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!
Source: Beebom
