Blog

Sloclap is the mastermind behind the blockbuster beat ’em up game, Sifu. Sifu became one of my favorite games of all time, to the point I was pulling off no-death runs after mastering the combat. Hence, I was looking forward to the next big game from the Parisian studio and was utterly blown away when they announced a multiplayer football game as their next title. As someone who lives and breathes football, I feel that this game is like a match made in heaven for me.

Now, here we are with the Sloclap studio rolling out beta access for their Rematch game. Luckily, I got a code and put in a couple of hours chasing my victories with the ball. If you are curious about how good the new football game is, here are my first impressions of Sloclap’s Rematch.

Rematch Gameplay Overview

First, here is a brief overview of Rematch that everyone should know about. Rematch is a multiplayer football game played from a third-person perspective. Instead of a traditional football game with two 11-player teams going head-to-head in a match, Rematch offers a 5v5 experience like a futsal game.

While competitive mode only has a 5v5 option, quick play mode currently includes a 4v4 mode, and the devs have stated that a 3v3 mode will also be added. Therefore, you can team up with your friends or join the random online players to clash against a team to secure the victory.

Each match lasts around six minutes, and the team that scores the most goals wins. Pretty football, like? Also, if you can score four goals without letting the opponent score one, you can quickly take the win home. If the score is a tie, the match will go into overtime to determine the ultimate winner. Moreover, there are no fouls or offside in the game, similar to FIFA’s “No Rules” mode.

Rematch is a pure online game, and there isn’t a single-player campaign mode you can play offline at the moment. However, you can access the freeplay and workshop to hone your footballing skills offline.

If you have played Rocket League before, you might already be familiar with Rematch’s gameplay. Although this game has been inspired by Rocket League and FIFA’s street football modes, Sloclap has added its own twist to offer an incredibly entertaining and flashy football experience. Let me break it down for you below:

Basics

There are no fixed roles in Rematch; players have the freedom to choose their roles by strategizing with their teammates. For example, if you are currently a striker and want to defend as a goalkeeper, you can fall back near the goal post to turn into a goalkeeper.

The positions are also randomly rotated after a goal is scored. Similar to any other football game, you have various passing and shooting options for attack, as well as normal and slide tackles in defense. Goalkeepers also have a set of defending options, such as diving and sliding. In addition, the player can also use the walls around them to create versatile shots.

Although the control button mapping feels a bit messy right now, controlling the player, both with and without the ball, feels super snappy, as they have nailed the player animations. The footy games are extremely fast-paced, with time running against you. Based on my time with the current beta state of the game, Rematch’s gameplay is highly responsive, and I’m eager to experience the complete edition.

Endurance Wins You Games

The developers had added a concise stamina bar that you need to keep your eyes on closely if you want to perform well. Every move you make costs you a piece of your stamina, and can be recharged once you stay put. In addition to the regular stamina bar, you can build up a stamina boost as you move to sprint faster than your regular run. It’s a tiny yet welcoming addition that comes in handy when you need the extra push to score or defend wisely in the game.

Rematch’s Skill Ceiling

The developers have also done a good job simplifying the game’s movesets. For instance, you can easily perform flashy skill moves such as Rainbow Flick, Rabona, etc., with a simple button combo. As a hardcore football fan, I’ve played almost all football video games from older FIFA titles to the latest ones. Although I haven’t been involved in the competitive scene, I was still skilled enough to beat my friends in the game. So, I can say Rematch has a moderately high skill ceiling at the moment.

Coming from FIFA, the control here feels a bit strange, but I hope the developers add the complete button remapping option soon. Furthermore, controlling the shooting and passing angle with the right analog stick doesn’t stick with me at the moment. However, I feel that players can get used to it by slowly mastering the game.

Visuals and Performance

One look at the game and I can tell that the art style and environment design of the Rematch game is very reminiscent of their previous title, Sifu. I’m in awe of the game’s vibrant visuals. As a wall of displays surrounds the players, the breathtaking scenery changes with every goal scored.

This is an excellent move by the developers to keep the visuals eye-pleasing and also keep you refreshed throughout the game. Currently, only three landscapes are available in the beta: Lush Forest, Coliseum Night, and a Scorching Desert scape. I look forward to more of these magnificent settings in-game. As for the testing, here is the gaming rig that I tested Rematch on:

My Setup:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D @4.20 GHz
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti SUPER
RAM: 32 GB (2×16) DDR5 @6000MHz
SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 1TB
Monitor: 1440p @170Hz

On the performance side, the game runs excellently without any stutters despite being a Unreal Engine 5 title. I cranked up the settings to ultra, and the game consistently hit 120 FPS while playing in 2K resolution without any upscaling. So, we don’t have to worry about the performance once the complete edition comes out, either.

Verdict: A Solid Goal But Needs a Bit More Shine

If you’ve been following the football game scene, you know it has reached a stalemate. Now, Sloclap has come up with a multiplayer football game jam-packed with frenetic gameplay and spectacular visuals that feels like a fresh breath of air in the crowded sports genre. Several areas need improvement, such as camera angles, netcode, and servers, to eliminate glitches.

I had a joyful experience with my friends in custom matches, but playing with randoms online went the other way around. The game has a relatively high learning curve, which is fun to master for every football fan. The beta version of the Rematch game shows great promise and is perfectly tailored for football lovers like me.

The only concern for many gamers is the 30$ price tag. It is a fair price for a multiplayer game, and it’s definitely not a pay-to-win game in any way. However, we have to wait and see if the match resonates well with the general audience like it does with the football community right now.

If Sloclap can perfect the much-needed improvements, then Rematch has all the potential to rise to prominence in the sports gaming scene. That said, how are you finding Rematch? Let us know in the comments below!

The mobile phone market is consistently expanding, and budget phones now integrate top features. Even in the entry-level category, there are several options to choose from and making a choice can become confusing. In addition to the price, there are several other things to consider, including the brand, features and of course, availability.

To this end, we have compiled a list of the best mobile phones under the $200 price mark that offer a decent value for money. These phones are from trusted brands and have gotten positive reviews from us as well as other trusted websites. Though cheap, they offer just enough to cater for the daily needs of an average mobile phone user

Best Smartphones Under $200

1. Samsung Galaxy A16 5G

With as little as $170, you can be a proud owner of the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. This is a budget 5G phone that offers a solid feature set for its price. It sports a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, reaching up to 800 nits brightness. Under the hood, there are two options – Exynos 1330 or Dimensity 6300, depending on the region. Coupled with the chip, this device comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

In the camera department, there is a triple rear camera setup led by a 50MP main sensor and supported by a 5MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensors. On the front, there is a 13MP sensor that supports 1080p video. This device runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1 out of the box, and though cheap, it promises six major Android upgrades. To keep its lights on, this device uses a 5000mAh battery that supports 25W charging and delivers over 12 hours of active use.

2. CMF Phone 1

At launch, this device was actually in the sub-$300 range, but with several discounts and price cuts, this device now sells for about $199 on several e-commerce platforms. Released in July 2024, the CMF Phone 1 by Nothing is an affordable Android smartphone that offers a high-end feel and unexpected versatility at a low cost. Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display is ideal for outdoor use because it has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, Full HD+ resolution, and a maximum brightness of 2000 nits. It weighs about 200g and has a detachable back cover with eco leather options. Additionally, it has a basic splash and dust resistance rating.

With up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage via microSD, the phone’s 4nm Dimensity 7300 chip powers multitasking effectively. In terms of software, it is running Android 14 with Nothing OS 3.0 and will soon get two significant Android updates. To capture images, this device comes with a modest 50MP main camera supported by a 2MP depth sensor. It supports EIS, which allows for 4K video recording at 30 frames per second. For selfies, there is a 16MP sensor that captures 1080p videos. Under the hood, there is a 5000mAh battery that supports both 5W reverse wired charging and 33W fast charging and delivers up to 16 hours of continuous use.

Best Smartphones Under $200

3. TCL 50 XL 5G

Like other devices on this list, the TCL 50 XL 5G is not meant to compete with gaming or flagship phones. This is a simple device for everyday use that costs onlt $159.99. Released at CES 2024 and designed for the U.S. market, this device comes with a 6.8-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable via microSD.

On the rear, there is a dual-camera system with a 50MP main sensor and a 2MP depth lens. To keep its lights on, there is a 5,010mAh battery that supports 18W wired charging. The design is simple, with a matte finish and side-mounted fingerprint scanner. TCL markets the 50 XL 5G through U.S. carriers like Verizon and Metro by T-Mobile, often bundled with discounts or trade-in deals.

4. Xiaomi Redmi 14C

My personal best on the list, perhaps because i’m a Xiaomi fan, is the Redmi 14C released in August 2024 and costs onlt $110. This also makes it the joint cheapest device on this list. The Redmi 14C sports a large 6.88-inch IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate, although the HD+ resolution of 720 x 1640 pixels is relatively modest for its size. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, and the phone comes in various finishes, including eco leather options, weighing between 204g and 211g depending on the variant.

Running Android 14 with Xiaomi’s HyperOS, the device is powered by the 12nm Helio G81 Ultra chipset, paired with 4GB to 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. There is a dedicated microSD slot that allows further expansion. On the flip side, this device does not support 5G network, users will have to be content with 4G. In the camera department, it comes with a  50MP main sensor and either a QVGA lens or a basic secondary module. The front camera is a 13MP shooter, and both cameras support 1080p video at 30fps. It also includes a 5160mAh battery with 18W charging via USB-C and retains the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Best Smartphones Under $200

5. Motorola Moto G04

Last on the list is the Moto G04, a budget Android phone launched in early 2024. It features a 6.6-inch HD+ LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and runs on the Unisoc T606 chipset. In addition to the chip, it supports 4GB or 8GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage. The phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 15W wired charging. A 16MP rear camera and 5MP selfie camera cover basic photo needs. The G04 runs Android 14 with Motorola’s near-stock UI, offering a clean and responsive user experience without heavy bloatware.

Its design is minimal, with a single rear camera housed in a large module, flat edges, and a matte finish. Motorola includes useful features like RAM Boost and ThinkShield for mobile security. With pricing starting at about $110, the Moto G04 emphasizes simplicity, long battery life, and software stability. It competes with similarly priced phones from Redmi, particularly in markets like India, Latin America, and Africa.