Ready or Not is an extreme, strategic first-person shooter that portrays a current world wherein SWAT police units are called to stop antagonistic and defying circumstances. As a gentle reminder, please remember this game is in Early Access, and this review does not reflect that of the full released version.
The developers of Ready or Not – VOID Interactive have liaised with police groups internationally to make rules of commitment and a scoring framework that are both testing and practical. To drive the bar further with authenticity, ready or not models ballistic infiltration, weapon kickback, Kevlar, and plate elements – furthermore, it also utilizes a basic and natural control plot that will not have players bobbling around mindlessly. Boasting well over 60 items for the player to utilize however they wish, including weapon customizations that give you that “extra boost” in combat.
Ready or Not Gameplay Review
The gameplay aspect of Ready or Not is where the game truly excels – boasting quite possibly the best gunplay in the market at the moment. Every shootout that you encounter will be completely dynamic. With the games’ A.I. being painfully accurate, you can guarantee you and your friends will completely rethink your run-and-gun tactics on this one – as being reckless in the game will indefinitely punish you.
So take your time, relax, and explore a wide variety of tactics and options offered to you by RoN. Remember, experimenting is key, and this game has more than its fair share of replayability, reminiscent of that of S.W.A.T., which unfortunately lost its publisher earlier this year due to internal problems.
In ready or not, as opposed to many first-person shooters released this year and last, it requires a slower and more methodical approach to each situation, with no two situations being the same. Due to the hyper-realism of RoN, it’s easily done during a firefight to shoot a civilian with a stray round – causing you to restart your progress again and rethink your strategy and entry points. In doing this, VOID Interactive has successfully encouraged players to use, for example, non-lethal options under particular circumstances.
Whilst everything I’ve written prior to this has been all praise for Ready or Not, that doesn’t mean the gameplay is entirely issue-free. During my first playthrough, I’d noticed that A.I. could be annoyingly ‘clunky’ at times – this was more noticeable when breaching a room. The A.I. would constantly get confused and at times end up colliding with one another, causing me to have to restart the mission as a result of this.
“Ready or Not holds up as the best tactical shooter to ever exist.”
— Futuregaming.io
Optimization
Due to Ready or Not still being in early access and not being a definite example of what the full game can and will run like, I decided not to rate the optimization just yet – but this could change upon the full game’s release. That being said, using my medium spec system as noted below;
- Intel i7
- GTX 1080TI
- 16gb RAM
- 1TB SSD
I noticed absolutely no F.P.S. drops, stuttering, or graphical issues. Albeit, I was playing on slightly lower settings to make up for my somewhat out-of-date rig (well, out of days in today’s context!)
Maps & Sound design
I must confess one thing, Ready or not being run on Unreal Engine 4 doesn’t boast any noticeable improvements or mind-blowing graphical capability. But – that being said, it does its job, and it does it greatly so. Currently, during Early Access, Ready or not has six playable maps, each one incredibly different from the other – in terms of tactical approachability. They include;
- Hotel
- Gas Station
- Farm
- Car Dealership
- Port
- Crack house
These previously mentioned maps are crafted with maximum attention to detail and thought, which utterly immerses you in the beautiful worlds and scenarios you’re launched into upon opening the game. Similar to the maps, the sound design featured in ready or not rivals any given A.A.A. production – from the deafening sounds of a flash-bang ringing through your ears, to the fierce impactful sound of a gunshot, the sound design really benefits the realistic approach of the game.
Ready or Not Gadgets
The variety of gadgets in Ready or Not is insane. You get a large number of weapons, equipment that SWAT uses in real life. The richness and design of these weapons are so highly detailed that you and your squadmates are going to love that.
Ready or Not Weapon List
- Secondary Weapons
- Submachine Gun
- Shotgun
- Long Tactical
- Assault Rifle
- Grenade
- Tactical Devices
Using the equipment for breaching a room is absolutely phenomenal, which gives you old SWAT 4 vibes. As soon as you enter the room shouting “Police! On your knees!”, The situation becomes so much realistic in front of you.
The Verdict
Ready or not is an incredible entry into the tactical first-person shooter genre. From carefully thought out and well-designed maps, to gameplay and A.I that rivals even the biggest of triple-A gaming companies, Ready or Not is definitely not a game to be missed if you even remotely enjoy playing F.P.S. games. Whilst this game is still in Early Access, this review will be subject to change upon the full release of the game. But – if the full game is anything reminiscent of the early access build, I’m sure it’ll be met with much, much more praise.
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