Ready or Not Walkthrough — Start to Endgame

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.

This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.

Quick Progression Summary

Phase 1: Getting Started — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Tutorial difficulty Key Rewards: Basic tactics practice, evidence collection training, scoring fundamentals

What to Do in Gas Station

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). Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
2. Pick Breacher as your starting role. It's the most forgiving option.
3. 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.
4. Acquire your first weapons upgrade — MP5 or whatever's available.
5. Clear all main content before moving on.

Phase 1 Checklist

• Understand door breaching fundamentals
• Breacher selected and functional
• Gas Station main content cleared
• Ready for Hotel

Phase 2: Early Game — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Medium difficulty Key Rewards: Multi-floor clearing practice, civilian rescue scenarios, complex layouts

What to Do in Hotel

1. Work on suspect compliance. Shouting at suspects (press F) orders them to comply (drop weapons, get on ground). This system becomes critical from here on.
2. Farm for MP5 if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
3. 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.
4. Complete all objectives before pushing to Meth House.
5. Consider whether Point Man might suit your playstyle better than Breacher.

Phase 2 Checklist

• suspect compliance integrated into gameplay
• MP5 acquired
• Hotel fully cleared
• Ready for Meth House

Phase 3: Mid Game — Meth House

A drug lab raid with armed suspects and hazardous materials. The tight residential layout creates dangerous CQB encounters. Chemical hazards (meth lab fumes) require gas masks. Suspects are often high and unpredictable.

Level/Difficulty: Hard difficulty Key Rewards: Drug evidence collection, hazmat scenarios, aggressive suspect behavior

What to Do in Meth House

1. Master non-lethal options. Beanbag Shotguns, Pepperball Guns, Tasers, and Flashbangs incapacitate without killing. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
2. Start working toward G36C. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
3. 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.
4. This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
5. Start investing in team AI commands for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.

Phase 3 Checklist

• non-lethal options mastered
• G36C acquired or in progress
• Meth House fully cleared
• Ready for Hospital

Phase 4: Late Game — Hospital

An active threat scenario in a hospital with civilians, patients, and hostile suspects mixed together. The highest civilian density makes target identification critical — shooting a civilian fails the mission. Requires extreme fire discipline.

Level/Difficulty: Very Hard Key Rewards: Civilian protection training, target discrimination, high-stress scenarios

What to Do in Hospital

1. Finalize your build. You should be running Point Man or Breacher with optimized gear.
2. G36C should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
3. 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.
4. evidence collection optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
5. Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Port.

Phase 4 Checklist

• Build fully optimized
• G36C upgraded to max
• Hospital fully cleared
• Ready for Port

Phase 5: Endgame — Port

A large industrial port with open areas, shipping containers, and warehousing. The Port has long sightlines (unusual for RoN) and numerous hiding spots. Multiple entry points require strategic approach planning.

Level/Difficulty: Hard difficulty Key Rewards: Large-scale operation practice, multiple entry coordination, evidence-rich environment

What to Do in Port

1. Port tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
2. 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.
3. The endgame loop: run Port, optimize gear, push harder content.
4. Experiment with Sniper for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
5. This is where evidence collection mastery separates good players from great ones.

Phase 5 Checklist

• Endgame content on farm
• Best-in-slot gear acquired
• Port fully cleared
• Ready for challenge content

Common Progression Mistakes

• Shooting before shouting for compliance — this is unauthorized force and tanks your mission score even if the suspect was armed.
• Not mirroring doors — entering a room blind leads to ambushes that kill team members. Always mirror before breaching.
• Skipping flashbangs to save time — the 2-second stun window flashbangs provide prevents more deaths than any weapon. Use them on every contested room.
• Leaving suspects un-restrained — a surrendered suspect who isn't zip-tied can pick up a weapon and attack from behind as you pass.
• Using lethal weapons on missions where non-lethal is viable — S-rank scores require non-lethal takedowns. Bring Beanbag Shotgun on every mission.

Key Tips for Smooth Progression

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

For detailed build optimization, see Ready or Not builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.