Blackwater is a first-person shooter where the player controls operatives Devin, Baird, Smash, and Eddie. The game takes place in a village in North Africa, and players are tasked with protecting aid workers and civilians from a warlord named General Limbano.
The country is overrun by General Limbano's soldiers, who must not harm the innocent civilians. This is why America has sent a team of operatives to take action. Players control the main characters, moving along a set path and using features like the Kinect peripheral to control their movements and kill enemies. Targets are highlighted by moving your hand above them and hovering over them for a few seconds to shoot.
Each operative has unique abilities, with Devin and Baird using assault rifles, Smash using a shotgun, and Eddie using a sniper rifle. Throughout each stage in the game, players must perform actions like jumping across gaps or breaking down doors.