Last Updated on Oct 29, 2025 @ 14:37:55 PM.
Before its recent announcement, I had the opportunity to try out the upcoming debut title from developer Fantastic Signals, The Lift, in which players can take up the role of an engineer within an abandoned research complex, where they repair both small and large objects in order to bring the research station back to life.
Recently, I was able to try out the first few hours of The Lift during an open playtest, in which I was able to try out a few different mechanics and meet unique characters, as well as see some of the unique locations that players will be able to explore and fix once the game releases.
The World of The Lift
To start, let’s talk about the world that The Lift is set in, which, as stated above, is an abandoned research complex known as The Institute that has seen better days. As players explore this complex, they will venture through numerous different floors, each as unique as the last, as they attempt to turn the lights back on in this run-down place.
The overall world of The Lift is rather unique and obscure, as players will be trapped in some sort of interdimensional void that The Institute has lost itself in, while they search for answers that could hopefully restore this facility to its former glory.
What makes The Institute so unique is the inspiration of the work of the Strugatsky Brothers, the SCP Foundation, and even Prey, which the developers have pulled from to create such a unique and dark world that the players will explore.
The Main Aim and Mechanics of The Lift
The main aim of The Lift is that players will take on the role of an engineer within The Institute as they attempt to fix all kinds of machines, electrical faults, and more in order to bring this facility back to working order.
To do this, players will have to use all kinds of tools and items to repair the space station in numerous different ways. For example, in some situations, players will be required to replace light bulbs, fix broken chairs, power up doors, and even clean up the anomaly that blocks their path.
For each of these duties being completed, the player will slowly bring power back to the facility so that it can function once again. However, this isn’t as simple a task as one might think, as repairing these items does require an engineer’s mind in certain situations.
During The Lift, there are plenty of situations in which players will have to think about the repairs they are doing in a logical way, much like an engineer would. Whether it be positioning a chair so that a screw will go in the right section to keep it standing, removing screws so that other items can be inserted before fully fixing said item, and so much more.
What makes this so fun within The Lift is that there is no stress when doing these jobs. This means that players can take their time and search for the correct method in repairing each item within a room, so that if they come across this problem again in the future, they already know how to fix it.
The Different Tools Players Will Use in The Lift
To keep this hands-on preview spoiler-free, I won’t go too much into detail regarding some of the tools the player will get their hands on later within the game, but I will talk about some of the more basic tools that the player will be able to use within their repairing adventure.
Understandably, one of the first tools players will get their hands on is a screwdriver, and this tool is arguably the most important, as there are plenty of things to repair with a screwdriver if you look hard enough.
Along with a screwdriver, players will also be able to get their hands on a tape gun, which is, as it sounds. This tool can be used to tape up different broken sections of the game in order to fix what was once disheveled and fallen apart.
There are other tools the player will be able to get their hands on during their time with The Lift, but for the player’s sake, we will let you discover those for yourself, as each tool is unique and very fun to use, while they also help you uncover many secrets that are lurking within this mysterious location.
How Does The Lift Help Players Learn to Repair Items?
For those out there who aren’t overly confident in their repairing skills, do not fret, as The Lift has numerous different ways to help players get to grips with the different repairing mechanics they will take on during their duties.
A big part of The Lift and its engineering gameplay is the visual aids that appear on nearly every repairable object that the player will come across. These visual aids mainly appear in the form of arrows that will direct the player on how to repair the different objects within The Institute.
For example, when putting a screw into a chair, the game will provide a visual aid to remind players that it is righty tighty and not lefty loosey, or pulling a lever shows them the direction it will move, and it even shows players which way a bulb is both removed and inserted.
This can be a very good mechanic for players who are looking to just sit back and relax within this engineering sim, but unfortunately, not everything has these directional arrows, as electrical puzzles sadly do not provide such assistance. However, that doesn’t mean to say players are left to struggle within these puzzles, as there are other visual aids within these puzzles, such as lights that indicate how much power is needed, as well as different valves and cables that are clearly indicated.
Exploration Within The Lift
When playing The Lift, players will, in a way, be left alone to their own devices, as players will be able to use a lift that acts like a small cozy hub to choose different levels of the Institute to take on and repair one floor at a time.
This means that players can take on these floors however they see fit, but sadly that doesn’t mean that you will be able to fully repair each floor as and when you approach them the first try, as there is a sort of Metroidvania gameplay mechanic taking place within The Lift in terms of finding new equipment and travelling back to different floors to finish repairs and even find secrets hidden from you the first time.
Although players will not be able to explore every floor to their fullest on their first visits, that doesn’t mean players cannot do their darndest to clean up and fix each floor while they are there, as each of these floors is a large, expansive area filled with mysteries and secrets that will likely take numerous visits to fully explore and renovate.
The Characters Within The Lift
Finally, let’s talk about the characters that you will meet along your journey within The Lift. During my time with the open playtest, I didn’t get a very big look at the different characters, their backstories, or even their motives for helping me repair The Institute, but I did get a rather good look at some of the character designs that each character boasts.
Whether it be a cryptic robot who seems to know more about our life than we do, a Resident Evil 4 merchant-looking character in search of lost items within the Institute, or a few others whom I shall not divulge to keep this spoiler-free.
Each of these characters has its own unique flair that makes them both fun to interact with and intriguing to meet along this journey. Due to the inspirations that the developers took, each of these characters has a rather unique and detailed design that will have players wanting to talk to them again and again to learn more about their true nature and reasons for helping them.
At the time of writing, The Lift is scheduled to be released sometime in 2026 with no release window planned, and is set to release on PC. However, an open playtest is now available for those looking to give the early hours of the game a go!
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out our review of Dead Reset, or check out our article talking about an upcoming 2.5D narrative platformer called Ayasa: Shadows of Silence.
Liam is a Senior Editor, Writer, and Critic for Thumb Wars and has been working with the team since day one. Liam is a big fan of all things gaming, as you will catch him playing all of the new releases from every genre you can imagine. Whether you find Liam gaming just for fun or spending his free time streaming, you will always find a smile on his face when it comes to all things gaming.
