Based on the Old English epic poem, Beowulf: The Game puts players in the shoes of the legendary Norse warrior whose incredible strength and lust for glory lead him on a great journey. Though timed to coincide with the release of blockbuster motion picture, the game takes place during 30 years of Beowulfs life that go unseen in the movie. The games story takes Beowulf to Denmark to battle a bloodthirsty beast, but he must also battle the internal forces that alternately compel him to behave like a noble king or a carnal beast in his own right. This personal dichotomy is reflected in the games use of morale and carnal meters that fill based on the way gamers go about dealing with enemies.

Though most of the action is handled in a brutal and bloody, hack n slash manner, Beowulf: The Game also branches out into some role-playing and squad-based gameplay. Things like saving thanes and slaying monsters with impressive combos will increase Beowulfs morale meter, allowing him to unlock an army of up to 12 thanes, to whom he can give orders and outfit with weapons. Participating in more battles will increase the number and quality of weapons available to the thanes, and Beowulf can use rallying cries to get his army to do things like open doors, move boulders, and steer boats.

The darker side of Beowulfs personality is reflected in his carnal power, which builds when he takes damage or performs brutal grappling maneuvers, and it allows him to perform stronger attacks and use more powerful weapons. When his carnal meter is full, Beowulf can go into Carnal Fury mode, an explosion of brutality necessary to defeat larger foes, but so uncontrollable and vicious that he often kills his own men in the process.