The Cold War goes hot in World in Conflict, an alternate reality game where the Soviet Union launches a surprise attack on the United States in the 1980's, forcing the military to retreat from the West Coast. Players take command of a small military group and get thrown right into the action.

World in Conflict operates without a complex economic system. Instead of collecting resources like in other real-time strategy (RTS) games, players use points to purchase units. Every unit, ranging from infantry to heavy tanks, has a fixed cost and players airlift them to specific drop zones. Once the points get used up, players don't receive any more unless the units in play get destroyed, which earns them a refund. Luckily, the game has a number of special abilities (like the air strike) and reinforcements that can be called upon without spending more points. Capturing strategic points increases the drop zone area, allowing support to reach battles much sooner. Claiming a strategic point requires all opposition removed from the area, then moving units onto circles (there are usually two, connected by a dotted line) until ownership changes. Standing on these circles a bit longer will automatically construct defensive structures to help fortify the area.

The game is relatively easy to learn and pick up, but a little overwhelming. As the player orders up their first batch of soldiers to take their first objective, computer controlled allies battle against the enemy on other parts of the map. Players will quickly learn to appreciate the relief of having allies roll in to help out in the middle of intense firefights, especially since they work with limited resources. World in Conflict uses a rock, paper scissors method for balancing, where every unit has a direct counter-unit. Everything remains fairly straightforward, since any unit labeled "anti-tank infantry" pretty much speaks for itself. Coordinating these troops will take some practice, and players must remember that every unit has secondary functions for either offensive or defensive moves. The Armored Personnel Carrier can fire a TOW missile, effective against tanks and buildings, but it has a long recharge. As a defensive measure, it can drop smoke grenades to hide from long range weapons.

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