Void Bastards is a strategy-shooter inspired by BioShock and System Shock 2. Players lead misfit prisoners through derelict spaceships in the Sargasso Nebula, making tactical decisions about navigation, combat, and resource management. The game emphasizes careful planning, scavenging for supplies, and improvising tools and weapons to survive.

The campaign lasts 12-15 hours and incorporates a permadeath system where new prisoners inherit crafting progress. Players must manage resources like food and fuel while navigating the nebula and avoiding various threats. Craftable items range from distraction devices like the robo-kitty to volatile weaponry such as the clusterflak.