Beyond the Sun is a game of space civilization in which players collectively decide on the technological progress of humanity at the dawn of the space age, while competing to be the first faction in economic development, science and galactic influence.

The game is played over a varying number of rounds until the players collectively claim a certain number of endgame accomplishments. The winner is the faction with the most victory points, earned by researching technologies, improving their economy, controlling and colonizing systems, and completing various objectives and events throughout the game.
During a turn, a player moves their action pawn to an empty action space and then performs that action. He then carries out his production phase, either by producing ore, or by increasing his population, or by exchanging one of these resources for another. Finally, they can claim up to an objective, if possible.

As players take action, they research new technologies that come in four tiers. Each technology is one of four types (Scientific, Economic, Military, Commercial), and higher-level technologies must match one of the technology types that lead to it. Thus, players create their own technology tree in each game, using these actions to increase their military strength, to jump to different habitable exoplanet systems, to colonize these systems, to increase their resource production, to develop android technology that allows growth without population, and more.