Set-up Tips
Play with people who genuinely like the game and are determined to win a particular mission.
Develop a protocol for the "do something pawn". In my experience, most games are lost due to a conflict in the interest of exploring / exiting and flipping the timer. Therefore, I recommend one protocol: Frantic tapping of the "do something pawn" denotes complete attention to the timer.
Develop a protocol for pawn movement according to the group's ability. Most people are bad at multi-tasking. Therefore, a popular strategy is to focus on one pawn at a time. If a player is taking a long time, idle players can still spend their time preparing for subsequent game objectives. On the other hand, if the group is good at multi-tasking then you may decide to move pawns simultaneously.
Discuss the initial pawn movement order before the game starts.
Gameplay Tips
Avoid placing tiles unless multiple pawns are at search locations (tile flexibility). Once multiple pawns are at search locations, draw a single tile and place this tile closest to the location of the best pawn colour. Repeat the given process for the remaining tiles. Another strategy that I personally struggle to follow is to place item tiles near their matching exit tiles.
Avoid camping next to timer spots.
Only flip the timer over if there is little time left.
The vortex player should move pawns near the timer spots if the time is running out. Make sure that you alert the vortex player of this possibility in regards to tile 1A. Tile 1A has a purple vortex that leads directly to a timer. Hence, save this timer spot for when time is critical. Remind the vortex player of this opportunity during earlier time flips if applicable.
The vortex player should move the yellow pawn (by vortex if possible) near a security camera if a camera appears for the purposes of destroying this camera. The camera takes priority.
You may decide to camp a pawn near the exit (e.g. near a timer) instead of escaping just in case.
Memory Reduction Tips
During gameplay, place red, green, yellow, or blue cylinders onto locations a pawn needs to go (item / exit locations). If an explore action reveals an item / exit location then place the matching red, green, yellow, or blue cylinder onto this location. Differentiate the items and exits using a permanent marker to write "I" and "E" onto two different colour matching cylinders for the four pairs.
During gameplay and/or set-up, if you reveal a timer location then place a red cylinder onto the timer locations. If you use the flip timer action then remove the associated red cylinder from the map.
Exception: Place black cylinders on timer locations if there is an undestroyed security camera. The black cylinder denotes that the state of the camera prevents the use of a timer location. Note that I have not explored this exception or additional cylinder placements but you may do so.
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