Sloclap’s previous games, Absolver and Sifu, have explored the genres of action RPG and beat’em up, but have had the common DNA of kung-fu and martial arts. So you can imagine the surprise when the studio announced its newest game, Rematch, at The Game Awards last year. I’ll admit, I wasn’t too excited about the idea of Sloclap moving into the sports game world. I’m also not the biggest soccer fan out there, so that only made me more skeptical. However, after spending time with the open beta for Rematch this past weekend, I think Sloclap may be onto something here.
High-Octane Soccer
One thing I will say straight out of the gate is that the trailers for Rematch do not do the game justice. This isn’t a knock on the marketing for the game, it is just very hard to display what this game feels like to play without just putting it in players’ hands. When you load up your first game of Rematch, you will be surprised by how fast-paced and engaging the gameplay really is.
In the Rematch beta, you can choose either 4v4 or 5v5 matches, although in the full release, there will also be a 3v3 option. I found the 5v5 mode to be my favorite, as it required more teamwork, and this is where Rematch really shines. Nailing a pass to a teammate, landing a well-timed slide tackle, or just blocking off an opposing player’s path for your team feels just as satisfying as nailing a goal. The size of the arenas is just tight enough to make sure that there is limited downtime, but also gives enough room to spread the ball around.
I never found myself feeling like I was too far out to try and make a play or to recover after the opposing team forces a turnover. This could be nerve-wracking for some players to not have a single moment of downtime, but I found it thoroughly engaging.
Goalkeeping
After each goal, players rotate starting positions. This means that you are likely going to find yourself back in the goalie box at least once per match. One of the biggest problems games like Rematch run into is that no one wants to be stuck as the goalie. It can feel like you are restricted in what you can do, or you will find yourself bored while waiting for the opposing team to break away and take a shot.
Rematch’s answer to this is to not restrict the player who started as goalie to that position. Whenever the goalie leaves the goalie box, their goalie gloves come off, and they can join the fray in the middle of the pitch. The next player to enter the goalie box on your team will then take over as goalie and activate their goalie gloves.
This mechanic allows players to feel less restricted in their roles and not feel out of position at times. It also reestablishes the key component of Rematch: every member of the team matters. However, this key component is also what causes the biggest hurdle you’ll face with this game.
The Human Element
Online multiplayer games have a reputation, somewhat earned, of being very hostile and intense communities. This is especially true when it comes to team-based PvP games. When victory is heavily reliant on every member of the team being able to maintain focus and execute, some people allow their emotions to take over when things go wrong.
I encountered a couple of instances of this coming through with teammates getting aggressive or just disconnecting when things started to go wrong for our team. This can be frustrating and intimidating for those who are not used to this style of game. If something goes wrong, there’s a chance that one of your teammates will just leave, which can make things infinitely more challenging.
A lot of my enjoyment in team-based games can be squashed when you are matched with one player who feels the need to play hero ball or blame anyone they can for a poor match. Those who are familiar with online games will probably be used to this behavior, but it still bears repeating for those who aren’t.
Top Marks
Regardless of my few negative online encounters, I had a blast playing Rematch in its open beta. There has never been a soccer game I’ve played that has given me the joy and thrills that I experienced in my short time with Sloclap’s third game.
I understand if some people are apprehensive or skeptical about giving Rematch a shot, but I cannot recommend it enough to anyone looking for their next addictive online experience. It really feels like Sloclap is cooking up something special here.
Rematch is set to launch on June 19 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
