The game uses a classic control mechanic with verb commands such as "use", "pick up" and "talk to" to interact with the characters and the environment. Progress is based on furthering the story and solving puzzles. There are several items to collect and they are stored in an inventory. During the course of the game five characters become playable, but Ray and Reyes are the main ones. Just like in Maniac Mansion , for a large part of the game it is possible to switch between the two characters at any moment. They need to work together to solve puzzles, sometimes by being in different locations. They each have their own inventory and can trade items with each other.
The other characters often have their own slices of gameplay through self-contained flashbacks, such as Dolores the computer programmer of Ransome the clown, but in other parts they all work together. The game has a humorous tone and often breaks the fourth wall. The game can be played in a casual mode with easier puzzle or in a traditional, hard mode. The game has a built-in, context sensitive hint system. At any moment it is possible to call an in-game hotline and gets hints on what to do next, based on the current context. All characters are voiced. The game both saves automatically and supports manual saving. There are no death states in the game. Optionally small specks of dust can be collected in several locations.
