| Played on a CLX Custom PC |
I heard about Ready or Not when it joined Steam’s Early Access and the troubles it came with during such a heightened time regarding police brutality, school shootings, and the pandemic. At the time, I just built my PC and focused on Destiny 2’s Beyond Light and Cyberpunk 2077, but I always wanted to see what this game was all about. Fast forward to December 2023, and VOID Interactive reached a milestone at launching the game outside of Early Access. It was time to dive in. After nearly 20 hours of running through the singleplayer campaign, I was left with an impression that’ll stick for a very long time.
Command Lead
Ready or Not puts you in the perspective of a SWAT unit that takes place in a fictional district of California called Los Sueños. You’ll navigate through intense, true-to-life scenarios ranging from a grocery robbery gone hostage situation to defusing a bomb in a school. You are not following a story path – rather, you’re placed right into the Police Station to roam as you please. It’s relatively easy to find your way around; all the usual stuff such as a shooting range that’s designed to change your loadouts and test weapons, to locker rooms and various offices are all there. In order to start a mission, you would have to go to the Briefing Room near the entrance to then select a mission. There are 18 levels to choose from all with different objectives and tactical considerations – I highly advise listening to the debriefs as it’s well acted and filled with tangible information. Ready or Not leans heavily on realism so, a single bullet can change the entire dynamic of your approach. Same can be said with your squad mates as elements such as mental state diminishes depending on the outcome. Permanent deaths also play a role here, which surprised me. The game is entirely structured to go in, get the job done, and save lives with no real end goal other than just that.
From the get-go, Ready or Not excels in crafting an atmosphere that seamlessly immersed me into the world of SWAT operations. Its not perfect of course, there are a ton of game-y elements, but the sense of being part of a tactical unit, facing mostly realistic and hostile scenarios, is remarkably palpable. It’s a simulation that demands your attention and strategic thinking. Each mission unfolds in a well-crafted environment, providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding action. The attention to detail is great, offering players a visually pleasing and complex level design. Part of the immersion is of course the very human conversations that’ll happen as the mission progresses – it’s all contextual which I appreciate, though it may appear to be too insensitive based on context, as this game typically reenact real-world scenarios. I mentioned the geopolitical status of the world when this game launched in Early Access, and I can see how this would have appeared insensitive for most people at the time. However, my approach coming in focused on how the developers created a space where the player would respect the importance of responding to nightmare scenarios – and for the most part, it was done right.
It’s All in the Wrist
Ready or Not adopts a realistic approach in all facets – everything from interacting with the environment, your TacPad that’s attached to your chest and opening doors are all physicalized. There are no HUD elements to indicate your ammo count, only squad status and your overall point-of-injury. The game forces you to learn about the choice of gun you picked, how it works and your ammo count. You need to track your magazine capacity in real time, which you can do so by way of animation – holding down the reload button would have your character check the magazine, and tapping reload would swap even if it’s full; be mindful of insta-reloading after a firefight, it’ll cost you if you’re reckless. Thankfully the gun control is excellent here – each firearm feels distinct and weighty, adding a layer of authenticity to the gameplay. It’s not just about shooting; it’s about mastering the nuances of each weapon. You would have to take into consideration the recoil deviation, movement placement and trigger discipline.
As Team Command, you have the ability to order 2 teams, Team Red and Team Blue. This is where I struggled the most as I would often lose track of my orders. You need to use the mouse wheel to choose which team to order, then aim and use mouse wheel again to choose which command, and then use the number keys to make the command. There’s a quick command button for a default approach but that doesn’t work as seamless as I would like, especially if you’re going for S Rank. I mentioned Squad management and their stress levels, this is key as it’ll impact your team’s readiness. You have the ability to send squad members to therapy, which adds a realistic touch to the game, emphasizing the mental toll of high-stakes situations. The inclusion of unique Veteran Traits for each squad member, which are personality perks, enhances the tactical depth allowing for diverse approaches to missions. All of this is important because Ready or Not employs a point system – which I just mentioned regarding the S Rank, rewarding non-lethal approaches, keeping everyone alive including suspects and completion of all objectives. This encourages players to adopt strategic and ethical choices. The reward is all cosmetic, which can further your customization; it’s not necessarily deep, but it’s there and it’s decent.
Oh, and all of this can be done with 4 other players, plus there’s PVP, which is I much appreciate.
And The Bad
Despite Ready or Not’s graphical presentation appearing mostly pleasing, there are some setbacks. The textures feel flat most of the time, and the lighting effects fall short, resulting in a somewhat bland visual experience. The game leans heavily into a bloomy and sepia-toned aesthetic, creating an atmosphere that, while moody, lacks the visual punch one might expect from a modern tactical shooter in Unreal Engine 4. Character models, excluding your own, takes a huge hit as well. While you embody a detailed SWAT officer, the same level of attention doesn’t extend to other in-game characters – much of the civilians and baddies you fight end appearing poorly done reused assets bought from the UE Store or something. Zip tying and bagging evidence is cool, but not when in doing so, the NPC looks lifeless with a stiff mop of hair on their head.
Outside of weapons, Ready or Not introduces an array of gadgets that, in theory, enhance the tactical depth of the game. The camera device for peeking past doors, gas launchers, and lockpicking tools are as especially great – however, others like door wedges and tasers, feel underutilized, diminishing their impact on achieving top-tier rankings. Despite a vast arsenal of weapons, the reliance on the Less Than Lethal shotgun to complete missions further narrows my gameplay experience. Despite boasting 18 levels, Ready or Not falls into a repetitive pattern, where objectives often feel too familiar. The routine of saving hostages, taking control of chaos, and finding evidence becomes predictable, diluting the thrill of each mission. While there are instances of variation, such as bomb defusal in later levels, even these scenarios feel simplified, leaving my anticipation of facing a new mission lacking. The AI showcases a perplexing duality that was frustrating for me. At times, they exhibit ruthless efficiency, posing a decent challenge. Yet, in the next moment, they seem inexplicably brain-dead. It doesn’t help that in either case, their shooting accuracy is ungodly, making peaking and split decision moments feel intangible.
REVIEW SCORE: 8/10
Ready or Not offers an immersive SWAT experience while tackling real-world scenarios that’s both exhilarating and sensitive. It does a lot right and with enough time, VOID Interactive can create their next project with great promise. Definitely check this out, even if it’s not entirely perfect.
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