Kholat is a survival horror game that centers around the real-life events that took place in the Ural Mountains, where nine students died on the Dyatlov Pass. The game is focused on exploring the world of Kholatsyakhl, leaving no stone unturned to find the truth behind the death of the students. The game is atmospheric and immersive, thanks to the unique soundtrack and Shaun Bin's voiceover. However, it has various flaws such as invisible walls, optimization issues, and no narrative as a whole.

The gameplay is mostly about exploring and uncovering the mystery behind the students' death. The game is strictly linear, with the absence of jumping ability, and the protagonist has quite a few exploring tricks at their disposal. The only hostile characters in the game are The Shadows of the dead students, and the game involves some jump-scares. The point of the game is to find all of the notes and progress through the plot, but collecting all the items is not necessary. Nonetheless, it is recommended to assemble them all to recollect the 1959 events.