How to unlock Providence Trials in Risk of Rain Returns
Providence Trials are a brand new feature in Risk of Rain Returns, which is an enhanced version of the original game. Find out how to unlock them here.
Providence Trials are a new feature in Risk of Rain Returns, but it's not immediately clear how to unlock them.
Risk of Rain Returns takes the classic gameplay of the original game and revamps it with more content, including Providence Trials. Rogue-likes have been popular for a while now, especially with games like Hades, so a Risk of Rain resurgence makes a lot of sense.
You might notice Providence Trials are greyed out on the start screen when you load up the game. In this guide we'll show you how to unlock them and what they actually are.
How to unlock Providence Trials in Risk of Rain Returns
All you need to do to unlock Providence Trials in Risk of Rain Returns is unlock any character in the game.
I did this by unlocking Enforcer, who can be obtained by defeating the Magma Worm, Colossus and Wandering Vagrant bosses. You don't need to do this on the same run so it shouldn't be too hard. You can also just beat stage 3 and unlock the Bandit.
Once you've unlocked a character you'll gain access to the Providence Trials. These missions are based on individual characters, so that's why you need to unlock a character first.
What are Providence Trials?
Providence Trials in Risk of Rain Returns are essentially small missions that you can complete to unlock new skills for your characters.
Usually, these Trials require you to use a new skill and complete an objective. If you complete it you'll gain the skill to use in your regular runs.
Some Trials might be time-based, such as the Commando's "Slide to the Finish" trial which requires you to use the slide ability to reach a finish line before time runs out. Others might be combat-based and force you to do certain things to defeat enemies.
You'll get an achievement and a new unlock for every Providence Trial you complete, and there are lots of them for every character, so it's a pretty large amount of content.
For more Risk of Rain, check out our homepage. Additionally, take a look at our review of the rogue-lite Endless Dungeon if you're interested in similar games.
About The Author
Dani Cross
Dani is a Guides Writer for GGRecon. She graduated from university with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, then worked as a freelance writer before joining the GGRecon team as a full-time writer in 2023. In her opinion, the best game of all time is Elden Ring – but her favourite is Halo: Reach, a game that created lifelong friendships and somehow started her down the path to a career in media. She’s also way too invested in Pokemon cards, and a big fan of guinea pigs, cats and other cute creatures.
