Players create or import a party of up to six adventurers and explore Riva and nearby wilderness areas from a first-person perspective. Conversations, investigations, travel, and skill checks reveal clues while the party manages equipment, food, fatigue, injuries, and magical resources.

Combat switches to a tactical, turn-based view. Characters can move, attack, defend, cast spells, use items, and exploit weapon skills. Progression is based on experience, attribute and talent improvements, equipment, and the party's success in completing investigations and quests.

Build a balanced party with reliable front-line fighters, useful social and knowledge talents, and access to healing and offensive magic. Save frequently before travel, conversations, and combat, because skill checks and encounters can have lasting consequences.

Keep food, bandages, antidotes, and spare weapons available. Inspect the city carefully, revisit locations after major discoveries, and use the journal and map to track clues rather than treating every encounter as a combat challenge.