After several closed beta periods and an early access release, Rematch finally got its worldwide rollout last Thursday. Despite being a relatively small game in terms of scope, the obviously Rocket League-inspired football game was a huge topic of discussion over the weekend.
Since early access, I’ve dumped over 20 hours into Rematch. And after spending this much time with the game, I’m comfortable sharing my thoughts about it.
Rematch Is A Fun Game With A Big Skill Gap
First things first, is Rematch fun? The answer is an easy “yes” from me.
As a seasoned EA FC/FIFA player who has always preferred Pro Clubs to Ultimate Team or Career mode, Rematch feels both familiar and fresh. Despite every game having the same set of rules and — at least in terms of Ranked — the same number of players, each game feels different. And that’s because of the skill gap involved.
In one game, you’ll be cruising along, feeling like every pass is connecting, every shot is hitting the back of the net, and every rainbow flick is effective at creating space as you launch a counter-attack. Then, in the next, you’ll be feeling as if nothing you’re doing is right — you can’t find passing lanes, your dribbles are being snuffed out, your shots are sailing off target, and even the few that are on frame are being saved. This isn’t because the game is doing you dirty, or even that you’re doing something wrong. It’s simply that the opposition you’re facing is more cohesive and assertive than you are.
Even some 20 hours into Rematch, I’m still getting a grasp on everything, which is a testament to how hard of a game it is when it comes to being proficient. Teamplay and having a real tactical plan is of the utmost importance, and if even one of your teammates isn’t up to it for one game, then your 4-0 mercy wins can quickly turn into 4-3 overtime losses, or even a mercy in the other direction.
And this is the mark of a good sports game. Any game in the genre that is too pick-up-and-play or relies on RNG to determine success misses the point of what makes a great sports game, and that is the feeling that you’re improving and are making an actual difference. Rematch captures this by rewarding those who experiment with its mechanics and eventually master them. These are the players that will be the best at the game, and the only way to get to their level is to practice yourself.
There Have Been Some Issues Since Launch
While I was playing the beta for Rematch, I seldom ran into any issues. In fact, I can’t recall any time when the game felt broken or dysfunctional. Upon launch, however, there seems to have been some growing pains for the team over at Sloclap.
On Thursday, the day of the game’s full release, my game crashed in three Ranked matches in a row. Luckily, Rematch allows players who have been disconnected to rejoin matches if they’re still in progress. Nonetheless, this posed a lot of issues for not just me, but the other two players I was partnered with.
There also seemed to be some connectivity issues at times. Too often, a player on my team started complaining of not being able to effectively track the ball, or would have it warp somewhere else. While I can’t rule out this being an issue with their internet connection, it happened way too often and to multiple people against different teams.
Finally, there is the cross-play issue. I get that incorporating cross-play is unlikely to be something that is accomplished with the simple press of a button. And, in all fairness, since Thursday, queues to get into games seem to have gotten way more tolerable. That said, the gaming ecosystem has gotten to the point where it is hard to keep a player base on one platform. More people are playing on PC than ever before, and both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are doing solidly on the market (even if the trend is skewing towards one side). Because of this, most multiplayer games are cross-play these days. Even MLB The Show 25, a Sony-published game, is cross-play. And until Rematch incorporates cross-play itself (which Sloclap has promised is in the works), it’s going to remain a blemish on the title, especially for people like me who have friends scattered across different platforms.
While it’s a small gripe in the grand scheme of things, I sincerely wish that there were a more dedicated team structure in the game as well. Though it can be understood why Sloclap is taking baby steps when it comes to incorporating new features, the lack of an arena where a dedicated 5-man team can face another, similar to Pro Clubs in EA FC, is something that I do think takes away from the overall experience. I’m sure this is something that could change in the future, but the lack of any true teams in a game that is so reliant upon teamwork is a negative.
Overall, I Recommend Rematch To Anyone Looking For A New And Fun Sports Game
I know that on the surface, my laundry list of complaints might seem to outweigh the positives. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. While Rematch is still in its infancy and has a ways to go before it becomes an all-timer, it’s got a great foundation that provides extremely fun and rewarding gameplay way more often than it frustrates. And the numbers seem to prove that as well.
As of the writing of this article, Rematch is being played concurrently by over 90,000 people on Steam alone. And that’s not even factoring in the number of people who are playing it on PlayStation or Xbox, the latter of which gives players access to it on Game Pass. So, it’s obvious that I’m not alone in thinking this is a great game.
Assuming all of the wrinkles are ironed out and that cross-play arrives in the title sooner rather than later, the sky is truly the limit for Rematch. And at a price of only $29.99 for the base edition with nothing in the way of pay-to-win, it’s worth your money.
