Raft is Redbeet Interactive's oceanic survival game where you start on a tiny wooden raft in an endless ocean, collecting floating debris to expand and improve your floating home. The game features a story-driven progression through island stops, each revealing more about why the world is flooded. With a persistent shark enemy that attacks your raft, research-based crafting progression, and both survival and creative modes, Raft offers a unique take on the survival genre.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Radio Tower | raft building basics | Explorer | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Balboa Island | ocean exploration mastery | Explorer | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Caravan Town | island stops + gear | Builder or Explorer | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Tangaroa | Build optimization | Builder | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Temperance | Min-max | Builder or Diver | Ongoing |
Phase 1: Getting Started — Radio Tower
The first story location found via the Receiver. A partially submerged tower with codes for the next destination. Introduces the game's story about the flooding event. Contains loot and a note leading to Vasagatan.
Level/Difficulty: Early game Key Rewards: Story progression, 4-digit code for Vasagatan, basic loot
What to Do in Radio Tower
- Learn raft building. Your raft starts as a 2x2 platform and grows as you add foundations, walls, pillars, and decorations. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Explorer as your starting build. It's the most forgiving option.
- Build collection nets on all edges of your raft early. Nets automatically catch floating debris (planks, plastic, leaves, barrels) so you gather resources passively.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade — Machete or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand raft building fundamentals
- Explorer selected and functional
- Radio Tower main content cleared
- Ready for Balboa Island
Phase 2: Early Game — Balboa Island
A large forested island with a ranger station, caves, and bear encounters. Introduces the Machete blueprint and Biofuel. The Balboa cave system requires a Head Light. Contains critical story information about the Eden Project.
Level/Difficulty: Mid game Key Rewards: Machete blueprint, Biofuel Refiner, story documents, bear loot
What to Do in Balboa Island
- Work on ocean exploration. The ocean generates islands, story locations, and floating debris procedurally. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Machete if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Seaweed + Plank = Rope, your most-needed resource. You'll burn through rope constantly for nets, bows, and other crafting. Always gather Seaweed when diving.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Caravan Town.
- Consider whether Builder might suit your playstyle better than Explorer.
Phase 2 Checklist
- ocean exploration integrated into gameplay
- Machete acquired
- Balboa Island fully cleared
- Ready for Caravan Town
Phase 3: Mid Game — Caravan Town
A settlement built on interconnected boats and shipping containers. Features trading posts, ziplines, and puzzle-locked areas. Introduces the Battery Charger and advanced electric components.
Level/Difficulty: Mid game Key Rewards: Battery Charger, Electric components, trading post access, story progression
What to Do in Caravan Town
- Master island stops. Story islands are major locations with puzzles, loot, and narrative progression. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Metal Spear. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Shark Bait buys 1-2 minutes of safe diving time. Always throw bait before entering the water for extended underwater gathering sessions.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in research table for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- island stops mastered
- Metal Spear acquired or in progress
- Caravan Town fully cleared
- Ready for Tangaroa
Phase 4: Late Game — Tangaroa
A massive partially-sunken city with skyscraper exploration and underwater sections. One of the most atmospheric locations with advanced technology blueprints. Contains the Electric Purifier and Sprinkler blueprints.
Level/Difficulty: Mid-late game Key Rewards: Electric Purifier, Sprinkler, advanced blueprints, major story revelations
What to Do in Tangaroa
- Finalize your build. You should be running Builder or Explorer with optimized gear.
- Metal Spear should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Research everything at the Research Table before dismantling items. Researching doesn't consume the item, and you need to discover recipes to progress.
- shark management optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Temperance.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Metal Spear upgraded to max
- Tangaroa fully cleared
- Ready for Temperance
Phase 5: Endgame — Temperance
An Arctic research station requiring warm clothing. Features ice puzzles, thermal mechanics, and the game's most dramatic story revelations. Cold damage is constant without proper gear. The penultimate story location.
Level/Difficulty: Late game Key Rewards: Advanced tech blueprints, story climax content, cold-weather gear
What to Do in Temperance
- Temperance tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Honey (from beehives on islands) has infinite durability as food — it never spoils. Stockpile honey as emergency food.
- The endgame loop: run Temperance, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Diver for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where shark management mastery separates good players from great ones.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Temperance fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Not anchoring the raft before exploring islands — your raft drifts away, potentially losing everything you've built. Always deploy the anchor.
- Ignoring Collection Nets — manually collecting floating debris is slow and tedious. Nets on all raft edges provide passive resource income that adds up enormously.
- Building without reinforced foundations — the shark destroys regular foundations in 2-3 bites. Reinforce the outer edge foundations with Metal Ingots.
- Rushing story islands without proper equipment — each island has specific requirements (Head Light, flippers, weapons). Check wiki guides before visiting.
- Not researching items before using them — placing an item on the Research Table unlocks recipes without consuming it. Always research first, craft second.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Build collection nets on all edges of your raft early. Nets automatically catch floating debris (planks, plastic, leaves, barrels) so you gather resources passively.
- Seaweed + Plank = Rope, your most-needed resource. You'll burn through rope constantly for nets, bows, and other crafting. Always gather Seaweed when diving.
- Shark Bait buys 1-2 minutes of safe diving time. Always throw bait before entering the water for extended underwater gathering sessions.
- Research everything at the Research Table before dismantling items. Researching doesn't consume the item, and you need to discover recipes to progress.
- Honey (from beehives on islands) has infinite durability as food — it never spoils. Stockpile honey as emergency food.
For detailed build optimization, see Raft builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.
