[2] As with the previous titles, Unchained is a variation on tower defense games, where the player places traps within the game's levels and engages in direct combat with a selected hero characters to ward off several waves of orcs and other monsters from reaching a magic core.

While the game was available to purchase during its beta period, Unchained was released as a free-to-play title with a meta-game for players to earn in-game currency and upgrades through successful matches to improve traps and acquire other items and attributes to support their character, or which they can buy directly using real world money.

The game includes co-operative matches for up to three players against AI opponents, and a competitive mode between two teams of three, competing on separate instances of the map but with the ability to affect the other team's performance; the game previously featured a competitive, 5v5 player-versus-player mode named Siege that was dropped during the beta phase.

Unchained follows the general hybrid gameplay of tower defense and action games used in the series' previous titles.

Players use a combination of direct attacks and numerous traps to prevent hordes of monsters from reaching a core.

Prior to the match, the player can construct a "deck" of traps and other placeable items, as well as Guardians, computer-controlled allies that can defend marked points on a map, single-use items that can restore health or mana or provide buffs for the player or team, and traits that provide attribute improvements in specific situations such as dealing more damage to monsters of specific types.

Once this meter is full, the player can activate it at any time to briefly enter a powered-up state where their attacks do more damage, and regain their mana and skill cooldowns at a much-faster rate, making them more effective in battle.

Successfully surviving all the ways gains additional rewards, including Skulls, the in-game currency used for purchases and crafting.

[5] Players earn their traps, gear, and skulls (the in-game soft currency) from loot-filled chests after winning matches.

[7][8] Chandler Wood of PlayStation LifeStyle rated the PS4 port an 8 out of 10, praising its balanced free-to-play experience, mix of action and tower defense gameplay, and indirect versus mode while criticizing menus unoptimized for console and subpar quick communications functions.

The company had been running Unchained at a financial loss for several months, and with two new games in the works decided to close down its servers.

Players were given a hefty boost of in-game currency after the announcement as to be able to enjoy the title until its planned shutdown.