Let me begin by saying this: Ready or Not is not what we wanted Siege to be, it’s better.
This new slow-paced tactical FPS game by VOID INTERACTIVE is a wet dream for us SWAT and older R6 titles fans, who grew up defusing scenarios that required tactical cunning and elegance from a time when a new Ghost Recon game didn’t mean another Ubisoft title with a reskin of its other games.
I had my hopes high for a proper slow-paced tactical game for a while. Ground Branch from ex Ghost Recon and R6 devs is good and hits high with its realism and immersion, but a little bit indie for people that are used to triple-A graphics and boring to look at after a while.
Zero hour hits the mark with its presentation of tactical gameplay but lacking in soul and atmosphere. What these games’ blessing and a curse is that they cannot get out of being a “niche title” with a small dedicated fanbase.
Before the inception of these games came the hype of Tarkov that consumed us. Only for it to turn into a den of hackers and a bunch of controversy regarding its developers with no proper matchmaking and competition. It was just a big free for all tactical shooter and inventory management sim. Have to give it its due when it comes to realism though, except for the bullet penetration mechanics.
Emphasis on slow-paced
When the first news of Siege came out years ago what we all expected was a slow-paced R6 title with multiplayer leanings.
None of us has been expecting “nanites” and overly-hyped gamers screaming at our ears whilst games are won by aggressive peaking and prefire with over-the-top operator abilities that are way past the line of being arcadey instead of taking your time and thoroughly planning and executing your tactics.
Dear Siege, what happened to the planning phases of Raven Shield?
Ready or Not captivated me with its early alpha and closed beta gameplay and now that I have a couple of dozens of hours into the game, I could simply say: It’s very good.
There are still tons of modules and features to be added and some features have been put on hold. An ambitious and promised PvP mode has been left out after the Alpha test. But in its current state, it’s easily described as a spiritual successor to the SWAT series and more like a simulator than a game.
There’s no slide cancel
With 30+ items, a dozen weapons with expanding customization options. Incremental leaning and door control system. An expanded inventory and modular speed control for precise movements in CQB situations (to be added), Gore mechanics, body parts taking different damages differently and treated separately (getting shot in the arm hinders your movement, whilst in the leg your gait and speed etc.), bleeding mechanics, ballistic mechanics such that takes into account the calibre, velocity, ricochet and bullet deterioration and many, many more small and big features that make the whole difference how the game plays out.
PLUS THERE’S NO SLIDE CANCELLATION.
Differences between Ready or Not and Siege is like comparing the ARMA series to CoD (in old terms Operation Flashpoint to Medal of Honor), and here’s an official excerpt regarding the PvP and multiplayer aspects of the game:
Fully supported competitive servers based on Amazon Gamelift API
Ready or Not features a fully competitive set of game modes to test your mettle against other squads in PvP. However, players can still host listening servers and play with custom game rules.
Plans to support squad competitive play
Create a squad with up to ten friends for PvP and Coop. Work as small groups to reap squad rewards, and compete in yearly leader-board competitions to earn unique skins. A passive point score system allows players to work together to level and earn more squad points, opening up options in a mission’s planning phase.
Tactical Analysis
All missions begin with a tactical analysis and planning phase, currently allowing teams to shut off power grids, blockade entrances, create or choose new entry points, and spawn unique devices including ballistic shields, heavy rams, and telescopic ladders.
It fills the void which R6 supposed to
First and foremost, it’s the single-player aspect of tactical games. Since the release of SWAT 4 and older R6 titles the scene has been lacking in terms of a proper tactical FPS with a campaign and added co-op elements.
Siege has never delivered our hopes and created a huge gap in the slow-paced tactical FPS genre by becoming a meta esports game. But what is more, is the PvP side of things. As of now, there’s no tactical FPS title that’s in the big league of esports, and other games that provide this experience have stuck in that “niche game” category and don’t aim to become a popular esports title in the first place.
Titles such as ARMA, Squad, Hell Let Loose and Post Scriptum, for example, are wholly another beasts at this point where people compete in huge scenarios and simulate real battles which are completely outside the scope of the current understanding of what esports is or what most people know it as.
Although there are really interesting examples of niche games made into esports such as Farming Simulator.
Arcadey games are the kings of the esports scene as of now. Ready or Not, with its ambitious plans for the future has the potential to become an esports title that checks the boxes of competitiveness with the classic formula of Counter-Terrorists vs. Terrorists, profoundly detailed and subtle gameplay mechanics which leaves room for different types of play with an emphasis on CQB, Use of gadgets from optiwands to ballistic shields, booby traps set by terrorists and an original look with its realistic graphics, use of smoke effects, neon colours and its overall immersiveness which could easily captivate any gamer.
Ambitious plans for future
On its official site VOID INTERACTIVE shares its ambitious plans for the game:
"DIVERSE MODES BRING ORDER TO CHAOS ONLINE WITH FRIENDS THROUGH A TACTICAL COOPERATIVE EXPERIENCE, LEAD A CRACK TEAM OF AI-DRIVEN SWAT MEMBERS IN A SOLO, STORY-RICH CAMPAIGN, OR BATTLE A ROGUE ORGANISATION IN A FIERCE AND COMPETITIVE MULTIPLAYER ENVIRONMENT. "
It’s already becoming popular among Siege streamers and has overwhelmingly positive reviews on steam. With a proper PvP update and matchmaking delivered as promised could catapult this game into many gamers’ lives all of a sudden and bring a fresh breath of air to the already arcadey esports scene.
