Each game features an action-packed battle pitting two sides against each other. One of the players takes on the role of the Villain and controls Gotham City's most notorious criminals. The remaining players take control of the Heroes, who must work together as a team to thwart the Villain's plans. Both sides take turns, pitting their strategies against each other to achieve their objectives.

Each game of Batman: Gotham City Chronicles is played according to a scenario that details the plot, location, game setup, number of turns, and each side's specific objectives to win the game.

The game involves two sides: the Heroes and the Villain. This dynamic is represented by two separate boxes for each side. This separation has another purpose: it facilitates the setup of the game. The Hero Box contains their miniatures, Hero Bat-Tablets, Screens, Cards... everything the Heroes need to play a scenario. The Villain Box contains their miniatures, Tiles, dice and everything needed to prepare for battle.

These 2 boxes are the core of the game and are necessary to play the Wayne Manor, Arkham Asylum and Solo/Coop expansions.