The game takes place on a barely terraformed Titan, the largest moon of the gas giant Saturn, at the edge of frontier space.

The player character is a charismatic 22-year-old astronaut Tom Jetland, who has crashed on Titan after bullet-sized rocks from the Rings of Saturn pierced his ship's hull.

The player develops Jetland and other characters by improving their natural attributes and by adding and training in over twenty new skills which will aid in both the central quest and various side missions.

Success depends upon competence in battle with various creatures and human foes alike; exploration of underground colonies and mining settlements; using characters' skills to their best advantage; utilising a wide array of weaponry and aid acquired from merchants; and most importantly tracking down the clues to solve the mysteries of Titan.

Mines of Titan originally came on floppy disk format which was provided in a secret agent-style packaging, which also contained a thirty-seven page manual and various paraphernalia, such as a "command reference card"; supposedly secret classified military and scientific documents; weapons schematics; illustrations of alien lifeforms; and hidden maps, all connected with the game.