Ready or Not is a tactical SWAT simulator where you command a police team clearing dangerous locations. Unlike arcade shooters, RoN punishes shooting first — you lose points for unauthorized use of force. Suspects must be given a chance to surrender before engagement. The missions range from drug lab raids to active shooter responses, each requiring different loadouts and tactics. The AI (both enemies and teammates) behaves unpredictably, creating tense room-clearing sequences where a suspect might surrender or open fire. The 1.0 release added a full campaign connecting missions narratively.
Starting Ready or Not can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Ready or Not is a fps game built around door breaching and suspect compliance. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Role
| Role | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Point Man | Good (but demanding) | Stack on doorways, enter first after breach, engage immediate threats, and call clear for the team to follow. |
| Breacher | Good (but demanding) | Mirror under doors, select appropriate breach method, coordinate timing with the team, then breach and immediately clear your corner. |
| Negotiator | Excellent for beginners | Shout for compliance first, use non-lethal weapons on non-compliant suspects, and zip-tie everyone for maximum arrest score. |
| Rear Guard | Excellent for beginners | Follow the team, watch previously cleared areas, secure doors behind the team, and alert to threats from behind. |
| Sniper | Situational | Set up an overwatch position outside the building, identify and call out suspect positions, and provide precision fire support when authorized. |
Our recommendation: Start with Breacher. The Breacher handles door entry tools: C2 explosives, shotgun breach, ram, or lockpick. Choosing the right breach method based on door type and intel is critical. The Breacher sets up the entry for the entire team.
Avoid Sniper as your first pick. Limited to specific outdoor missions where long-range engagement is relevant.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn door breaching
Every locked door can be breached multiple ways: kick (fast, loud), shotgun breach (fast, damages behind door), C2 explosive (fast, stuns room occupants), lockpick (slow, silent), or ram (moderate speed). Pre-breach tools (mirror gun, fiber optic camera) check for threats before entry. Breach method selection based on intel is critical.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how door breaching works before worrying about anything else.
Step 2: Head to Gas Station
A small-scale mission with few rooms and suspects. The Gas Station teaches basic room clearing, compliance, and evidence collection. The confined space makes flashbang usage highly effective.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for MP5 — it's the most accessible early upgrade. A submachine gun with excellent handling and low recoil. The MP5 excels in CQB (close quarters battle) with fast target acquisition. Lower damage than rifles but faster follow-up shots. Ideal for room clearing.
Step 4: Understand suspect compliance
Shouting at suspects (press F) orders them to comply (drop weapons, get on ground). Compliant suspects are zip-tied for arrest. Non-compliant suspects may flee or open fire. Suspects are more likely to comply when flashbanged, outnumbered, or surprised. Shooting a compliant suspect is unauthorized force.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early — it pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to Hotel
A multi-floor hotel with numerous rooms, corridors, and suspects. Each room must be checked individually. The Hotel tests systematic room-clearing discipline and team coordination across multiple floors.
Essential Mechanics Explained
door breaching
Every locked door can be breached multiple ways: kick (fast, loud), shotgun breach (fast, damages behind door), C2 explosive (fast, stuns room occupants), lockpick (slow, silent), or ram (moderate speed). Pre-breach tools (mirror gun, fiber optic camera) check for threats before entry. Breach method selection based on intel is critical.
suspect compliance
Shouting at suspects (press F) orders them to comply (drop weapons, get on ground). Compliant suspects are zip-tied for arrest. Non-compliant suspects may flee or open fire. Suspects are more likely to comply when flashbanged, outnumbered, or surprised. Shooting a compliant suspect is unauthorized force.
non-lethal options
Beanbag Shotguns, Pepperball Guns, Tasers, and Flashbangs incapacitate without killing. Non-lethal takedowns earn maximum score. Some suspects only surrender to non-lethal force. The highest mission ratings require zero lethal force.
team AI commands
Your team follows commands: Stack Up (form up at doorway), Breach and Clear (enter room), Fall In (follow you), Hold (stay position). AI teammates breach rooms, engage threats, and restrain suspects on command. Coordinating AI actions through stacked door entries is the core tactical gameplay.
evidence collection
Missions contain evidence items (drugs, weapons, documents) that must be collected for bonus points. Some evidence is hidden in drawers, under beds, or behind fake walls. Thorough room searching after clearing threats maximizes mission score.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Shooting before shouting for compliance — this is unauthorized force and tanks your mission score even if the suspect was armed
2. Not mirroring doors — entering a room blind leads to ambushes that kill team members
Always mirror before breaching.
3. Skipping flashbangs to save time — the 2-second stun window flashbangs provide prevents more deaths than any weapon
Use them on every contested room.
4. Leaving suspects un-restrained — a surrendered suspect who isn't zip-tied can pick up a weapon and attack from behind as you pass
5. Using lethal weapons on missions where non-lethal is viable — S-rank scores require non-lethal takedowns
Bring Beanbag Shotgun on every mission.
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand door breaching and suspect compliance
- Choose Breacher as starting role
- Clear Gas Station main content
- Acquire MP5 or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Hotel
- Mirror under every closed door before entering. The optical wand or mirror gun shows room layout, suspect positions, and civilian locations — knowledge that prevents friendly casualties.
- Flashbang doorways before entering EVERY time. The 2 seconds of flashbang stun gives your team a massive advantage for room clearing. Carry 3+ flashbangs per operator.
Tips for New Players
- Mirror under every closed door before entering. The optical wand or mirror gun shows room layout, suspect positions, and civilian locations — knowledge that prevents friendly casualties.
- Flashbang doorways before entering EVERY time. The 2 seconds of flashbang stun gives your team a massive advantage for room clearing. Carry 3+ flashbangs per operator.
- Shout for compliance (F key) at every suspect encounter before engaging. Even if they don't comply, you've established legal grounds for use of force. Skipping compliance commands reduces score.
- Zip-tie EVERY suspect and civilian, even compliant ones. Restrained individuals can't pick up weapons or become threats later. Carry extra zip-ties in your loadout.
- Non-lethal runs (Beanbag + Pepperball + Taser) earn S-rank scores. Lethal force, even when justified, reduces your rating. Practice non-lethal on easier missions before attempting it on hard ones.
- Team AI commands are issued per-door: select the door, choose Stack Up, select breach type, then initiate. The AI executes breaches competently when given clear commands.
- Evidence collection is easily missed. After clearing a room, physically search it — open drawers, check under beds, look behind doors. Evidence glows slightly for visibility.
- Different breach methods suit different situations: C2 for rooms with suspected armed hostiles (stuns occupants), lockpick for rooms with possible civilians (silent entry), kick for speed when you know the room is empty.
- In co-op multiplayer, designate one player as Point Man and one as Breacher for each door. Uncoordinated entry gets people killed. Voice communication is essential.
- The campaign connects missions narratively. Playing missions in order reveals an overarching story about organized crime and corruption. Side missions flesh out the narrative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ready or Not realistic?
More realistic than any mainstream shooter but simplified from actual SWAT procedures. Room-clearing tactics, breaching methods, and compliance procedures are based on real police training. The lethality is realistic — 1-2 shots kill suspects and officers alike. It's the closest gaming gets to tactical police simulation.
Can you play Ready or Not solo?
Yes, solo play commands a team of AI operators. The AI follows commands competently but requires micromanagement — you must direct them to every door and action. Solo play is slower paced but fully viable for all missions.
Is Ready or Not multiplayer?
Yes, up to 8-player co-op where human players replace AI operators. Multiplayer dramatically improves coordination and is the intended experience for hard missions. Voice communication is essential.
How does scoring work in Ready or Not?
Score is based on: suspects arrested (bonus for non-lethal), civilians rescued, evidence collected, and penalties for unauthorized force (shooting compliant/unarmed suspects), officer casualties, and civilian casualties. S-rank requires near-perfect performance on all metrics.
What to Read Next
- Ready or Not Builds — Optimize your role once you've learned the basics
- Ready or Not Walkthrough — Full progression path
- Ready or Not Tips — Advanced strategies for when you're ready
