? For me, it feels as if we’ve suddenly become a needle in a haystack — that haystack being comprised of a single bale. Organizing sims, as made famous by Librarian, have monopolized the gaming field as of late, as have cozy incremental games that abolish the traditional methods of world-building in favor of a slower-paced, catharsis-inducing system that allows players to organize, replenish, and rebuild pockets of chaotic emporiums. And, while this isn’t a bad thing—to be swallowed whole by clutter—it does raise a good question about the future of the cozy sphere: how much of a good thing is too much? Is it a phase, or is it a new wing of history that will prevail for years to come?

Speaking of history, Tidy Up History is a game that, like Librarian and the other forty-something tidying sims on the market, taps into that same gene pool to create its own strand of exhibits and clutter, fossils and prehistoric artifacts. With the same basic outline as those that have surfaced prior to its release, studio Casual Human aims to combine historical elements with a familiar yet therapeutic routine to create a short, intimate, and engaging experience. And, sure enough, it is a short experience, with roughly half of the usual trinkets and only a handful of wings for you to repurpose and dust off. Although, as history has shown, less is more in the realm of organizing sims. Well, the jury’s out on that one. Personally, I’m all for the idea of having less items, provided that the items in question are a little more extravagant than a parcel or a book.

Tidy Up History sets its sights on the perfect world to frame its gameplay: a museum. Unlike Post Office—a chapter in which you are forced to work and die in the claustrophobic quarters of a sorting office—a museum has that extra breathing room that you need. Courtesy of historical figures and swathes of exhibits, it makes for an ideal location to stage an organizing exercise. While it clearly lacks the full weight of a grand mage’s emporium or the abundance of magical anthologies of a citywide library, it preserves a variety of different cultures and original artifacts. And if there’s one thing that I want from a game like this, it’s variety. Books and cards are great and all, but there comes a point where you need a little more gristle. You need bones, priceless armor, and an environment that keeps you on your toes.

Stepping into Tidy Up History is a bit like jumping into a PowerWash Simulator DLC, in that you know exactly what it is that you’re doing, and what it is that needs to be done in order for you to beat the game. A museum of chaos idles beneath your feet, and the only way for you to reintroduce it to the public is through a series of chores. The exhibits are all over the place, the floors have seen better days, and that all-important prehistoric centerpiece is in tatters. It’s your job to grab the broom, find the fossils, and return a museum that you miraculously inherited to its former glory.

Of course, you don’t have much of a story to feed on in Tidy Up History. Simply, you have an inheritance, a series of wings, and a stark sense that, if you don’t tidy up the mess before the grand opening, then you’ll only have yourself to blame. With that, you have a simple task on your hands: to shovel through the clutter, and to allocate each item to their rightful position. You can find keys that unlock new wings in the museum, earn XP to elevate your skills, and meticulously rebuild a wide range of fossilized exhibits. If all of this sounds like Déjà vu, well, I wouldn’t be surprised, for it is, in all honesty, a game that dances to the same rhythm as Librarian. Again, that isn’t a bad thing.

As mentioned before, Tidy Up History is a short game that doesn’t wish to overstay its welcome. At just three hours in length, it provides you with just enough to work with. Honestly, though, I’m grateful for the lack of material; it gives you the opportunity to learn more about each exhibit and appreciate the finer details of the artwork. Besides, the game itself has a little more going for it, given that it not only asks you to return items to their pedestals, but to get your hands a little dirty, too. For example, you can mop up greasy floors, brush off dusty frames, and collect trash from various areas in the museum. It isn’t a major step forward for cleaning sims, but it makes for a nice change of pace.

Despite being a shorter game, Tidy Up Museum has the capacity and the freedom to latch onto new wings in the near future. As history is a bottomless hole with endless strands of data, it wouldn’t surprise me if the team behind it went on to insert a few more pockets into its world, either. Or at least, that’s the long game, anyway. For now, I’m happy with what it has to offer. It’s a simple gig I’ll admit, but it’s also one that brings a little slice of the past to life in its own special sort of way. It might not be the all-time Librarian killer, but perhaps it doesn’t need to be.

Verdict

Tidy Up History fossilizes a familiar Librarian-like narrative in an effort to preserve a universal routine that blends historical architecture with wholesome storytelling and easy-to-grasp mechanics. While short and severely lacking in depth, Casual Human brings a little slice of history to an intimate setting that’s both intriguing and surprisingly fun to explore and rebuild. Is it the be all, end all of organizing sims? No. Is it likely to pique your curiosity all the same? Absolutely.