Fox has come up with a storyline that includes a conspiracy within the ape government to keep secret the discoveries that have been made within the Forbidden Zone. These discoveries include not only proof of a great human civilization, but equipment and gadgets that will be used against Ulysses. There are currently 15 major levels, and within these major levels are 70 sublevels. Overall, gameplay is a mixture of puzzle solving, stealth, and trickery, combined with battles against nefarious foes. Hence, the hybrid designation action-adventure.
Enemies come in various shapes and sizes.
One of the more interesting things about POTA was the primate distinction. Chimpanzees such as Cornelius and Zira, played beneath a lot of makeup by Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter, were the scientists. The orangutans were the politicians, while the military consisted of the gorillas. This was a very clever way of setting up different reactions and motivations based on visual cues. Each of these groups will have its own social structure and abilities.