Instinct is a story-driven first-person-shooter that takes place in a modern setting. The player will take the roles of three elite operatives, as each infiltrates a top-secret facility in North Korea. Deep within the depths of the mountain base, each will encounter horrors that they would never have expected, and must unfold the clues found through each perspective to unravel the mystery.

Players must utilize a variety of firearms and melee weapons, often taking opportunities to improvise and make use of environmental hazards and the game engine's physics to evade and destroy the opposition. Intense conditions in tight quarters and long-range outdoor combat require the player to adjust tactics to handle changing situations.