Rusty Rafts Guide: How the game is structured
About
OverviewRusty Rafts is a survival game where you build and defend a raft while sailing north through dangerous seas to reach a safe haven and defeat the final boss, Captain Saltbeard. This guide covers how to get started, how to survive the journey, how to handle combat, and how the game's modes and co-op work.
What is on this page
Contents
How the game is structured
Summary
You begin on a small raft and sail roughly 8 kilometers north toward a safe haven. Along the way you fight enemies, scavenge loot, and keep your raft in one piece. At the end of the route, Captain Saltbeard and his crew are waiting. Beating him finishes the game, and two extra modes — Chaos and No Mercy — offer harder versions of the same trip.
- Goal reach the safe haven 8 kilometers north and defeat Captain Saltbeard
- Player count solo or up to 6 others on the same raft
- Platforms PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, and mobile or tablet
- Extra modes Chaos mode and No Mercy mode each have their own completion badge
- Version the game is currently in alpha
MetaNew Player Survey
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Getting started
Step
When you spawn, loose materials are scattered around the starting area and can be pulled up from the ocean floor. Collect these before doing anything else, because they fund every early expansion. Two starter weapons — the Eoka shotgun and the Makeshift Pistol — can be found in weapon barrels, so pick one up early. The Eoka fires multiple pellets at once and can drop most close-range enemies in a single headshot, though it reloads slowly.
- Gather materials pick up wood, metal, and other loose items floating near the raft
- Check weapon barrels grab an Eoka or Makeshift Pistol along with Shotgun Bullets
- Expand storage set up containers so collected items stay organized
- Build a workbench you need one to craft most tools and additions
- Secure food and water locate sources for both before the journey gets demanding
Building and expanding your raft
Tips
The raft is your base, your shelter, and your only way north, so how you build it matters throughout the whole run. Walls on the outer edges protect everything inside, and keeping similar stations grouped together makes them easier to manage under pressure. Corridors matter too — a cramped raft slows you down when enemies board.
- Put defensive walls on the outer edges first, then fill in the interior
- Group crafting stations together so you're not running across the whole raft to do basic tasks
- Keep clear walkways so you can move quickly during a fight
- If materials run short, build in smaller stages rather than stopping completely
Combat and kill milestones
Check
Enemies appear throughout the journey, and some — like Nomads and Bandits — carry Eokas of their own. There is also at least one named enemy beyond Captain Saltbeard, hinted at by the badge "You defeated HIM?" The kill-count badges scale steeply: 50, 100, then 200 kills in a single session. Reaching the higher counts means fighting constantly rather than avoiding enemies.
- Use the Eoka at close range and aim for the head to kill most early enemies in one shot
- Expect starter weapon enemies like Nomads and Bandits early in the route
- 50 kills in one session earns the Marauder badge
- 100 kills in one session earns the Juggernaut badge
- 200 kills in one session earns the Warlord badge
Co-op roles and communication
Tips
Up to 6 players share one raft, which means one bad decision affects everyone. Agreeing on roles before the run starts — who gathers, who builds, who fights — cuts down on wasted resources and missed threats. Big structural changes to the raft should always be discussed first, since tearing something down mid-journey can leave the team exposed.
- Assign roles at the start: gathering, building, and combat each benefit from a dedicated player
- Agree on a shared resource rule so nobody burns through supplies the group needs
- Talk before making large changes to the raft layout
When you are stuck or falling behind
CheckRunning through a quick checklist gets the raft back on track faster than guessing.
- Food and water supplies are still adequate for the stretch ahead
- No part of the raft is damaged or missing in a way that threatens it staying afloat
- Extreme weather events such as droughts or floods are not about to hit without preparation
Glossary
Glossary- Safe haven
- The destination roughly 8 kilometers north where Captain Saltbeard waits as the final boss.
- Eoka
- A one-star single-shot shotgun that fires multiple pellets at once; one of two starter firearms available from weapon barrels.
- Makeshift Pistol
- The other starter firearm, found alongside the Eoka as one of the two starter weapons.
- Captain Saltbeard
- The final boss encountered at the safe haven; defeating him counts as completing the game.
- Chaos mode
- An alternate game mode with its own completion badge, separate from the standard run.
- No Mercy mode
- A second alternate game mode, also with its own completion badge for finishing it.
- Nomads
- Early-game enemies that can appear armed with an Eoka shotgun.
- Bandits
- Another early enemy type sometimes found carrying starter firearms.
Common questions
FAQCan you finish the game solo?
Yes, the game supports solo play.
What happens after you beat Captain Saltbeard?
Defeating him counts as completing the game and earns the Defeated Captain Saltbeard badge. Finishing the Chaos or No Mercy versions of the run each earn their own separate badges.
Where do you find weapons early on?
The Eoka and Makeshift Pistol can both be found in weapon barrels at the starting area. Shotgun Bullets for the Eoka appear in the same barrels.
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