RAD: EXPLAINED (A Guide for Beginners)

[ThunderPeel2001]

RAD: Explained

by ThunderPeel2001

A simple breakdown of the key elements of RAD to help make the game more enjoyable for new players. Hopefully you find it useful!

The Game

RAD is a Rogue-lite, which means when you die, you lose everything (or almost everything). Brace yourself for difficulty!

Note: The game wants you to explore and discover the things below for yourself, and gives you tips for doing so on the loading screen. This guide is a primer for all the things that aren't obvious, and I think it'll help you have more fun.

Basic Strategy

Explore every map completely. You want to gain as many mutations as you can before moving onto the next level. You can gain mutations by using mutation machines, defeating large baddies (indicated by a skull icon), buying mutations in shops, or by collecting enough rads (the bar at the top of the game screen) to trigger an organic mutation.

You collect rads through killing baddies, uncovering plant nodes (that blossom when you get near them) and eating rads (the hexagonal shapes you can buy and pick up). So basically go everywhere and kill everything before moving on.

Mutations

There are two types: Exo and Endo. Exo mutations are ones that can be used by pressing the shoulder buttons on your controller. You can have three and each can be upgraded once. Once you have all three, you won't get another Exo mutation. (Although you can replace one with special mutation machines later in the game).

Endo mutations are passive and are always active. They are listed across the bottom of the screen. There a "bad" and "bummer" endo mutations later in the game, but you can undo them with a cleanse that you can buy in shops.

Tips

* Don’t forget to use dodge! (R1/LB)

* While you’re running around, smash everything breakable. There’s an equal chance some loot will be dropped.

* Treasure chests requiring one floppy to open will usually contain rads or health. If you don’t need health, save the floppy key for something else.

Personally I found Scuzzy Dongle to be surprisingly helpful, as you can gain some great bonuses through floppy disks.

Your Trail
Notice that garden you leave behind when you walk. That’s your trail. It helps you quickly see where you’ve already been and makes you walk faster if you need to go back through an area you’ve already visited. Useful!

It’s also very helpful during boss fights when you need to move as quickly as possible.

Tricks
I personally don't really understand this feature, but yes... you can do "tricks" by twirling your direction stick while in the air. If an NPC asks you about tricks (eg. 720s, 1080s, etc.) This is what they're referring to.

It's fun, but kind of hollow, nod to 1980s skateboarding, I think.

Boss Fights

After a successful boss fight, cleanup by smashing everything left. After you've finished the boss you will get a mutation. This particular mutation will always be a heart improvement (and on later levels, it will be locked in a chest in the corner of the room).

Then take the left exit to go back to the town and deposit money you have, and pick up and necessary bonuses or items from Shermi’s to Billy’s.

Permanent Changes

Although the game sports permadeath, there are a few things you can build up between plays.

MAC Banking
The tapes you deposit in the town are kept between plays. After each level always deposit your tapes into the town bank. You will unlock permanent bonuses if you reach a certain level of tapes stored at once.

100 Tapes: Platinum Member
Allows withdrawal of 50 Tapes in-game map for 5 Tape fee.

500 Tapes: Titanium Member
Buy things using your bank card (no need to carry tapes) for a % fee per transaction.

1000 Tapes: Heavy Metal Member
Gives the chance of getting a backpack artifact.

2500 Tapes: Chrome Member
25% tape recovery service when you die.

5000 Tapes: Desert Chrome Member
Also not sure what this gives you :-/ (Besides an achievement)


Billy’s Garden
Each world has one item that you can give to Billy to grow his garden. If you manage to end a level with one of these items, take it back to Billy and give it to him by holding CIRCLE/B.

World 1: Drupe
World 2: Boom Berry
World 3: Fruit King

Once you’ve given Billy all three he will keep growing the above fruit for you to collect in-between levels, but it will take a few visits before they grow.

Sometimes the fruit you bring him mutates into variants that give even bigger bonuses (ie. an endo mutation or rads). If you see an Irradiated Berry or Rad Fruit King, grab it. Their appearance is random, and they won’t be there the next time you visit.

Shermi's Shop
The more you spend at Shermi's the more her shop will grow! The best prices in the game, it's in your interest to keep buying the things you need from her.

Bats and Purchase Items
The more you play, the more you unlock. Just by playing RAD you will unlock more and more items, characters and weapons automatically.

Mutators

As already stated, you should hunt out all the mutations you can. Mutation machines usually are found underground or hidden rooms in a variety of different guises.

World 1 only has Good Mutation Machines. Grab every mutation you can.
World 2 introduces Corrupted Mutation Machines. These have a 50/50 chance of giving you a “bad” mutation. (You can guarantee a good mutation if you have the "Bodacious" endo mutation.)
World 3 introduces Bummer Mutation areas (big glowing areas of red — if you stay too long in one, you’ll be given a “bummer” mutation).

You can undo “bad” and “bummer” mutations with Cleansers from shops. Sometimes it’s worth risking using a corrupted mutation machine if you know there’s a cleanser you can buy nearby.

There are also machines that change your mutations: Mutation Leveler upgrades your existing mutations, while the Mutation Swapper allows you to change existing Exo mutations (these machines have crosshairs on them — stand in front of them and use the mutation you wish to change).

All mutations are randomly assigned.

Caves

Caves are areas where you can find bonuses unavailable anywhere else. They only exist in World 2, and their entrances are often hidden, so explore carefully. You will need a floppy key to enter.

Often one of the rewards of a cave is a gateway. Don’t use the gateway unless you want to level skip (not recommended — you will skip getting a rad bonus from killing every baddie, and a mutation from killing the level boss).

It's worth exploring caves for the other bonuses (including much more loot drops from smashing things, and many more unique things) and baddies you can kill for rads.

Level Guide

World 1: The Cracked Lands

Fruit for Billy: Drupe

Mutators: Only good

Level 1:
Big Boss: Alpha Mutants

Two nodes. At least one underground section.

Level 2:
Big Boss: Named Baddie

Three nodes. At least one underground section.

World 2: The Hollow Forest

Fruit for Billy: Boom Berry

Mutators:
Good
Corrupted
Leveler
Swapper

Level 1:
Big Boss: Alpha Mutants

Two nodes. Sometimes one cave.

Level 2:
Big Boss: Baddie

Three nodes. One cave.

World 3: The Devoured Expanse

Fruit for Billy: Drupe Cluster

Mutators:
Good
Corrupted
Mutation Leveler
Mutation Swapper
Bummer

Level 1:
Big Boss: Corrupted Mutants (a heart mutation is locked in the chest -- not given automatically!)

Two nodes.

Level 2: The Colossus

The final baddie!

Still struggling?

RAD is intentionally hard, but if you're getting too frustrated you can make the game much easier for yourself by going to Options > Gameplay > Assist. You can start the game with more health and other gameplay bonuses here. Very good to learn how to play!

[vortal]

You should post this as a guide! :)

[ThunderPeel2001]

I would, but I own it on PS4 and Steam doesn't allow you to post guides for games you don't own. I'll get it eventually on PC and upload it.

[eobet]

Thanks.

I missed the dodge buttons when I played.

The loading menus only tell you about X and A.

[ThunderPeel2001]

They eventually mentioned dodge :)

[RPG Gamer Man]

Tricks i notice you did not mention how it increases your speed of your character. After doing a trick, it actually increases walking speed for a limited time. Yes, that is what it does. Im suprised you did not mention that.

Actually "caves" exist on all worlds, except in last world. They may require you to unlock a door with floppy's, but there on every world at least once. Also, sometimes you may find a "bunker" too on most worlds.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Err? "That’s your trail. It helps you quickly see where you’ve already been and makes you walk faster if you need to go back through an area you’ve already visited. Useful!"

There are no caves in World 3.