How to play Risk of Rain Returns with Classic rules

Risk of Rain Returns is a remake, but it brings many new additions and changes. Among the new Survivors and items, there are also rules for the modern audience. But if you want to play Risk of Rain Returns the original way, you can switch back to Classic rules.

Change can be scary, I know. Risk of Rain fans may not want all the fancy new additions of its remake, opting instead for playing the way the original was designed. Fear not, you have full control of your Risk of Rain experience.

Risk of Rain Returns the classic way, with no new items or other changes

To change back to Classic rules, start a game in Risk of Rain Returns and click on the ‘Rules’ section on top. Under the ‘Game Style’ menu, click on the drop box that reads ‘Modern’ and switch it to ‘Classic’. It’s really that easy. But what does Classic do?

Modern is, as the game says, the way the remake is meant to be played. It adds a changed mechanic along with new items, interactables, enemies, and stage variants. The primary modern change is that the remake doesn’t require you to defeat every enemy on a stage to use the teleporter. Instead, all you need to do is beat the boss and wait for the countdown to finish. Changing back to Classic means every foe must be vanquished before moving to the next stage.

But you can also keep what you like and leave what you don’t. The game has a ‘Custom’ option, allowing you to pick a blend of Modern and Classic rules. If you enjoy the new teleporter mechanic but not the new items, you can play the game as such.

You can also change the control scheme back to Classic. The game does bring up the option the first time you play, but you can find it again in the menu if you change your mind. Go to the ‘Settings’ menu, then navigate to the ‘Controls’ tab. Clicking on ‘Reset Controls to Default’ lets you pick Classic, Modern, or the Risk of Rain 2 control scheme, which uses the mouse.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to play the game. I’m using the Modern rules with the Classic control scheme. I like the changes, and the original controls feel comfy to an older RoR player like myself. Tweak and experiment, and try not to die out there.