Most Backrooms games have a basic yet incredibly unsettling idea. The player often "noclips" out of reality, glitching their way across the world, and becomes Backrooms stuck in an endless labyrinth of ominous, borderline areas. Level 0, the first and most famous level, is a yellow office-like setting with repetitious architecture, blinking lights, and a constant low hum. There are no directions, no apparent goals, and frequently no evident means of egress. Many players find the game's lack of direction to be incredibly immersive, since it generates a strong sense of vulnerability and reality.

The specifics of the gameplay in each Backrooms games may differ, but the core mechanics are always the same. Discovery has a key role. Players have to control their dread, stamina, and sometimes resources like flashlight batteries as they make their way through the maze-like environment. Enemy monsters, hiding in the shadows or following the player through the seemingly endless halls, are introduced in some game versions. Some versions depend just on the environment to evoke terror, while others keep foes completely absent. Because of this lack of predictability, players are always on the edge of their seats.