For years, Ready or Not has built a reputation on PC as one of the most hardcore tactical shooters around. A throwback to the unforgiving SWAT-style sims of old, but with modern weight and grit. Now it’s made the jump to consoles with cross-play intact, and against all odds, the leap has paid off.
What we have here is a tactical FPS that thrives on tension, careful planning, and the constant reminder that an unopened door or a blind corner is all the separate relative calm with utter chaos.
This is not your typical spray-and-pray, wall-running FPS affair. It’s about slow advances, calling out orders, and desperately hoping your squad follows them before all hell breaks loose. And when it all goes wrong (and it will), the game shines its brightest.
A Game of Inches
Ready or Not is structured around a series of missions that escalate from convenience store robberies to full-scale raids and rescues. Before each deployment, you’re briefed on location details, suspect profiles, and even immersive 911 call recordings. It’s a smart bit of world-building that primes you not just for the mechanics, but for the unease of what’s about to unfold.
And unfold it does. A flashbang clears the way, boots slam against doors, and within seconds, a routine sweep becomes a panicked scramble as suspects turn unpredictable. Sometimes they’ll drop their weapons after a barked command.
Other times, they’ll bolt, regroup, or even start executing hostages if they sense the tide turning. It creates a sense of pressure that few shooters manage to capture. The contrast to most shooters that require the player to lob frag grenades and open fire on any moving target is stark.
Single Player or Squad Play
Though most will come for multiplayer, the single-player options deserve mention. Quick Play lets you tackle missions with an AI squad, but Command Mode adds a layer of permanence by placing you in charge of your team’s well-being. Squadmates can die, morale can dip, and every choice has weight. It’s not without issue, as the AI remains frustratingly inconsistent.
That said, Ready or Not is built for cooperative play. Cross-play allows you to squad up across platforms, and while matchmaking can be hit-or-miss depending on who you’re paired with, the right group transforms missions into something unforgettable.
Few things in gaming rival the tension of communicating a hostage rescue and leading a team into the unknown.
Tools of the Trade
Gear variety plays a big role in shaping how you approach each encounter. From ballistic shields and tasers to mirror cams and breaching charges, Ready or Not arms you with a full SWAT toolkit. Lethal and non-lethal options both have merit, with the game subtly encouraging restraint. In fact, scoring systems reward arrests over kills, turning non-lethal play into a more rewarding challenge rather than a run-and-gun style.
The console version handles surprisingly well, despite the complexity of its PC roots. A radial command wheel makes squad control accessible, and while it can feel fiddly under pressure, it does the job.
PS5 players get a few extras like adaptive trigger feedback and decent graphics options, though performance hiccups (especially when running tactical cams) occasionally break the immersion. Visuals are also strong overall, though enemy faces and ragdoll animations sometimes veer into waxwork territory.
Stakes and Atmosphere
Where Ready or Not truly excels is in its atmosphere. Missions drip with tension: muffled cries through walls, the metallic boom of gunfire in tight hallways, or the sound of boots hammering the floor above. Environments are layered with grim environmental storytelling, often confronting you with scenes that force reflection as much as reaction.
This isn’t a game that fetishises violence. If anything, it forces you to sit with the discomfort of it.
Difficulty plays a major role in how the game lands. In casual settings, enemies may freeze or misstep, making missions more forgiving. On hard, they flank, suppress, and hunt you with terrifying intensity.
The higher difficulties are where Ready or Not reveals its teeth, constantly reminding the player that no corner is safe and one’s best-laid plans rarely last long.
Final Thoughts
Ready or Not is an uncompromising, often brutal tactical shooter that rewards patience and punishes recklessness. It’s rough around the edges, with clunky AI, occasional technical hiccups, and the odd waxy NPC stare. But when it works (and it usually does), it delivers some of the most intense cooperative experiences you’ll find in a shooter today.
This isn’t about glory or kill counts. It’s about survival, coordination, and the thrill of just making it out the other side. For those willing to slow down and embrace its methodical pacing, Ready or Not is essential. For everyone else, well… the clue’s in the name.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Unrelenting tension; Deep tactical options; Rewarding non-lethal play; Strong atmosphere
Lowlights: AI frustrations; Technical hiccups; Fiddly controls under pressure
Developer: VOID Interactive
Publisher: VOID Interactive
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Available: Now
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 with code provided by the publisher.
Featured images also provided by the publisher.
