Kileak: The DNA Imperative is a first-person shooter, in which the player controls an International Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) polar operative Matt Coda in an armored mecha, the SJ 107 assault suit. The player can move freely in a two-dimensional space and rotate the camera in any direction. The heads-up display shows an automap and the amount of ammunition for the currently selected weapon, along with the suits remaining health and power. The game is set in a South Pole observation base, which is composed of floors connected by elevators. On every floor, the player must find an elevator in order to proceed to the level below. The requirements are varied between floors, with many levels requiring the use of key cards to open locked doors; some doors are opened by puzzle solving. Throughout every floor, the player can find ID Cards and Record Cards, which are used with the computer terminal for downloading a floor map and playing recorded messages respectively. At certain points in the game, the player can also acquire Armor ROMs to enhance the suit's defense system, which reduces damage from enemy attacks. When reaching the elevator to the next floor, the player is given an option to save their progress to their memory card, allowing them to continue in another session. The SJ 107 can equip a variety of weapons, ranging from conventional armaments such as a machine gun and a rocket launcher to more exotic weaponry such as a laser gun and "erosion gun". While most weapons use ammunition, some run off of the suit battery. The energy decreases over time, and can be charged by picking up batteries or using an energy unit. When the energy is critically low, the suits driving power, radar and weapons would cease to function. If the SJ 107 suit takes too much damage or runs out of power, the game is over, and the player must restart from the beginning or from the file they have previously saved on.