Ready or Not: Dark Waters Game Review

Ready or Not: Dark Waters Game Review

The Dark Waters DLC for the tactical FPS Ready or Not introduces a significant expansion to the game with three unique maritime-themed missions. The missions include:

Leviathan: Set on a storm-battered oil rig, this mission challenges players with weather-affected visibility and varying tactical demands across its exterior and interior zones.
Three-Letter Triad: A mysterious abandoned island resort filled with eerie overgrowth and lingering criminal activity.
Mirage at Sea: A luxury yacht turned crime scene, offering a stark tonal shift with its opulent but dangerous environment.

The DLC also brings new gameplay elements, such as a scout helicopter providing live surveillance, which adds depth to tactical planning. Furthermore, a substantial update accompanies the DLC, enhancing enemy AI behavior, adding weapon variety, and implementing quality-of-life improvements game-wide. These updates include five new weapons—like the G3A3 rifle—and improved AI that makes both enemies and civilians more dynamic and unpredictable.

Pros:

Highly engaging new settings, offering variety and unique tactical challenges.
Realistic mechanics like weather effects and surveillance tools.
Significant AI improvements and expanded weaponry for all players, even without the DLC.

Cons:

Premium content may feel limited to those not invested in maritime scenarios.
Some missions may appeal more to niche interests, reducing broader replayability.

The Dark Waters DLC effectively revitalizes the Ready or Not experience, emphasizing strategy and immersion while building upon the game’s established mechanics.

System Requirements

Minimum:
    OS *: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
    Processor: Intel Core i5-4430 / AMD FX-6300
    Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB / AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB
    DirectX: Version 11

Recommended:
    OS: 64-bit Windows 10
    Processor: AMD Ryzen 5-1600 / Intel Core i5-7600K
    Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or better
    DirectX: Version 11

Pros

Unique Mission Environments: The three maritime-themed missions—Leviathan, Three-Letter Triad, and Mirage at Sea—introduce diverse, engaging settings, including an oil rig, an island resort, and a luxury yacht, adding fresh tactical challenges
Enhanced Tactical Gameplay: The inclusion of a scout helicopter for live surveillance enriches the strategic depth of missions, offering players new tools to plan their operations
Expanded Arsenal: New weapons, such as the G3A3 rifle and MP5-SD6, are available for all players, broadening gameplay options
AI Improvements: Substantial updates to AI behavior for suspects, civilians, and SWAT operatives make encounters more realistic and challenging
Dynamic Weather Effects: Missions like Leviathan feature dynamic weather conditions that impact visibility and strategy, enhancing immersion

Cons

Niche Appeal: The maritime scenarios might not resonate with all players, particularly those who prefer urban or conventional tactical environments
Premium Content Constraints: While weapons are accessible to all, mission content is locked behind the DLC, potentially limiting its value for players uninterested in purchasing it
Pacing Variability: Some missions feel slower due to their large maps and the need for methodical gameplay, which might not appeal to action-oriented players
Replayability: Despite their uniqueness, the three missions may lack long-term replay value compared to more versatile maps in the base game