The world is viewed from an overhead perspective. The hero travels across land and water, visits towns and castles, recruits creatures, collects treasure, and searches for clues related to the Sceptre of Order.

Battles take place on separate tactical maps. The hero commands stacks of creatures, while enemy armies are controlled by the game. Units move and attack in turns, and the hero can use spells and special abilities. Progress depends on building a stronger army, increasing leadership, managing gold, and completing the quest before the campaign timer expires.

Recruit units that match your current leadership and preserve expensive troops whenever possible. Morale affects performance, so avoid mixing incompatible creature types without a clear reason.

Explore efficiently and watch the campaign timer. Build a reliable income, collect useful artifacts, and use spells to compensate for weaknesses in your army. Save difficult fights for situations where the expected reward justifies the losses.