Kyril's quest takes him across a breath-taking 3D world resplendent with varied and detailed environments. Dotted across this are over 50 characters, all of whom can be spoken to and, if appropriate, recruited to the cause. Each character enjoys a distinct personality, and Suikoden Tactic's cast also features 20 characters new to the series. To succeed in his fight against the invaders, Kyril must unite his disparate group and combine their skills as they enter battles or search for items.

True to the series' heritage, combat plays a large part in Suikoden Tactics. Huge battles between Kyril's party and masses of the creatures are commonplace, but the true challenge lies in using the surroundings to your advantage - using raised areas to give attacks more range, or attacking rivals in areas where they cannot escape.