Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Ready or Not is an exciting FPS where players need to think twice before making any moves. This tactical shooting game offers a deeply immersive experience and comprises adrenaline-filled missions that players can’t seem to get enough of. Taking on the role of a SWAT officer, this game by VOID Interactive is by no means easy, and new players might struggle with the many different combat encounters that lie before them.

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Being smart, precise, and knowledgeable are all the skills one needs to succeed in their Ready or Not missions. Luckily, with the tips and tricks provided here, players can handle any hostile situations they find themselves in, and perhaps even save the lives of a teammate or two in the process.

Updated on July 21, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: With the release of Ready or Not on consoles, the game received even more content for free. While the basics remain the same, Ready or Not is still a game that requires more than a few trial and errors to reveal all its secrets.

In the recent revision of the article, two more tips have been added to explain about a location in the police department where players can learn more about the lore, as well as the difference between the two major bullet types in the game.

12

Take It Slow

Slow Is Smooth, Smooth Is Safe

In Ready or Not, everything might seem to be very fast-paced, but that doesn’t mean it really is. During missions, players should take some time to analyze the situation thoroughly and act accordingly. This gives them a better chance to minimize the risk that comes along with making rushed moves.

It’s well-established that playing impulsively leads to unwanted results; therefore, it’s never too late to start taking things slow. Slowing down also lets players communicate better and assess their surroundings, so they can take on missions and end them without any chance of failure.

11

Be Quiet

Silence Leads To Less Panicked Situations

When players are trying to sneak up on their enemies, they should remain as silent as they can. This is because enemies can get alerted about a player’s presence by the sound cues they may leave. This causes them to attack and gives players a very short window of time to react.

Avoid this by walking slowly and not sprinting and/or crouching towards or around enemies. If the enemies become aware of a player’s movement, it may compromise their chance of surprising the enemies and instead get jumped by them.

10

Search The Entire Map In A Known Order

Never Leave A Room Without Investing Everything

One of the common objectives in every mission of Ready Or Not is to either barricade all the suspects or collect evidence. The maps in this game have a lot of verticality and the layout is usually complex, which makes it difficult to keep track of searched and unsearched rooms if the player doesn’t obtain a known order.

That’s why it is important to proceed with order throughout the map to make sure that no room or corner is left behind without being investigated; otherwise, it would be such a pain to kill all the enemies and then return to find the undiscovered rooms in search of a single suspect that has not been barricaded yet.

9

Polish Skills At The Shooting Range

Practice Makes Perfect

The Shooting Range is one of the best places players can polish and refine their skills. This range provides a controlled environment where players can perfect their aim and learn the mechanics of the best out of every gun in the game. It is located at the back of the Los Suenos Police Department, which can be accessed through the main lobby.

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Players can choose from different guns and increase their precision skills by practicing in the range and becoming the best SWAT officers to ever exist, which is needed since crime never sleeps in Ready or Not.

8

Use Mirror Gun Before Entering A Room

Trip Wires Can Wipe An Entire Squad

Losing every single officer in the campaign of Ready Or Not is already painful enough, so the best a player can do is to prevent an entire squad from being wiped! By far, trip wires are the deadliest traps in this game, which are placed behind a door to score easy kills for the criminals.

The only device that can let the player know of these traps is the Mirror Gun. Even if the player themselves doesn’t have it equipped in the loadout, they can order an AI teammate to check the doors for traps before rushing in.

However, if no one has a Mirror Gun on the squad, the safest way is to peek through the door. In case there is a wire visible on the foot of the door, that means a trip wire has been installed. So, either find an alternative way inside or disarm the trap while the door is slightly open.

7

Use Flashbangs Before Making An Entry

It’s The Easiest Way To Avoid Criminals From Holding Angles

Although the criminals are AI-driven in Ready or Not, they are quite smart and accurate. So, it’s hard to imagine making an entry inside a room full of criminals without getting a severe injury or even a casualty. That’s why flashbangs are crucial.

After checking a room with a Mirror Gun, not only can the player learn about trip wires, but they can also see the enemies inside. So, if there is more than one criminal inside a room, it’s best to peek open the door and toss a flashbang before making an entry. This will concuss the criminals and prevent them from shooting at the officers accurately, which also provides an opportunity to arrest them alive.

6

Let Criminals Surrender

Earn A Higher Score With Less Bloodshed

The best way to handle a hostile situation is by letting the suspects surrender themselves. Players can use non-lethal tactics, such as shooting enemies using a beanbag gun or giving them an electric shock using a taser. The enemies will fall prey to this simple tactic, leaving players to only ask them to surrender by pressing the “F” Key.

Some suspects might launch a surprise attack on the player while pretending to surrender. Keep this in mind before letting them just come freely. Players can avoid this by noticing the enemy’s movements carefully and restraining them immediately.

5

Use AP Or JHP Bullets Based On The Mission

One For Armor Penetration, The Other For Tissue Damage

It requires a thorough exploration of the loadout customization system to find out about the two bullet types available for most of the lethal weapons in Ready or Not. But what’s the difference between them?

AP rounds are great for armor penetration. In most missions, suspects are well-prepared for the fight, and they wear armor packs to protect themselves against incoming bullets. A headshot always results in instant death, regardless of the bullet type. So, it’s actually shots in the body or limbs where the bullet type matters.

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Ready or Not features 18 maps in total, and players will want to play them in a certain order if they want to understand the bigger picture.

If someone usually targets a suspect’s torso, then it’s highly recommended to use AP rounds, as they have a high penetration rate based on the bullet’s caliber. Since most armor packs only cover the torso, AP brings the highest chance of success in neutralizing the threat.

However, JHP rounds are quite useful in limb shots or body shots when the target is not wearing an armor pack. JHP deals a massive amount of tissue damage. That means it really destroys the limbs from inside and causes heavy bleeding damage to the target. That’s why a player can kill a suspect with fewer JHP rounds when shooting in the hands or legs compared to AP rounds.

4

Use The Corners

Peeking Stops Surprises

Corners are perfect to use during gunfights or while trying to get some important information about enemy positions. By mastering this skill, players can analyze any incoming threats. The lean mechanic allows players to peek around the corners without fully exposing themselves.

With practice, players can easily learn this mechanic and use it to their advantage. This useful strategy enables players to assess the situation beforehand, allowing them to surprise enemies and not giving them any chance to retaliate.

3

Incorporate Long Tacticals

Bring The Right Tools For The Job

Adding Long Tacticals to the inventory significantly increases the effectiveness of a SWAT unit. These tools help players in a lot of hostile situations that they might find themselves in. Doing so will help players take on these troublemakers quite easily.

Players can breach doors by using the breaching shotgun or battering ram, which enables them to swiftly eradicate their enemies. The mirror gun lets players survey areas without having to expose themselves. They can even use a ballistic shield when facing gunfire to protect themselves and their team. In the long run, these tools will always be much needed.