Gaming: RAFT

Words by Gabriel Pe

Summer is the perfect season to binge all the latest triple-A games you might have missed last year or even try out new launches. New games are great and all, especially the new action-packed ones, but if you like me who wants a chill game which you can turn and have a relaxing time, may I suggest picking up Raft.

Raft is a survival, adventure game, which just might be the Minecraft on water. You build and design your own raft (hence the title) and just enjoy the relaxing waves of the vast ocean.

Minecraft on water

If you’re looking for a Minecraft-like game with a bit of twist and slightly easier, then you definitely like the journey of Raft.

The main goal of the game is to expand your raft and try to find other human beings in the world. You can expand your raft by gathering the floating materials on the water. There are wood, plastic, leaves, and scrap metals which you can use to initially expand the ship, one square at a time.

There’s also a crafting aspect as you progress. You can craft weapons to protect yourself against the pesky shark chasing after you. You can craft larger stoves to make more food or even a better water distillery.

Surviving on the ocean waves

Like Minecraft, Raft does also have a survival aspect to it. The player is given three bars to watch out: water, food, and of course your HP.

You can only drink water once it is distilled so you first need the materials to make a water purifierbecause drinking salt water is bad. As you progress you can create big purifiers so you can have more water supplies.

Foodwise, the game does occasionally provide barrels on the ocean that contains potatoes or beets that you can eat. But the three main sources of food in the game is fish (by fishing or killing the shark), and fruits and animals on the scattered island.

There are hostile units in the different islands, so you need to keep a close eye on your health bar when facing them. You can gain health by eating food so always keep a bunch in your inventory.

Solving the mystery of the islands and the ocean

Underneath the scenic game is the main story which will take you about 10-15 hours depending on how fast you want to do it. The story follows the player’s quest to learn more about the world and find other people.

The story is sort of optional, with players not being forced to complete it once. However, completing parts of the story will give the players blueprints that they can use to craft new useful items for their raft, like a stirring wheel, an engine, and even generators to power various types of machinery.

Feel the vibes of the waves

If there’s one thing that Raft does well, it’s the music. Listening to the music of Raft, you’ll feel like you’re exploring the unknown in a chill environment. The melody gives it’s a sort of mysterious feeling yet when the music slowly shifts tones it turns into something you’ll hear at the start of an adventure game or movie.

There is a downside to the game, vertigo, and nausea. Playing the game for a long time will literally give you a sense of the up and down of the waves. Add to that the weird panning when you turn the steering wheel, and you have a serious case of seasickness even without going to the beach.

Still, Raft will be an enjoyable experience for many, especially if you play it with your friends or family.

DEVELOPER Redbeet Interactive | PUBLISHER Axolot Games |PLATFORM PC