Ready or Not

A tight, calibrated tactical shooter that harks back to the genre’s best days.

Ready or Not makes no compromises. It has no cinematic campaigns, no massive multiplayer, no brilliant progression systems. But what it does do, it does with surgical precision. It's a shooter designed for those who want to feel the real pressure of a tactical operation, for those who enjoy planning, coordinating, and executing. On Xbox Series, it presents itself as a robust, functional version, faithful to its original idea. And while it still suffers from minor issues inherited from its Early Access run, it makes up for it with deep gameplay, constant tension, and enormous replayability. If you have a couple of friends to play with and are looking for something more serious and challenging, Ready or Not could be one of your titles of the year.

Usually only the best horror games manage to create the tension that Ready or Not captures in every level. The build up through slow, tactical clearing of empty room after empty room, followed by the clattering of footsteps a floor above only to erupt in a deadly firefight is unmatched. Aside from a difficult to learn controlling scheme for consoles, its biggest detractor is also its greatest strength. Ready or Not is oppressive and depressing. The violence and hopelessness of the worst a SWAT-team can encounter awaits you in every mission, portrayed in gruelling detail and realism. It's a brilliant tactical shooter with themes and settings so dark, we occasionally had to take a break from the tension.

It's a title that demands time, attention, and respect. And if you're willing to give it that, it rewards you with something few modern shooters offer: genuine tension, unfiltered strategy, and a constant sense of real danger. It's not a pastime. It's a procedure. And one with consequences.

VOID Interactive delivers a highly realistic and brutal tactical police shooter with deep gameplay requiring careful planning and teamwork, which despite some visual compromises and a challenging learning curve on consoles, stands out uniquely in its genre. However, censorship applied for console release, including changes to violence and nudity, sparked controversy especially among PC players due to cross-platform consistency, although these adjustments do not reduce the game's intense and authentic atmosphere.

If you are a solo player, Ready or Not is hard to recommend. Yes, there is fun to be had, but it’s in the multiplayer world where it comes alive; where the real action is.

Ready or Not nails tactical tension like few others. The game is hardcore, intense, and at times brilliant. It’s rough around the edges, but with the right friends, it’s easily one of the most fun shooters out there right now.

Despite some flaws, Ready or Not is one of the most intense and shellshocking shooters I have ever played. It’s highly replayable, dreadfully suspenseful, and painstakingly detailed in the name of creating some well-earned immersion. While there are some rough edges, it’s a really impressive experience that will keep me coming back for more. Whether you’re seeking raw and unfiltered combat or highly coordinated and precisely executed raids, Ready or Not is a varied shooter with a strong hook.

Ready or Not is one of 2025’s most surprising and rewarding shooters - especially for those craving the tactical edge long missing from console FPS. Tense, difficult, and deeply satisfying, it delivers high-stakes realism both solo and in multiplayer. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re ready for the pressure, the intensity becomes part of the thrill.

Ready or Not ushers in the triumphant return of tactical FPS games to console, and I’m all the happier for it. With a decent single player option, plenty of replayability and a multiplayer co-operative mode that absolutely shines, Ready or Not will offer plenty of tactically driven gameplay for those that look for it. If you prefer to run’n’gun, you’d best look elsewhere.

Still, there’s nothing quite like this — especially since Ubisoft turned Rainbow Six into an online hero shooter. No one makes proper hardcore military sims anymore; that door has been closed for a while. Well, Ready or Not kicked the door right in and proved there’s still a massive audience for them on PC. With a few patches, I’m sure it’ll do the same on console.