It’s no secret I’m a massive Rainbow Six fan. I even follow the eSports circuit around the world. But this bond was forged long before Siege or Siege X existed. I was first introduced to the series in 1999 on my friend’s PC with Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear. Back then, it was a slower-paced, tactical game where one shot could kill—on either side. Old-school Rainbow Six was different. It was about taking a squad into tight settings, breaching and clearing your way to victory. Cork-based VOID Interactive seems to share that vision. They’re the studio behind Ready or Not, a game that shifts the action from global conflict to local crime.
The game launched on PC in 2023 in early access and made waves for its realistic take on tactical shooters. Now, console players can join in, with the core game and a chunk of DLC arriving on Xbox Series X and PS5.
Methodical and Demanding
This isn’t a run-and-gun shooter. If you play it like Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, or—heaven forbid—Fortnite, you’ll be dead before you even leave the SWAT van. Ready or Not is all about planning. You scout for intel, adjust your strategy, then execute with flashbangs, gunfire, and shouts of “Get down!” It’s not fast-paced, but breaching into the unknown is genuinely thrilling.
Missions take you from petrol stations to schools, drug dens, and high-rise flats. Each one reveals more about the city’s situation, and the story explores some dark themes.
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Gameplay feels weighty. You move slowly, just as you would in full tactical gear. Your arsenal includes real-world firearms like SMGs, rifles, handguns, as well as non-lethal options like beanbag shotguns and pepper ball guns. You’re a cop, not Rambo.
You also get specialist gear: tasers, riot shields, battering rams, door blockers, and snake cams to peek under doors.
Brief to Debrief
You play as a SWAT officer in Los Sueños, a fictional American city gripped by a violent crime wave, with various missions setting you in this world. Each mission starts with a detailed briefing. Once deployed, you choose how to approach the objective. Playing solo, your squad is AI-controlled, but you can issue commands like holding doors or flashbanging rooms.
The system feels like classic tactical shooters. You stack up on doors and give the order to breach. There’s a wide range of commands, but it never feels like too much micromanagement.
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Real-world touches add depth. Lowering your weapon lets you move faster. Shouting “Get down!” might prompt a suspect to drop their weapon. Missions also feature randomised elements. Maps stay the same, but enemy and hostage placements change, helping to keep things fresh.
You can also play online with up to four friends. The campaign and DLC are available, with scenarios like Home Invasion, set after a hurricane, and Dark Waters, which takes you to the high seas.
Potential
I’d love to see DLC based on other police forces, like being a Met officer in London or a Garda ASU member in Dublin. It would be fascinating to see how tactics and gear vary.
There’s more to the game than just saving the day. Each mission affects your squad’s mental health. High stress levels can lead to resignations, adding a layer of realism and emotional weight.
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Visually, it’s a mixed bag. Some scenes look great, with atmospheric lighting and smoke effects. Others feel a bit underwhelming. Sound design is solid, especially the suppression effects during firefights or flashbangs.
The only real gripe is the UI. It’s fiddly and feels like a leftover from the PC version. Selecting gear in tense moments can be frustrating, but a few tweaks could fix that.
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Ready or Not isn’t a love letter to a bygone genre, it’s a full-blooded modern revival. It nails the tone, feel, and tension that a huge subset of gamers miss, and brings the sweaty joy of the tactical shooter to a whole new audience.
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