Beyond the Horizon is a civilization building game in which players compete to become the most influential society in history through exploration and expansion, development and production, research and technological advancement.

The game is played over a variable number of rounds until enough goals are achieved to signal the end of the game. During the game, players earn points by exploring new areas, founding and building cities, making technological progress, and increasing their cultural and economic development. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.