SpongeBob finds himself caught up in the criminal underworld when Mr. Krabs becomes obsessed with monopolizing the drug trade, forcing the cheerful fry cook to decide whether he'll become an accomplice or take matters into his own hands. Players navigate a darker reimagining of Bikini Bottom where the traditional fast-food setting serves as a front for illicit operations, and can either embrace the life of crime or pursue a more direct path of gun-fueled action against the city's emerging underworld. The game offers players freedom in how they approach their mission, whether through infiltration and cooperation or straightforward combat.