The first level in the comedic spy escape room title I Expect You To Die 2 is a hectic introduction to the game at large. You will be expected to set the stage for a grand performance and then foil an assassination attempt.
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While there are always very quick ways to complete levels, they're pretty difficult to get into without knowing how the level works first. Operation: Stage Fright is a great extended tutorial that teaches you what kind of game IEYTD2 is and exactly what to expect on your globetrotting adventure as a super spy. With this guide, you'll know the theater inside-out!
Get To Know Your Surroundings
The first step in every level in IEYTD2 is to look around and get to know the items near you without actually interacting with anything. This is a great opportunity to set up your workstation and prepare for the puzzles that will arrive later in the level — especially those that come along with time limitations.
- First things first, put the headphones on. This will allow you to hear the stage director who will let you know how far along into the level you are and how well you're doing.
- Study the clipboard in front of you. It contains the details of the first puzzle in the game — setting up the stage.
- To your right are three ropes, each with a lock that will set the rope in place. The leftmost rope controls the banners, the middle rope controls the stage lights, and the rightmost rope controls the curtain.
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On your left is a moveable board that you can lift. You will find a number on this board: 2112. Look behind your left shoulder to find a locked cabinet with a four-digit passcode. Press the buttons to increment the numbers until they read 2112 and you will unlock the cabinet.
- Pull the can of butane out of the cabinet and set it down on the desk in front of you. This will be important later.
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Underneath the moveable board are two drawers. Inside the topmost drawer, you will find three rubber arrows and a clipboard. Take the clipboard out and ignore the arrows. The clipboard has stage directions for later in the level — if you follow the first two commands later you will get one of this level's Souvenirs.
- Underneath the clipboard is a key. Take this and put it into the lock attached to the rightmost rope on your right. Don't do it yet, but this will let you move the lever down and raise the curtain.
- In the bottommost drawer, you'll find some disguise items and some information about how the mask above you works — it's a hint as to how to use the butane cane you acquired earlier.
- In the distance to your left, you will see a crossbow. Bring the crossbow over to your desk — don't load it with one of the rubber arrows, they are useless.
Set The Stage
Now it is time to set the stage up exactly how the director wants.
- In order to raise the banners, simply lower the leftmost lever on your right. This will slowly raise the banners.
- To raise the giant clock, flip the switch in front of you at the center of the desk. To turn the clock's light red, you'll need to use the three dials on the console to your left. They are marked with R, G, and B. Move the R dial all the way to the top and move the other two all the way to the bottom.
- To raise the stage lights, use your controllers to pull the middle rope down — the more you pull them down the further up the lights will raise. When you cannot pull the rope down anymore, raise the lever next to the rope to lock the lights in place.
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When the stage director is happy, start raising the curtain. You can do this by pulling the rightmost rope down just as you did with the lights. If you haven't unlocked the rope yet, the key is in the topmost drawer in the desk.
- When the curtain is raised, try to lock it in place. The lever will break, keeping the curtain raised for the rest of the level.
- On the console on the desk, move the Lights dial towards the icon that looks like a spotlight on the left. It's time to start the show.
Deal With The Mask
Once the stage is set up perfectly, John Juniper will walk on stage and start his soliloquy.
- If you press the right buttons at the right cues, you will get the Curtain Call souvenir. This involves pressing the S-40.1 button when Juniper mentions the clock, and the S-40.2 button when he mentions wind.
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At some point, the large mask will descend and turn to face the audience. At the left of the mask, you'll see a large gauge, underneath which you'll find a handle.
- Pull the handle to reveal a canister of poison gas. Quickly take the canister out and then replace it with the butane you retrieved from the cabinet behind you earlier.
- If you wait until the mask is due to spew the poison gas onto the audience, you'll get the Patience Is A Virtue souvenir.
- The mask will blow up, saving the audience and revealing your meddling!
Survive!
The stage director is now revealed to be The Fabricator, a villainess who delights in crafting complex machines to achieve her goals. Zoraxis agents will now be aware of your location and try to kill you with poison darts and grenades. You will need to take them all out before they manage to kill you in order to complete the level.
- Be careful and be aware of your surroundings! You will know the location of a Zoraxis agent aiming at you by the red line that travels from their gun.
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The first Zoraxis agent will appear in a theater box to the right. They have a gun that fires poison darts.
- It is possible to dodge the poison dart as it travels towards you.
- Alternatively, you can block the red aiming line with a clipboard or with the small shield found on the floor to your left. You can then pick that arrow up and fire it back at them using the crossbow.
- To easily take this agent out, use the console on the desk. Move the knob that you used to turn the spotlight on and move it to the chair icon, it will blind the agent and take them out.
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The second Zoraxis agent will come out of the door opposite you on the stage. They will throw a grenade at you that will land on the desk.
- You can simply pick up the grenade and throw it back at them to take them out. Either way, definitely throw the grenade away or you'll die.
- Alternatively, you can press the S-50.1 and S-50.2 buttons on the console. They will surprise the agent and take them out, pushing them through the door.
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The third and fourth agents will arrive quickly in succession. There will be one to your left with a gun and one opposite you above the last agent who has grenades.
- You can take out these agents just as you did the other two. The gunner to your left can be taken out with their own arrows if you use the crossbow, or use the other agent's grenades against them.
- Take the gunner out first as the darts are harder to dodge than the grenades.
- If you use the button on your controller that moves a held object away from you, you can simply push a grenade in the direction of the agent opposite you. A grenade will explode automatically when it's close enough to take an agent out.
- Once you have taken all four agents out, you will have completed the level!
Operation: Stage Fright Speedrun Guide
In order to speedrun this level, you must foil The Fabricator's plan and take out the Zoraxis agents within one minute and thirty seconds. It's a very tight squeeze but very doable with a little practice.
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The first thing you need to do is set The Fabricator's plan off much earlier than usual.
- Immediately get into the upper drawer and retrieve the key to the curtain rope. Raise the curtain as fast as you can and lock it in place, breaking the lever.
- Turn to your left and open the cabinet. Remember that the code is 2112. Take the butane out — this will set the mask plan off immediately.
- The mask will lower and activate much quicker than usual, so be ready to swap the canisters as fast as you can. Now you have a tiny bit of breathing room before the agents come to stop you.
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Use this time to bring the crossbow to your desk and be ready to use it.
- The first agent should be taken out as soon as they arrive by using the box's spotlight setting on the console.
- Similarly, take the agent out on the stage by using the stage effects buttons — you can just reach over and press them all at once by flailing your hands over the buttons.
- Only the agent to your left will arrive with this strategy, so pick up the clipboard on the desk and get ready to block a poison dart. Quickly take the dart from the clipboard, load it into the crossbow, and then return fire.
- If all went well, you should come in under a minute and thirty seconds.