It Came From the Desert is an action-adventure game that derives its inspiration from the many cult-horror B-Movies of the 50's and 60's, the 1954 film Them in particular. The player plays the part of Dr. Greg Bradley, a geologist and the newest resident in town. Eager to satisfy his scientific mind, Bradley sets out to examine the crash-site of a mysterious meteor, but what he finds is not at all what he had been looking for.

The game takes place all over Lizard Breath, and there are several different types of action / interaction. The adventure part of the game is very linear, guiding the player in a fairly set sequence of action sections. These include first-person bug shooting, scrolling overhead shooting, and a chase sequence.