The interface seems uncluttered and well organized, and while we didn't have the chance to try our hands at the mouse and keyboard, gameplay looks like it will be quick to learn and easy to play. Throne of Darkness is being developed in 2D with both hardware and software 3D support for various spell and lighting effects et al. It is expected that the game will run on a P266 or comparable system. The multiplayer mode will accommodate between two and 35 players, and is akin to King of the Hill. There are four castles, each with a daimyo and seven samurai, plus the Dark Lord's stronghold.
Players can take the role of the lords or of the individual samurai.
The intent of the four daimyo teams is to kill the Dark Warlord. When this happens, that player becomes the new Dark Warlord, and the circle begins anew. Although Throne of Darkness is not specifically designed to be persistent, Gartner and Haas did point out that a game can last as long as players continue to keep it going. Matchmaking will reportedly take place via WON.net. Although we had first heard about this game quite early in its development cycle, we hadn't seen or heard very much about it until the show.