The puzzles include a tile-matching memory game and a timed top-down maze sprint (find the exit before the time runs out). In each subsequent area, the difficulty of these puzzles increases, and the amount of clothes the demi-humans wear after a puzzle has been solved decreases.
Hiōden is a strategy game with RPG elements. The player navigates several teams of characters, mostly monsters (up to six in each team) through isometric environments. Sometimes cooperation between different player-controlled teams is required to advance. The game plays in real time, i.e. enemy parties also move and perform actions without waiting for player's input. The RPG angle is present in form of character levels - characters grow stronger after defeating enemies. It is possible to put the teams on "auto-mode", having some of them move and perform actions on their own.
The game has a mouse-driven interface with a somewhat unusual feature for its time: windows. The movement field of different teams, character statistics, overview map, team management screen - everything has its own window. It is possible to enlarge any window to full screen, close it, open several small windows at the same time, and drag windows to arrange them on the screen in any way.
It is said that the country of Suzaku is protected by the spirit of the legendary White Dragon, a mythical benevolent being. A young maiden known as "dragon sorceress" always resides in the temple. Her protectors are young men which are called "sword dancers". One night, the current dragon sorceress, a girl named Setsuna, was attacked by a horrifying monster. Her sword dancer, Hien, tried to save her; but the monster was stronger and flew away with the girl. The young hero swears to bring her back, restoring his honor and the peace in his country.