Having previously completed an in-depth review of ‘Ready or Not’ on the Xbox Series X, I was eager to see how the PlayStation 5 version measures up. With the PC release widely regarded as the definitive way to experience the game, and the Xbox Series X offering impressive performance, the question is, can the PlayStation 5 deliver an equally polished and immersive tactical shooter experience, or will it fall short against its competition?

The controls in Ready or Not are impressively user-friendly on both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, making it easy for newcomers to jump into the action without feeling overwhelmed. After playing on the Xbox, PS5 and PC, I still found the controls to feel more fluid and responsive on the PC, particularly when it came to precision aiming and quick actions like leaning.

Unfortunately, the command wheel remains just as clunky and unintuitive on the PS5 as it did on the Xbox, often becoming frustrating to get to respond to what I need and slowing the gameplay down considerably. One feature I did enjoy on the PS5 was the tablet being mapped to the DualSense touchpad, which felt more immersive and noticeably more responsive.

That being said, the developers did miss an opportunity to utilise the adaptive triggers to add an extra layer of immersion to the game when firing weapons like assault rifles. I didn’t find the issue on the PlayStation 5 as much over having to step away from civilians and re-approach with the weapon in a normal stance to cuff them on the PlayStation 5, which added some more enjoyment to this version.

The sound design remains immersive and well-executed on both PS5 and Xbox Series X, adding a strong layer of tension to every mission. From distant gunfire echoes to the sharp cracking of breaking charges, the audio continues to create a gritty, realistic atmosphere that keeps you on edge.

However, from what I’ve experienced, there’s no noticeable improvement to the audio quality or fixes for the standing issues I mentioned in the Xbox Series X review. For example, the knife-wielding suspects still approach silently, often catching me off guard before I hear anything, and you’re bleeding out on the floor.

Whilst this might reflect some real-life situations, some distant audio cues or movement sounds would make these smaller encounters feel a little more fair. It was also frustrating how much cuffed suspects would keep being super vocal after being restrained. I found myself doubling back a lot of where I had been to make sure I had not missed someone, which became increasingly frustrating.

Visually, Ready or Not delivers that gritty and atmospheric experience that suits the tactical, high-stakes nature of the game. The lighting, shadows and environmental details do a great job of building tension and realism throughout each mission.

The attention to detail is generally spot on. Still, I would have liked to see a bit more refinement in the character models, which is evident in the Xbox Series X version of the game, where the character models lack detail and appear generic at times.

I also didn’t encounter the game issue with the knives vanishing through the floor like I did on the Xbox Series X version, which was a sigh of relief, as you could finish the missions properly. 

Visually, the PS5 version looked a little more detailed, adding to the realism of the game, bringing it closer to the PC version of the game. It’s something I really appreciated and noticed quickly whilst playing.

Ready or Not on the PlayStation 5 delivers a solid and immersive tactical shooter experience that holds its own against the Xbox Series X version and takes a small step closer to the PC’s gold standard. In contrast, the core gameplay, tense atmosphere and immersive sound design remain as strong as ever. The PS5 version benefits from slightly improved visual detail and a welcome fix for the frustrating knife vanishing trick seen on the Xbox. The addition of the tablet mapped to the DualSense touchpad is a nice touch, but the lack of adaptive trigger implementation feels like a missed opportunity.

Unfortunately, some standing issues like the clunky command wheel and overly vocal restrained suspects still remain unaddressed. That said, fans of slow, methodical, high-stakes shooters will find plenty of love here, and the PS5 version stands as a worthwhile way to experience Ready or Not. 

Written by: Hayden Nelson