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Risk of Rain Returns Cover
Image via Hopoo Games

How to Unlock Every Character in Risk of Rain Returns

If you're trying to complete your roster in this awesome remaster, here is how to unlock every character in Risk of Rain Returns.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of roguelikes, but Risk of Rain still has a special place in my heart. I remember playing it a couple of years ago and being completely hooked by simple yet challenging fights set on an unknown planet.

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Now, Hopoo Games has released a remastered edition, Risk of Rain Returns, adding a touch of beauty to an already cherished experience.

Like in the original game, the remaster has a host of unique characters called survivors equipped with different skills. Along with the classic survivors, Hopoo Games has included some new characters as well. In this guide, you will learn how to unlock every character in Risk of Rain Returns.

Quick links to all unlockable characters:

Risk of Rain Returns character unlocking guide

Risk of Rain Returns - Survivor and Commando
Screenshot by TouchTapPlay

There are 15 survivors in Risk of Rain Returns, with more to come in the future. Right off the bat, you have two survivors available for free: Commando and Huntress. Both of them are excellent starter characters, but you can unlock many other powerful survivors throughout your journey in the game.

Here’s how you can unlock the rest of the characters in Risk of Rain Returns:

How to unlock Enforcer

Risk of Rain Returns-Enforcer_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

To unlock Enforcer, you have to defeat the following event bosses: Magma Worm, Wandering Vagrant, and Colossus. These boss monsters can appear after you activate the teleporter in the first stage. You have to play the first stage multiple times to defeat all three monsters.

How to unlock Bandit

Risk of Rain Returns-Bandit_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

You can unlock Bandit after beating the third stage in Risk of Rain Returns. Unlocking the third stage shouldn’t be too hard. If you are struggling, prioritize activating the teleporter and using it instead of exploring the stage.

How to unlock HAN-D

Risk of Rain Returns-Han-d_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

HAN-D becomes obtainable after unlocking the final stage in Risk of Rain Returns. You have to look for a bunch of crates, usually found on the left side of the stage. Search for the crate on the second or third floor. You unlock HAN-D by interacting with this crate.

How to unlock Engineer

Risk of Rain Returns-Engineer_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Unlocking Engineer is pretty easy and straightforward. All you have to do is purchase a total of 40 drones. You can achieve this goal by purchasing drones in all stages, because that amounts to the total number of drones required to unlock Engineer.

How to unlock Miner

Risk of Rain Returns-Miner_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Miner is one of the survivors who you need to find to unlock as a playable character. You can find Miner in Magma Barracks in the fourth stage. However, this part of the map doesn’t generate every time, so you might need to play this stage a few times to find Miner.

How to unlock Sniper

Risk of Rain Returns-Sniper_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Sniper is the reward for beating the final stage in Risk of Rain Returns. You need to defeat the Providence boss to play Sniper in your next run. That’s easier said than done, as beating the final boss is no easy task, but once you do it, Sniper becomes playable.

How to unlock Acrid

Risk of Rain Returns-Acrid_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Acrid is a monstrous creature whom you find chained in the Sunken Tomb. Like HAN-D, you can find Acrid inside a crate, and it becomes playable after defeating it in a fight. You can find the crate on the top right side of the map.

How to unlock Mercenary

Risk of Rain Returns-Mercenary_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Mercenary is unlocked after beating the game five times. You have to clear all six stages five times to play as Mercenary in your next run. If you want to make this easy, consider changing the rules to your favor to unlock Mercenary easily.

How to unlock Loader

Risk of Rain Returns-Loader_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

To unlock Loader, you have to collect 30 different items in a single playthrough, which means all stages. Be sure to collect every item you lay your eyes on to unlock this survivor as quickly as possible.

How to unlock CHEF

Risk of Rain Returns-Chef_portait
Image via Hopoo Games

You can unlock CHEF by obtaining Meat Nugget, Bustling Fungus, Sprouting Egg, Bitter Root, and Foreign Fruit in a single run. Consider using the Artifact of Command to make the process a bit easier for you.

How to unlock Pilot

Risk of Rain Returns-Pilot_portait
Image via Hopoo Games

While fighting monsters in Risk of Rain Returns, you may obtain a monster log featuring a description of the monster. You need to collect 15 monster logs to unlock Pilot. This should not be that hard, as long as you are not avoiding monsters most of the time.

How to unlock Artificer

Risk of Rain Returns-Artificer_portrait
Image via Hopoo Games

Artificer becomes playable after you have discovered 10 different stages. As there are a total of 10 stages in Risk of Rain Returns, you have to visit all the stages in the game to unlock Artificer. Just playing the game will eventually make Artificer playable, though.

How to unlock Drifter

Risk of Rain Returns-Drifter
Image via Hopoo Games

Unlocking Drifter involves recycling drones using the Drone Recycler. You need to recycle six drones in one playthrough to unlock Drifter. Obtain the Drone Repair Kit equipment, recycle the drone from the kit, and repeat this six times to unlock Drifter.

Author
Image of Manish Kumar Choudhary
Manish Kumar Choudhary
Manish Kumar Choudhary is a freelance writer who loves to create guides and informational articles over a variety of video games. When not writing, you will probably find him raging over teammates in Valorant or enjoying the beauty of Teyvat in Genshin Impact.