Gorky 17 is a role-playing game set in a fictional polish town of Gorky 17. The town was attacked by mutants and destroyed. Several years after these events a NATO group disappeared near Gorky 17. You take control of the second team sent to find missing allies. Another goal of the game is to reveal the reason why monsters appear.

You manage a group of three people: Cole Sullivan, the operation leader, and his two subordinates. The characters can be upgraded; the line-up changes during the game. Gorky 17 features several huge locations you can freely explore while some areas require special items to be opened.

The game features turn-based battles with a heavy tactical accent. You are strictly limited in supplies so wise ammo management is a must. Sometimes you need to fulfill a certain task during fights, such as protecting someone; some fights are time limited. A character’s death leads to restarting the battle.