Adrift is played from a first-person view. In the game, players float and move in any direction through the open environment, which takes place in zero gravity. The environment may be fully explored, but players will be restrained from exploring too far. One of the restraints is an oxygen limit, which players must monitor to avoid suffocation. When running low on oxygen, players' vision becomes blurred; they must obtain an oxygen tank to stay alive. Players move throughout five areas, completing a series of puzzles. Players are able to locate audio logs that will expand on the events of the incident. Players will also find artifacts from the dead crew and must decide whether to return them to Earth. The game is said to have two main objectives: to survive, and to return home safely.