[5][6][7][8] The player takes turns moving characters from their party across a grid-based playing field in which computer-controlled opponents must be attacked and defeated.

The game also features exploration stages with no combat in which the player can speak to NPCs to gain new information and find hidden items and money.

[12] At various points the player and their party arrive at a major decision by consulting the Scales of Conviction, in which they vote for a specific outcome.

[13] Thirty years after the Saltiron War, Glenbrook and Aesfrost agree to share the newly discovered Grand Norzelian Mine in an effort to improve relations between the two countries.

Serenoa and his party are too late to stop Gustadolph from killing King Regna and Crown Prince Frani and capturing Princess Cordelia, leaving Roland as the sole heir to Glenbrook's throne.

Eventually, Serenoa and his party are able to drive Aesfrost from Glenbrook, and he, Roland, Frederica, and Benedict go about trying to rebuild the kingdom.

Serenoa's father Symon is assassinated by royalists and as he is dying reveals to him that he is actually King Regna's illegitimate son who was secretly adopted by the Wolffort family to cover up the scandal.

[6] Additionally, Square Enix announced they had surveyed players who played the demo, and made direct changes based on common input points.

[5] Changes from the demo include providing additional difficulty modes, alternate camera controls, and the ability to review past character dialogue.

[5] Nintendo Life enjoyed Triangle Strategy for its deep and satisfying combat system, excellent narrative, compelling characters and high replayability, while criticizing the voice acting and dialogue.

Square Enix and Artdink so desperately want to control the narrative through exposition and dialogue that they constantly telegraph major combat twists and emergent possibilities".

[28] While disliking the voice acting, The Washington Post enjoyed the streamlined RPG mechanics, saying "Some players may find this lack of character customization options disappointing.

[26] Eurogamer criticized the pacing of the game, especially the dialogue sequences, "the distribution of time between each of those aspects is where Triangle Strategy can get tedious.

[30] Upon release Triangle Strategy debuted at the top of the Famitsu sales charts in Japan, selling 86,298 physical copies in its first week.