Risk of Rain 2: How to Unlock Each Character

In Risk of Rain 2, half the fun is unlocking new characters to play, each one bringing its unique chaos to this action-packed roguelike. Sure, you begin your journey with only the Commando and Huntress, but unlocking the rest of the crew is where the real challenge begins. Some unlocks are straightforward, while others may have you questioning your life choices—like intentionally obliterating your character. But no pain, no gain, right? Every survivor gives you a different playstyle, meaning you’ll never run out of ways to have more unpredictability in the game. Here’s a guide on how to unlock all Risk of Rain 2 characters so you can mix up your runs and keep the madness going!

1. Commando

Commando is the quintessential jack-of-all-trades but master of none. He’s the first character you start with in Risk of Rain 2, making him your trusty tutorial buddy. He is a well-rounded survivor with simple abilities that make him easy to pick up but hard to master. Playing as Commando is about dodging incoming attacks with his Tactical Dive and defeating enemies with his dual-wielding guns. His primary attacks are pretty straightforward—fire in a straight line and hope to hit everything. But his Phase Round lets you penetrate enemies for some solid crowd control, and his Suppressive Fire ensures you’ve always got a rapid-fire attack when things get heated.

How to Unlock: There’s no unlocking needed here! Commando is available right from the start. You can jump into the chaos with this everyman character from the moment you hit “new game.” Sure, he’s basic, but don’t sleep on him—sometimes simple is exactly what you need in a game full of tense scenarios.

2. MUL-T

MUL-T is a Swiss Army robot. This multi-functional bot can switch between different modes, giving you the versatility to either rain down bullets with his Nailgun or perform precise shots with his Rebar Puncher. He is a powerful assassin with the ability to travel rapidly throughout the map. He possesses high health and solid armor, making him the tankiest of the bunch. But the real kicker is that MUL-T can use two pieces of equipment at once! That means double the destructive toys to mess around with. Whether you’re blasting enemies with rapid-fire nails or rolling through them with his Transport Mode, MUL-T is an all-around powerhouse with an attack type for every job.

How to Unlock: To unlock MUL-T, you’ll need to complete the “Verified” challenge, which requires completing the first stage five times. It’s cumulative, so no need to do it in one sitting. Simply replay the first level on easy mode if you want to speed things up. Once you’ve clocked in the five teleporter events, MUL-T will be yours to command, nails and all.

3. The Loader

Equipped with giant robot arms, The Loader deals with the most devastating melee attacks in the game. Unlike many other characters, she doesn’t take fall damage, so feel free to swing around with her grappling hook like a caffeinated Spider-Man. She excels at mobility and can deal heavy damage in the air, which makes her especially useful against grounded enemies. The downside? Flying enemies are her kryptonite, but when it comes to slamming bosses into the ground, there’s no one better. If you want to Hulk-smash your way through the game, The Loader is your girl character.

How to Unlock: To unlock The Loader, you need to complete the “Guidance Offline” challenge, which involves beating the Alloy Worship Unit in the Siren’s Call stage. You’ll need to break five blue egg nests to summon this boss. Once you’ve smashed enough eggs, defeat the Worship Unit and The Loader will be unlocked.

4. The Captain

The Captain is the ultimate battlefield commander, calling the shots from above. He can drop healing beacons, summon supply drops, or, if you’re feeling particularly spicy, call down orbital strikes to vaporize enemies. He has a unique playstyle that revolves around controlling the battlefield and supporting teammates, making him ideal for co-op games. His Vulcan Shotgun is a powerhouse, and his Orbital Supply Beacons offer different strategic options like healing or damage buffs. The Captain is a great character to take charge with a mix of powerful attacks and battlefield utility.

How to Unlock: To unlock The Captain, you need to beat the game. Yes, complete the final stage and defeat the last boss, Mithrix. This means aligning the teleporter to the moon during the Sky Meadow stage and getting into a tough battle. After defeating the enemy, you need to escape the moon before it explodes, The Captain will be ready to serve under your command—orbital strikes and all.

5. Void Fiend

Void Fiend is like your average office worker, bouncing between calm and complete chaos at any moment. This Void-mutated survivor has two modes: controlled and corrupted. In controlled form, you’re keeping it chill with decent attacks, but when corruption builds up to max, it transforms into a rage monster, becoming way more aggressive. Your abilities flip too—so it’s like playing two characters at once. While in corruption mode, you can hit harder but lose HP over time, so it’s a constant balancing act of power versus survival. It’s a blast if you like juggling chaos and strategy.

How to Unlock: You can get Void Fiend by completing the Dragged Below challenge. To do this, either defeat the boss of the Planetarium or make it through 50 waves in the Simulacrum mode. It’s part of the Survivors of the Void DLC, so if you’re not looking to play the new expansion, this void-touched nightmare will stay locked away for now.

6. The Engineer

The Engineer is the king of letting his toys do the work. Instead of shooting enemies directly, he sets up turrets that inherit all of his items, letting them do the heavy lifting. He’s great for players who want to kick back and let strategy do the talking. Place those turrets in strategic spots, and watch enemies get melted down. The Engineer also has a handy bubble shield to block incoming damage and some deployable mines for added fun. If micromanaging deadly gadgets is your style, then you’re in for a treat with this guy.

How to Unlock: Unlocking the Engineer requires you to complete the “Engineering Perfection” challenge, which simply means finishing 30 stages over any number of runs. If you’re looking for a shortcut, replay the first level 30 times on easy mode—it still counts. Before long, you’ll have your very own turret-wielding mastermind.

7. The Bandit

If you love being the sneaky, backstabbing type, the Bandit is the right character you will love to play with. He takes out enemies with stealth, precision, and a heavy dose of surprise. His backstab passive ability deals extra damage if you hit enemies from behind, and his killer combo of guns, daggers, and smoke bombs helps him do it. The real fun starts when you pop his cloak ability—vanishing like a ghost to reposition yourself for the perfect sneak attack. If the idea of vanishing and reappearing to stab enemies sounds fun, you’ll love playing as the Bandit.

How to Unlock: Bandit unlocks through the “Warrior” challenge, which tasks you with completing the first three stages without dying. This can be done on any difficulty, so if you’re having trouble, drop it down too easy and rush through the levels. As long as you make it through unscathed, you’ll have this shadowy rogue in your roster in no time.

8. The Railgunner

The Railgunner is the ultimate sniper of Risk of Rain 2, and she packs a punch. With her railgun, she delivers massive damage to single targets from across the map. Her supercharged shots and weak point hits are satisfying in the most explosive way possible. Although she’s more of a single-target expert, her nice crowd-control tricks up her sleeve too. And with his strong powers, she needs to be played carefully—miss your shots, and you’re going to be in trouble.

How to Unlock: Railgunner is part of the Survivors of the Void DLC, and you unlock her right after purchasing the expansion. Once you have the DLC installed, she’ll be ready to go from the get-go, letting you live your sniper fantasies right away. No extra hoops to jump through, pure long-range destruction.

9. The Huntress

The Huntress a revived character from the previous Risk of Rain, is the game’s primary determinant. She has great speed and agility, suitable if you like hit-and-run tactics. She’s fast, fragile, and deadly with her bow, especially when zipping around the battlefield. She excels at area-of-effect damage, bouncing attacks between enemies with ease. But beware—she’s a total glass cannon. If you get caught out of position, it’s game over. If you’re quick on your feet and love a challenge, the Huntress is a thrill to play, especially when you’re using her ricocheting glaives to hit multiple enemies at once.

How to Unlock: The Huntress is unlocked by default, which means you can start the action right from the start. However, veteran players might remember a time when she was locked behind a challenge that required them to complete the first three stages without dying. Now, you can dive into her rapid-fire chaos without that extra step.

10. The Mercenary

The Mercenary is a classic fast-moving, sword-swinging melee fighter. He jumps into the fray, slices everything up, and dodges out before the enemy knows what hit them. His quick attacks and low cooldowns make for some serious fun when you’re chaining moves together. He’s the only full melee fighter in Risk of Rain 2, which means you’ll be getting up close and personal with the enemy, dashing around to avoid damage while dealing out tons of your own.

How to Unlock: You can unlock the Mercenary by completing the “True Respite” challenge. This requires you to obliterate yourself at the Obelisk, which can be accessed by entering a Celestial Portal after seven stages. The portal shows up after you’ve looped through the first five stages, so be ready for some platforming on the way to your sword-wielding ninja.

11. REX

REX is a bizarre mix of plant and robot, and it’s as wild as it sounds. REX sacrifices its health to deal with powerful long-range attacks, but don’t worry, because REX also drains health from enemies to recover. It’s a constant balancing act of using your own HP as fuel while trying to stay alive. Play it right, and REX is a devastating force on the battlefield, weakening enemies and blasting them from a distance while replenishing its health.

How to Unlock: Unlocking REX requires completing the “Power Plant” challenge. In this challenge, you’ll need to retrieve a Fuel Array from your escape pod and carry it through multiple stages without dying or dropping below 50% health. You’ll eventually need to power REX up during the Abyssal Depths stage, where you’ll find it dormant and waiting to be reactivated.

12. Acrid

Acrid is a venom-spewing, beast-like creature that thrives on inflicting damage over time. This creature excels in spreading poison to all enemies nearby, slowly melting them away while staying safely out of reach. He’s got some melee skills but also has long-range abilities, making him a versatile but tricky survivor to play. While Acrid can melt bosses, he’s not quite as effective against weaker foes due to his slower nature and reliance on poison. But watching your enemies rot away? Totally worth it.

How to Unlock: To unlock Acrid, you need to complete the “…To Be Left Alone” challenge. This means you’ll need to clear the Void Fields, which involves surviving nine challenge cells filled with increasingly dangerous enemies. It’s a tough test of endurance, but once you make it through, you’ll unlock this toxic powerhouse for your arsenal.