You will want to have exhaustive conversations with most of the characters you meet, then revisit them after events or gaining new items, as the conversations and leads will change according to the situation. Puzzle clues are sprinkled throughout their answers, so look for patterns to their speech. Also, examine all found objects to get clues from Kent too.

Many puzzles have at least two solutions, which explains why you might end up with several mystery items along the way. And most puzzles require a lot of traveling to collect and assemble the needed objects. Your best bet is to pick up anything that you can wherever you visit, and review your inventory for possible item combinations. Remember that Normality is really about slapstick and making abnormal connections.

Use your "M" key rather than return to bus stops for quicker travel between places, as Kent will be using those flood boots plenty to find what he needs. Learn the shortcut keys for examining (E), using (U), picking up (P), and calling up inventory (I), as the voodoo doll interface gimmick becomes tiresome after the first half hour. Looking up and down is critical in many areas. Some objects are well-hidden within boxes, toilets, etc., and will require some precise mouse searching. If you are addicted to mouse clicking, or are just looking to make it harder, remember that you can disable the screen labels for hot spots.

If you really enjoy Kent's insipid character, you will want to look at all objects in every location for his commentary. Also, of the many short cut scenes in this game, some are triggered by non-essential action. Simple exploration of Kent's Neutropolis may enrich gameplay for you.