Raft: The Final Chapter – How To Unlock All New Characters

TL;DR

  • Unlock Tala first at Radio Tower after crafting receiver and three antennae
  • Find Johnny atop Relay Station #6 on Balboa Island during Chapter 1
  • Recruit Elaine at Tangaroa City’s Main Tower elevator in Chapter 2
  • Complete your roster with Shogo in Temperance’s cryonic chamber during Chapter 3
  • Each character requires specific chapter progression and location navigation

Expanding your survivor roster in Raft transforms the solo survival experience into a more dynamic adventure. While Maya and Rouhi provide solid starting options, unlocking additional characters introduces fresh visual perspectives and enhances replayability.

The game’s official 1.0 release introduced four new playable survivors through The Final Chapter update, bringing the total available characters to six. These newcomers—Johnny, Elaine, Shogo, and Tala—remain locked behind specific progression milestones until you complete their unique recruitment challenges.

Character diversity isn’t just cosmetic; it affects how you experience the narrative and provides motivation to explore previously completed areas with different avatars. Many players discover hidden dialogue variations and unique interaction possibilities when revisiting story locations with newly unlocked characters.

Tala represents your earliest character unlock opportunity, available once you reach the Radio Tower location. Before attempting this recruitment, ensure you’ve progressed through the fundamental crafting tutorials that establish core gameplay mechanics.

Essential preparation includes constructing the research table, building a functional receiver, and crafting three separate antennae. Proper placement of these antennae on your raft is crucial—they must be positioned on different levels with adequate spacing to triangulate signals effectively. The receiver will then pinpoint the Radio Tower’s coordinates for navigation.

Upon arrival, prepare for light platforming challenges as you ascend the structure. The climb involves navigating gaps, scaling improvised ramps, and utilizing creative pathfinding to reach the summit. The entire process typically takes 15-25 minutes from initial crafting to successful recruitment.

Pro Tip: Build your antennae at least two foundation blocks apart on different raft levels to ensure optimal signal reception strength.

Johnny becomes accessible during your Chapter 1 explorations when you discover Balboa Island. His specific location is Relay Station #6 situated in the northern sector of the island. Be aware that Balboa contains multiple relay stations, so careful navigation is essential to avoid confusion.

The journey to Relay Station #6 requires traversing varied terrain, including forested areas and potentially hostile wildlife zones. Come prepared with adequate weapons and supplies for the expedition. Johnny awaits atop the structure, visible once you approach the correct relay station.

Common Mistake: Many players waste time searching the wrong relay stations. Remember that Relay Station #6 features distinctive architectural elements and is positioned at a higher elevation than its counterparts.

Recruitment occurs through simple interaction—approach and speak with him to add Johnny to your character selection screen. The complete process from island arrival to recruitment typically consumes 20-30 minutes depending on your navigation skills and preparation level.

Elaine’s recruitment becomes possible only after advancing to Chapter 2 and reaching Tangaroa City. This sprawling urban environment contains the Main Tower, where Elaine observes the horizon from the highest vantage point.

Accessing her position requires utilizing the tower’s elevator system, which may involve solving minor puzzles or meeting specific progression requirements to activate.

Optimal Strategy: Complete Tangaroa’s main storyline objectives first, as this often automatically unlocks elevator access. Attempting to reach Elaine prematurely can result in unnecessary backtracking and time investment.

Once at the summit, you’ll find Elaine enjoying the panoramic views. Initiate conversation to formally recruit her, expanding your playable character options to five. The recruitment process typically takes 10-15 minutes once you’ve fulfilled the prerequisite conditions.

Shogo represents your final character unlock, completing the six-survivor roster during Chapter 3’s Temperance segment. This snowy biome presents unique environmental challenges, so come equipped with appropriate cold-weather gear and supplies.

To locate Shogo, follow this precise navigation sequence through the frozen landscape:

  • Proceed directly to the Observatory structure
  • Enter the Selene Research Facility interior
  • Navigate to the cryonic chamber section where Shogo awaits revival

The journey through Temperance to reach Shogo involves managing temperature exposure, navigating ice formations, and potentially dealing with local wildlife threats. Allow 30-45 minutes for this final recruitment considering the environmental challenges and navigation complexity.

Advanced Tip: Craft thermal clothing and stockpile food before attempting this recruitment, as the cold environment rapidly depletes your character’s health and hunger meters.

Once you’ve assembled the complete character roster, strategic management becomes important for optimizing your gameplay experience. In multiplayer sessions, coordinate character selections to avoid duplication and maximize team visual diversity.

Save file considerations: Character progression and unlocks are tied to your world save, meaning you’ll need to repeat the unlocking process if starting fresh games. However, once unlocked in any world, characters remain available across all your gameplay sessions.

Switching between characters doesn’t affect your technological progress or constructed items, but it does reset your personal inventory and equipped tools.

For players interested in comprehensive game mastery, our Complete Guide offers additional strategic insights that complement character management techniques.

Action Checklist

  • Craft receiver and three antennae with proper spacing for Radio Tower coordinates
  • Navigate to Balboa Island and locate Relay Station #6 for Johnny
  • Progress to Tangaroa City Chapter 2 and take elevator to Main Tower summit
  • Complete Temperance Chapter 3 and navigate to cryonic chamber
  • Coordinate character selections in multiplayer and manage save files appropriately

No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Raft: The Final Chapter – How To Unlock All New Characters Complete guide to unlocking all six playable characters in Raft with detailed strategies and time estimates