T.I.M.E Stories is a unique and visually stunning narrative board game that incorporates the best parts of role-playing and cooperative games. As two to four players collectively work through a series of tasks and tests, they discover the mystery that unravels before them.
Working with the T.I.M.E (Tachyon Insertion in Major Events) Agency, players are given a scenario from Bob, their helpful instructor. They are then sent back in time, or sometimes even to an alternate universe, to prevent catastrophic alterations in the course of history. Each player possesses the body of a receptacle, or character, from the time and place that they are sent to. Using this receptacle and their given strengths and flaws, agents need to solve puzzles, discover secrets, and ultimately maintain the temporal timeline unraveling before them.
As a special character in a time fueled adventure, the player gets to choose the level of portrayal of their character. From simply a sheet of statistics to full character immersion, players can create a dramatic and thrilling encounter at any level of role-playing experience.
The first installment of T.I.M.E. Stories takes you back to a French asylum in the 1920s. The narrative is full of shocking twists and exciting puzzles. Though very expansive, the rules of the game are fairly well laid out in the Rulebook.
This article is not about how to PLAY the game, but how to WIN the game. Making sure you understand general gameplay and rules is essential, but will not be a main focus here. If you have not yet played through the game blind, DO NOT read the rest of this article until you have!
Playing the game through the first time is an absolutely thrilling experience.
You and your team will likely do pretty terribly. Sorry, but it’s true. Everyone does. The first time my group played, we got -18 points (yes, that’s a negative at the beginning), putting us firmly in ‘potato peeler’ status.
Don’t worry about points on your first run. Your goal during the first playthrough is to EXPLORE. If you look for spoilers on the first round, “you might deprive yourself of some of the essential aspects that give the game all of its flavor: the surprises, the discovery, and the resolution of riddles.”
That being said, there are some difficult puzzles in T.I.M.E. Stories: Asylum and a hint or two might not be the worst thing in the world. Click on the links below to jump to our most popular spoilers!
This walkthrough is meant for those looking to boost their points to get as many prizes as possible.
Here we go!
How to WIN (SPOILERS!)
One of the most important decisions in the game is choosing the right characters. Players can choose any characters they want, but the four that are best suited to get you through the story as quickly and easily as possible are:
Felix should definitely be one of the characters due to his high Combat score (+3). There will be quite a bit of fighting throughout the game and that score is nice to have. Some may worry about his stress levels, but after playing it through several times, I never really experienced a significant issue with this.
Edith is a good character because she doesn’t have any particularly low scores in Deftness, Social, or Combat. She also gains an LP when she is the one to finish off an enemy.
Madeleine is one of the best since she gains a die for any stat roll when she is on a space with all other receptacles. During this walkthrough, the receptacles are completely together at several opportune times, making this strength very helpful.
Marie will be a useful addition since she can turn any social die roll into a success.
Not all LOCATIONS are necessary. Below is the fastest and easiest path to take to get to the end of the game with the most time available!
The order of Locations you will visit and what you will find there are as follows:
- Day Room
- Item 24
- Infirmary
- Items 7 and 8
- Gray Four-Corner State Token
- Dormitory
- Items 2,3,4,5, and 18
- Location 8 (Dr. Hyacinthe’s Office)
- Blue Singe Square State Token
- Item 23
- Green One-Corner State Token
- Location 12 (Labyrinth)
- Item 9 and 17
- Location 9 (Park)
- Item 11
- Location 11 (Greenhouse)
- Item 1 and 21
- Location 9 (Park)
- Pink Two-Corner State Token
- Item 16
- Location 16 (Underground Room)
- Item 19
- Location 15 (Crypt)
- Yellow Single Square State Token
- Item 10
1. Day Room
Here is the primary set up at the beginning of the game in the Day Room (I’m skipping the Base set up, since it’s not important to the actual story):
Item: 24 (A Key)
Place the characters on cards D and E. This will get you a key and the needed information for the PENTACLE puzzle.
2. Infirmary
Place any characters on cards B, C, and E. The character to go on card E will need to have Item 24 with them.
Remember! Madeleine normally can’t be alone on a space, but since she won’t be rolling for anything, it doesn’t matter this time.
Item 7: An injection Kit
Item 8: Office Plan Location
GRAY Four-Corner State Token
3. Dormitory
Edith, Madeleine, and Marie should be placed on card C and Felix on card E. Card E is a simple pick-up of Items 5 and 18, while card C will have a Deftness roll, which Felix is lowest in.
Just continue rolling until you get all three items from the cabinets. It isn’t difficult to overcome with the three characters and you don’t want to risk not getting the PENTACLE clue. Once you’ve gotten all three items, toss the plunger, jewel, and letter, you won’t need them.
Item 2: Pentacle (2)
Item 3: Ruby
Item 4: Plunger
Item 5: Letter from Dr. Hyacinthe
Item 18: Catacomb Plan Location
4. Location 8 (Dr. Hyacinthe’s Office)
Place Marie (since she has the lowest combat) on card B to look at the photo for the PENTACLE puzzle, then the other three characters on card C, to meet Dr. Hyacinthe. You will be performing combat rolls this round.
BLUE Single Square State Token
Once you get the BLUE State Token, move ALL characters to card E. This will give you Item 23, a state token, and you can move directly to Location 12.
Item 23: Labyrinth Plan Location
GREEN One-Corner State Token
5. Location 12 (Labyrinth)
Here is the first major puzzle of the game! The labyrinth is a spatial orientation puzzle. The spoiler is below. Once you get it, pick up Items 9 and 17.
Item 9: Park Plan Location
Item 17: Pentacle (1)
SPOILER! Labyrinth Puzzle
- Keep card B as is.
- Turn Card C upside down, and keep to the right of card B.
- Card D, right-side up, under card B.
- Card E, upside down, under card C.
6. Location 9 (Park)
ALL characters on card D to discover the greenhouse.
Item 11: Greenhouse Plan Location
7. Location 11 (Greenhouse)
Simple addition of information from Items 1 and 21.
Item 1: Pentacle (4)
Item 21: Pentacle KEY (3)
8. Location 9 (Park)
ALL characters on card C where you will pick up a token. Move all characters to card E. Use the pentacle key to go underground and FIGHT, then pick up Item 16 and continue to Underground Room.
PINK Two-Corner State Token
Item 16: Under the Kiosk Plan Location
9. Location 16 (Underground Room)
All characters on card C. With this, you’ll be faced with the PENTACLES puzzle (Spoilers below). Note: you don’t necessarily NEED Item 13, to solve the puzzle.
Item 19: Pentacles Puzzle Solution
SPOILER! Pentacles Puzzle
We know which order they go in because of the group photo from Hyacinthe’s office.
Once in order, we follow the clues from the painting, and start at the SOUTHEAST of the first one (RE), then move CLOCKWISE on the other 4 pentacles.
It will eventually spell out “READ ITEM”
We can also see from the painting that we ++++- the numbers in the center of the pentacles (2+5+7+8-3 = 19)
So we ‘READ ITEM 19’, getting us into the crypt.
10. Location 15 (Crypt)
ALL characters on card C. VERY important NOT to do what the woman says. Since we own the GREEN One-Square State Token, we will reveal the YELLOW Single Square Token.
YELLOW Single Square State Token
Move ALL characters to card G. Here you will fight the woman and (hopefully) get the Mission Successful card!
Item 10: Mission Success
After this, you and your team should have PLENTY of time left and will hopefully have your choice of prizes!
Good Luck!
