StarRupture Beginner’s Guide: Characters, Early Unlocks, & More

BlogUncategorised

Posted on Jan 10, 2026 by

justin

Share on X

Share on Facebook

Share on Threads

Copy to Clipboard

Share via email

Some unwritten rules lie hidden beneath StarRupture’s basic tutorials. Here, we reveal these seemingly unseen intricacies, such as survival stats and corporate progression, allowing you to navigate this alien world with confidence from the time you awaken from your Regeneration Chamber. So, learn how to kick-start your new adventure by reading through this StarRupture Beginner’s Guide.

StarRupture Beginner’s Guide

Although the tutorial in StarRupture does a good job of highlighting the game’s basic features and mechanics, some elements are left unsaid for players to discover. The following StarRupture Beginner’s Guide focuses on some of the game’s unspoken components, such as character selection and rupture cycles. Here, you’ll navigate beyond the manual, minimizing early-game risks in the process.

Characters

StarRupture asks you to select a character before starting a new game. However, your choice won’t significantly affect your playthrough, as all characters have access to every blueprint, building, and item in the game. Nonetheless, each character can grant a unique experience, as each option has a distinct appearance, backstory, and voice actor. That also means that your chosen character is simply an aesthetic choice. Four characters are available to choose from, as of the game’s Early Access release:

Samuel Khumalo (Biologist): A convicted terrorist with a history of xenobiology, sleeve production, and illegal medical practices. Nonetheless, he’s a good-hearted individual who’s willing to make sacrifices to fuel his hate for the IRO.
Chris Bonnet (Scientist): Although little is known about the reason why this character is a convicted criminal, Chris Bonnet is a proud man of science. He leverages his expertise in various math and science fields, particularly in astrophysics, quantum field theory, and multi-dimensional mathematics.
Maeve Caliente (Engineer): A defiant, sharp-tongued individual with the smarts used for drug smuggling. As a convicted engineer, Maeve Caliente’s history included aiding terrorists and smuggling drugs.
Han Nergui (Soldier): This character has been charged with desertion, yet he maintains his obedience, loyalty, and honor. Han Nergui shows no weakness, and this trait is apparent during his conversations.

So, which character in StarRupture should you choose? The answer is, it depends. Select the character that speaks to you personally. Don’t worry about missing out on specific gear or schematics if you didn’t select a certain character, as you’ll still get all the necessities regardless of your choice. Additionally, you can change characters at any point in the game. Simply return to the Regeneration Chamber in your ship and select the character you want. It’s also possible to “create” the characters using 100x Basic Building Materials at a Regeneration Chamber in a Habitat. As a bonus, the Regeneration Chamber acts as a respawn point if you die, especially if you get caught in a rupture cycle.

Rupture Cycles (Heat Wave)

Rupture cycles, ruptures, or heat waves are non-negotiable extreme weather events, as failure to search for shelter in a timely manner means certain death. So, pay attention to on-screen messages to know when these instances occur. In particular, you’ll know a rupture is about to make landfall by following two on-screen texts. First, a Wave Warning appears, telling you that a rupture is about to manifest at your location. The next message is a 15-second countdown. Remember, instant death comes to anyone who’s not inside a Habitat when the rupture arrives. So, always carry at least 1x Meteor Heart and over 100x Basic Building Materials to build a Base Core, Emergency Habitat, and Airlock on the fly. That way, you don’t have to run and pray to the heavens to reach your faraway base while you’re exploring the map and the rupture is about to land.

Survival Stats

The tutorial does a good job of introducing you to the game’s base-building features and mechanics. However, it doesn’t hold your hand when it comes to survival. So, pay attention to the three gauges at the lower left of your screen. These meters are as follows:

Calories: Also called Hunger, can be refilled with food.
Hydration: Also called Thirst, can be refilled by drinking water.
Toxicity: Increases when eating certain foods or being exposed to environmental hazards. Reaching 100% toxicity results in vomiting and loss of calories and hydration.

Apart from these gauges, don’t forget to pay attention to your health and shields. The latter regenerates over time, and if you’re out of combat. It’s not the same with your health bar, as you must use external healing methods to restore it, such as using the Medtool after unlocking Level 3 with the Future Health Solutions Corporation.

Early Unlocks

Some essential tools are locked behind certain levels of different corporations in StarRupture. So which of these unlockables should you unlock first? Consider aiming to unlock the Map by achieving Level 3 with the Moon Energy Corporation. Do so to open it any time by pressing the “M” keyboard key (by default). That way, you can get your bearings more easily than by looking at the lay of the land. Next is the Pistol, which helps you slay Vermin faster than the standard-issue Mining Tool. Unlock it by achieving Level 2 with the Griffits Blue Corporation. Then, craft ammo using Basic Building Materials at the Basic Item Printer. Remember, the Mining Tool can still damage and kill Vermin. However, it can overheat, and it takes a while to let it cool down. So, using a gun or other firearm in StarRupture is a faster and safer way to deal with these pests.

Corporations and Commissions

One of the key gameplay loops in StarRupture is meeting the requests of different corporations. As of the game’s Early Access release, six corporations exist, and each company has a unique set of leveling requirements and unlockables. To help you with progression, the corporations and their respective commissions and unlockables are as follows: