This is the definition of an old school shooter. Obviously, the closest comparison is SWAT 4, a game I grew up playing and loving. But it also brings me back to classic Tom Clancy shooters such as Rogue Spear, or the original Rainbow Six games.

What made these games so great is the slower movement, smaller margin of error, and an atmosphere and setting that gets your heart pounding. Shooters today have gotten so fast paced, action packed, and gimmicky that they all start to feel the same. We have become totally desensitized by it, and we just glaze over and kill one player or AI after the next, without worry or care.

Ready or Not makes every engagement feel intense. It forces you to slow down and make strategic decisions, rather than effortlessly running and gunning your way through a map. As you enter a room, you have to process all of the information around you while simultaneously trying to react faster than the enemy. First, you have to locate the people in the room you have entered. Then, you have to determine if they are a civilian or a suspect. Finally, you have to determine whether they are a threat, or if they can be restrained. You do all of this, while also knowing that one bullet can end your run, or the run of your fellow officers.

Which leads me to the best quality of all about this game, the AI officers. Again, this is the definition of old school. When was the last time a tactical shooter incorporated working friendly AI at launch, rather than relying solely on PVP / PVE? Every mission you take on will have four other competent officers at your command. You can fully customize their equipment and loadout, and order them to clear rooms or perform any action that you could otherwise do yourself. They follow you closely, efficiently clear rooms, and are very skilled at taking down suspects. For me, this is the best feature this game has to offer.

All in all, I am thrilled that this game has finally hit Steam. It is a well optimized early access title, with plenty to offer right at launch. I am excited to follow its continued development and watch it blossom into one of the best single-player oriented tactical shooters of our modern gaming era.