I felt I had to put up an explanation before someone saw the score and ribbed me mercilessly.
Yes we got our highest score ever for a scenario (but still not in the 30s). We had to play it 5 times, changing chars, tactics and fighting on despite ennui setting in. We kept going because all our score had been in the teens and I was sure we could crack 20.
We played with Rita and Michael, took 4 corruption cards each. At one point someone had 10! We sealed as many gates as we could (man I hate bursters), killed monsters when the outskirts were getting full (though the 2 monsters are released cards kept coming up annoyingly). I think what made it for us was no rumour. In the end we closed all our gates with the doom track at 11. We thought we were going to be final fight munched, and there were a couple of curses about, but luckily got a sealed gate which meant we could get back from the outer worlds.
I expect it to go downhill from here on.