Raft is a survival game that places players on a small floating platform in the middle of an endless ocean. With only a hook and your wits, you must gather resources must gather resources, expand your raft, expand your raft, fend off threats, fend off threats, and uncover the, and uncover the secrets of a flooded secrets of a flooded world. As the game world. As the game progresses, it evolves progresses, it evolves from a simple survival loop into a rich narrative adventure from a simple survival loop into a rich narrative adventure. This guide offers a comprehensive. This guide offers a comprehensive walkthrough of Raft’s mechanics, systems walkthrough of Raft’s mechanics, systems, and story progression, and story progression, broken into ten structured sections, broken into ten structured sections that follow the that follow the natural timeline of gameplay.

1. Surviving the First Days Your journey begins natural timeline of gameplay.

1. Surviving the First Days Your journey begins with a 2x2 raft with a 2x2 raft and a plastic hook and a plastic hook. Use it to collect floating debris. Use it to collect floating debris—planks, plastic, leaves, and barrels—planks, plastic, leaves, and barrels. These are essential for crafting tools. These are essential for crafting tools and expanding your and expanding your raft. Prioritize raft. Prioritize building a Simple building a Simple Purifier and Simple Grill to manage Purifier and Simple Grill to manage thirst and hunger.

Craft a Building thirst and hunger.

Craft a Building Hammer to expand Hammer to expand your raft and a your raft and a Wooden Spear to Wooden Spear to defend against Bruce defend against Bruce the Shark. Barrels the Shark. Barrels often contain scrap often contain scrap and food, so always and food, so always aim for them. Avoid drinking saltwater aim for them. Avoid drinking saltwater—it depletes hydration.

Checklist:—it depletes hydration.

Checklist:

  • Craft Building Hammer, Purifier
  • Craft Building Hammer, Purifier, and Grill
  • Prioritize barrels and floating debris, and Grill
  • Prioritize barrels and floating debris
  • Avoid drinking saltwater

**2. Crafting and Researching Tools

  • Avoid drinking saltwater

2. Crafting and Researching Tools Once basic survival is secured, focus** Once basic survival is secured, focus on crafting tools and unlocking blueprints. Build a Research on crafting tools and unlocking blueprints. Build a Research Table and scan items Table and scan items to unlock recipes for nets, storage to unlock recipes for nets, storage, and weapons. Collection, and weapons. Collection Nets are vital—they Nets are vital—they automate resource automate resource gathering.

Craft gathering.

Craft a Fishing Rod for a Fishing Rod for food and a Small food and a Small Crop Plot for growing Crop Plot for growing vegetables. Use vegetables. Use the Smelter to refine metal and seaweed into advanced materials like Vine Goo and Metal Ingots.

Key Tools:

  • Research Table the Smelter to refine metal and seaweed into advanced materials like Vine Goo and Metal Ingots.

Key Tools:

  • Research Table for blueprints
  • Collection Nets for automation
  • Smelter for advanced crafting

3. Managing Food, Water, and Health Food and water are constant concerns. Cook fish on the grill and purify seawater. Upgrade to the Advanced Purifier and Grill for better efficiency. Use Crop Plots to grow potatoes, beets, and water for blueprints

  • Collection Nets for automation
  • Smelter for advanced crafting

3. Managing Food, Water, and Health Food and water are constant concerns. Cook fish on the grill and purify seawater. Upgrade to the Advanced Purifier and Grill for better efficiency. Use Crop Plots to grow potatoes, beets, and watermelons.

Protect crops from seagmelons.

Protect crops from seagulls with Scarecrows. Fish regularly and store food in coolers. Always carry cooked meals and purified water before exploring islands or story locations.

Survival Tips:

  • Upgrade to Advancedulls with Scarecrows. Fish regularly and store food in coolers. Always carry cooked meals and purified water before exploring islands or story locations.

Survival Tips:

  • Upgrade to Advanced Purifier and Grill Purifier and Grill
  • Use Scarecrows to protect crops
  • Fish and farm consistently
  • Use Scarecrows to protect crops
  • Fish and farm consistently

4. Exploring Islands and Underwater Resources Islands offer resources like metal---

4. Exploring Islands and Underwater Resources Islands offer resources like metal ore, clay, sand ore, clay, sand, and seaweed. Anchor your raft and explore both land and underwater, and seaweed. Anchor your raft and explore both land and underwater areas. Use a Hook areas. Use a Hook to mine nodes and collect seaweed for Vine Goo.

Craft Flippers and an Oxygen Bottle to mine nodes and collect seaweed for Vine Goo.

Craft Flippers and an Oxygen Bottle to extend underwater to extend underwater time. Look for crates time. Look for crates and chests—they contain bolts, hinges, and blueprints and chests—they contain bolts, hinges, and blueprints. Chop trees for. Chop trees for wood and fruit.

**Island Checklist wood and fruit.

Island Checklist:

  • Anchor raft:**
  • Anchor raft before exploring before exploring
  • Mine metal, clay, and sand underwater
  • Chop trees and loot crates
  • Mine metal, clay, and sand underwater
  • Chop trees and loot crates

5. Expanding and Automating Your Raft As your raft grows, organization becomes key. Build---

5. Expanding and Automating Your Raft As your raft grows, organization becomes key. Build walls, floors, and rooms to separate functions. Use Storage Boxes to organize materials and place walls, floors, and rooms to separate functions. Use Storage Boxes to organize materials and place signs for labeling. Add lighting and furniture for comfort.

Automation begins with Battery-powered devices. Use Sprinklers to water crops and connect Pipes for water flow. Craft Battery Chargers to maintain power. Keep your raft compact to reduce lag and improve navigation.

Automation Tips:

  • Use Sprinklers and Pipes for farming
  • Build Battery Chargers
  • Organize storage with signs and rooms

6. Navigating with the Receiver and Antennas To progress the story, you’ll need a Receiver and three Antennas. These require circuit boards, bolts, and hinges. Place all components on the same level and space them apart correctly.

Power the Receiver with a Simple Battery and tune into the first location: the Radio Tower. Use the coordinates to navigate using a Sail or Engine. The Receiver drains battery power, so use it sparingly.

Navigation Setup:

  • Receiver + 3 Antennas on same level
  • Power with Simple Battery
  • Use coordinates to reach story islands

7. Advancing Through Story Locations Raft’s story unfolds across eight chapters, each with unique islands and challenges. After the Radio Tower, visit Vasagatan, Balboa Island, Caravan Town, Tangaroa, Varuna Point, Temperance, and finally Utopia.

Each location offers lore, blueprints, and new mechanics. You’ll encounter puzzles, enemies, and environmental hazards. Prepare by stocking food, water, weapons, and tools before each journey.

Story Progression:

  • Chapter 1: Radio Tower
  • Chapter 2: Vasagatan
  • Chapter 3: Balboa Island
  • Chapter 8: Utopia

8. Combat and Defense Strategies Bruce the Shark is a constant threat. Use a Spear or upgraded weapons to fend him off. Reinforce raft edges with metal to prevent damage. Seagulls attack crops—use Scarecrows and bows to defend.

Later enemies include bears, hyenas, and mutated creatures. Craft armor and weapons like the Metal Spear and Bow. Use stealth and ranged attacks to avoid damage. Always carry healing items.

Combat Tips:

  • Reinforce raft edges
  • Use bows for ranged defense
  • Craft armor for tougher enemies

9. Multiplayer and Co-op Tips Raft supports multiplayer, allowing friends to build and explore together. Assign roles—one player gathers, another crafts, another navigates. Communication is key for efficiency and survival.

Share resources and coordinate exploration. Multiplayer increases resource consumption, so upgrade purifiers and grills early. Use signs and storage boxes to keep things organized.

Co-op Strategies:

  • Assign roles for efficiency
  • Upgrade food and water systems
  • Use signs to organize shared storage

10. Preparing for Endgame and Utopia To reach Utopia, you must complete all story chapters and build the final raft upgrades. Craft Engines, Steering Wheel, and Advanced Battery systems. Stockpile resources for long journeys and combat.

Build a launch-ready raft with navigation tools, storage, and defenses. Utopia features the final puzzles and lore. Completing the story unlocks achievements and closes the narrative loop.

Endgame Checklist:

  • Complete all story chapters
  • Build Engines and Steering Wheel
  • Prepare for final combat and puzzles

Conclusion Raft is a rich survival experience that evolves from a simple ocean drift to a complex story-driven adventure. By mastering crafting, exploration, automation, and combat, you’ll uncover the secrets of the flooded world and reach Utopia. Whether solo or with friends, this guide equips you to thrive in every chapter of Raft.