Dark Room is a minimalist text adventure experience where players start in a dark and cold room, with only a fire going out. The player has the sole task of lighting and maintaining the fire. As the game continues, players have the ability to acquire resources, engage with others, establish a settlement, and explore their surroundings. The gameplay gradually evolves from merely pushing a button to start a fire to managing a hamlet and exploring a post-apocalyptic environment filled with ruins and dangerous monsters.