As a console owner and fan of the classic SWAT games, the news that VOID Interactive's Ready or Not would finally be arriving on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S filled me with joy.
From its release into Steam Early Access back in 2021 to its full launch two years later, it’s been a title I have followed closely with much interest, often leaving me extremely jealous as I watched those on PC experience what appeared to be a game-changer in the world of tactical first-person shooters.
If you are like me and have been monitoring Ready or Not with intrigue over the past few years, continue reading as I provide honest, detailed thoughts on its long-awaited console launch after spending over 19 hours playing the game!
Warning: This article describes in-game events that some readers may find upsetting.
Pre-Deployment Preparations
Before stepping into the crime world of Los Sueños, I had the chance to adjust the settings to my liking. This included choosing between a Performance Mode targeting 60 FPS and a Fidelity Mode with enhanced visual elements. The drop in framerate on Fidelity Mode was considerably noticeable, which is far from ideal in a game where speed and accuracy are imperative. I subsequently opted for the Performance Mode and didn’t look back.
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+ 6I then arrived in the main menu with three game modes to choose from: Commander Mode, Quick Play, and Multiplayer. After researching what was recommended for new players, I decided to go with Quick Play, which is basically the same as Commander Mode but without the stress management system, trait unlocks, and Permadeath.
It had been a while since I last played a tactical FPS, so the option to familiarize myself by taking part in a tutorial was most welcome. There are lots of mechanics, strategies, and instructions to remember, making it feel a bit overwhelming at first. Thankfully, the tutorial does a good job of bedding you in, and everything soon became easier to navigate. If I had skipped the tutorial and gone in blind, I can guarantee it would have been a rough time, so I’d definitely recommend doing it instead of jumping straight into the action.
After successfully passing basic training, I then arrived at the Los Sueños Police Department. This is where you and your SWAT team are stationed in between missions, practically acting as your base of operations and allowing you to change loadouts, customize gear, hone your weapon skills, and more.
To my surprise, the HQ offers plenty to explore. This includes prison cells where you’ll find previously arrested criminals, an evidence room filled with items you’ve bagged up, a killhouse to practice raids, and even a non-lethal training room where you can test equipment on inmates.
click to enlarge+ 6I often spent a considerable amount of time customizing loadouts for my character and squad. Ready or Not features an impressive arsenal with over 40 weapons available to choose from, including Assault Rifles, SMGs, Shotguns, Launchers, and Handguns. Each weapon comes with numerous attachments, which carry pros and cons that can impact its performance.
Rather than focusing on physical appearance, customization prioritizes your SWAT team's gear and equipment. Players can modify the appearance of characters by selecting from an array of tops, helmets, gloves, pants, and other tactical gear such as facewear and night vision goggles. Armor also plays a huge part in mission prep, with different materials and vests changing the levels of protection, mobility, and the number of utility slots for things like ammo, flashbangs, and more.
Brutal Reality: Experiencing Los Sueños
With Los Sueños seeing a massive upsurge in violent crime, it was time to stop customizing and start deploying. Having made my way to the briefing room, difficulty selection was available prior to a detailed overview of the mission, which outlines the situation at the scene, provides map layouts, hostage and suspect information, images, and a dispatch call.
Fully equipped and accompanied by a badass-looking SWAT team, I readied up and deployed to the scene—a process I repeated another 17 times as I completed all the main missions.
click to enlarge+ 6Replicating real-life scenarios is no easy feat for any video game, but Ready or Not executes this aspect so well that it’s scary. Because of its head-on approach when depicting controversial topics and realistically portraying law enforcement operations, I strapped myself in for an emotional, harsh, and unforgiving time, and it was just as well I did. It may not be real, but Ready or Not provides stark reminders of the dangers law enforcement find themselves in on a daily basis.
One of the most disturbing missions I experienced centered around a nightclub that had been stormed by several gunmen. Upon arrival, heaps of bodies were located near doors and dancefloors, while mobiles constantly rang on the ground as loved ones frantically tried to make contact. The fact is, the world of law enforcement is brutal, and as unsettling as it may be, Ready or Not captures it perfectly, both visually and aurally.
Staying on the topic of locations and environments, I was very impressed by the variation in map design. Ranging from derelict buildings and high-end penthouse apartments to dark underground tunnels and ports surrounded by shipment containers, Ready or Not has a bit of everything. Each mission felt different and unique, but somehow managed to maintain that uncomfortable, eerie feeling throughout.
As for the actual gameplay, the best way to describe it is intense. From the very moment you spawn inside the mission area, you must stay alert and pay attention. Even if I took my eye off the ball for a split second, I was often punished as enemies opened fire. Whether I was approaching a building, breaching a door, or clearing a room, having a well-thought-out plan in place was crucial.
click to enlarge+ 6Ready or Not isn’t a game where you can just go in all guns blazing; it’s a playthrough that requires precision, concentration, sharpness, skill, and careful thinking. After each mission, a scoring system grades your performance from F to S, with S being the highest achievable grade. The final score will depend on how many objectives you completed, the number of casualties, and so on.
When things go wrong, it can get messy very quickly. But when it goes right, the satisfaction you get out of it is on another level. Believe me, it doesn’t get much better than using a Mirrorgun to look under doors, instructing your team to stack up, breaching with a flashbang, and executing the perfect headshot on a suspect taking hostages.
Should enemies fail to back down and ignore your instructions to surrender, a gunfight will swiftly ensue. They say lives can change in a flash, and that couldn’t be more true in Ready or Not. Ultimately, acting decisively is what determines whether you live or die.
Ammo isn't unlimited either, so once you’re out, you’re out. This puts a significant emphasis on accuracy and only opening fire when absolutely necessary. To help with this, I regularly switched my gun to single fire. Not only did it preserve ammo, but it also allowed me to get a more accurate shot, as recoil can be challenging to control.
click to enlarge+ 6Despite staying on the same difficulty throughout, missions got noticeably harder the further I progressed. There would be more enemies to deal with, booby traps to avoid, and even explosives to disarm before detonation, which instantly results in mission failure.
In terms of how the game performed for me on PS5, I was pleasantly surprised. You never know how transitions from PC to consoles will work out, but apart from a few brief stutters and framerate drops, Ready or Not felt very smooth overall. There were some visual glitches where NPCs would go through objects, and graphics aren't the greatest with Fidelity Mode disabled, but neither had a significant impact on my experience playing the game.
The most frustrating thing of all wasn’t even gameplay or bug-related, but instead concerned the behavior of my AI teammates. They would often get in the way whenever I attempted to go through doorways and tight spaces, which became quite infuriating, causing me to not only slow down but also become stuck.
Granted, you can order them to stay put so they don’t follow your every move, but doing that can be a hassle when time is of the essence. In fairness, that’s the only major gripe I took away from the game, so in the grand scheme of things, VOID Interactive has done a solid job.
Final Verdict
All in all, I had an absolute blast with Ready or Not. Admittedly, it can be quite a morbid experience, but a rewarding and adrenaline-pumping one nonetheless. It’s clear to see that an incredible amount of detail, passion, and care has gone into its development, and that’s a testament to the team behind it.
click to enlarge+ 6With 18 main missions to get through, available DLC on offer, and regular content drops, Ready or Not has good replay value, too. In my opinion, it will be a title that’s remembered and enjoyed for years to come. There was never a moment when I became bored playing it. In fact, when I completed my final mission, I just wanted to keep going, and whenever a game makes you feel that way, you know it’s doing something right.
Even though it’s been out on PC for a few years now, this feels like it's just the beginning for Ready or Not, and I can’t wait to see what VOID Interactive has in store for the tactical shooter moving forward.
Ready or Not releases on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 15, 2025.
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