From beat-’em-up roots to a steep but rewarding soccer sim, Sloclap’s REMATCH is a fresh, manual-control football experience that challenges your skills—and patience.
Sloclap, the company that made some of the best beat-em-ups based on John Wick, did something very different with REMATCH. They haven’t stuck to fighting games; instead, they’ve moved on to soccer games, specifically a fast-paced football game that’s most like a soccer simulator we’ve seen in years. It’s a big change from punches and kicks to precise passing and goalkeeping, and the game makes you question everything you thought you knew about football video games.
REMATCH isn’t based on a story. Instead, it’s all about the experience on the field: quick, fluid games that are full of tension and end quickly. The arcade-style rules of the game, such as mercy rule endings and last-shot chances, help make each match feel intense by adding dramatic moments. There are no story campaigns or character arcs in this game; the only thing that matters is winning, whether you play with friends online or off.
This is where REMATCH really changes things. In most soccer games, you can “magnetize” your passing and shooting to your teammates or the goal. But in REMATCH, you have to do everything by hand. You have to do everything, like aim passes with the stick, curve shots, time tackles, and even switch between outfield and goalkeeper roles at any time.
To pass, carefully move the stick in the right direction to hit a teammate. To shoot, use both triggers and both analog sticks, one to aim and the other to curve the ball. Defending is just as hands-on, requiring precise positioning and saves that you make by hand. Because the game changes positions all the time, if your keeper runs forward, you can take over as a goalie by moving into the box.
This level of difficulty makes you feel good when you’ve mastered something, but it also makes learning very hard. Casual players who were hoping for pick-up-and-play arcade fun will need to change their minds. But if you stick with it, pulling off smooth plays is very satisfying.
You can think of REMATCH‘s gameplay as a mix of tactical puzzles and sports combat. Every pass, shot, or tackle is a small challenge that tests your timing, accuracy, and sense of where you’re standing. The “combat” is the physical battle for ball control, while the “puzzle” is figuring out how to thread passes or curve shots by hand to beat your opponents.
Because the controls are manual, it’s easy to make mistakes at the beginning. Passes may go astray, shots may miss, and defensive mistakes can lead to goals. But this makes things more difficult and helps them learn. In some soccer games, automatic assists can make you feel like a hero when you’re not. In this game, your skill is the only thing that matters.
The “position swapping” mechanic adds another level of strategy. You need to know when to defend the goal, when to push forward, and how to work with your teammates. This flexibility makes matches feel alive and full of surprises.
The deep skill ceiling is a great thing about REMATCH‘s style. The manual control system encourages accuracy, teamwork, and practice, so when you do something really great, you really deserve it. Position swaps that work smoothly keep the game interesting, and the arcade rules add excitement to matches with thrilling endings.
The learning curve is steep, which might turn off people who just want to have fun. Some controls and camera options, such as the lock-on camera, which isn’t advertised enough, can be annoying for new players. Also, bugs and glitches in the game right now, like desyncs that make goals unfair, can sometimes mess up the flow and fairness of matches.
XP and progress feel pretty minimal right now. There isn’t a long single-player campaign or a lot of modes to grind through. Most of the XP you get comes from playing online matches and getting cosmetic rewards like bundles with celebrity-themed items and player customizations.
This makes you want to keep going, but the long-term appeal of the grind is limited by the lack of a more general progression system or offline content. Still, getting cosmetics through XP is a small reason to keep playing and makes the experience more personal, but it’s not a big reason to play.
Visually, REMATCH is great. Fans of Sloclap’s previous games, like Sifu a fighting game and Absolver, will recognize their signature style: big, sloppy character models with a stylized, fluid animation style that works well with precise controls. Arenas are full of life and color, and the environments change during games. For example, the jungle-themed stadium changes after a goal.
The big scoreboard walls and flashy character customizations add style and make each match look great without taking away from the fun of playing. There is a good balance in the sound design. The player callouts are clear and timed just right, which makes the experience more immersive without getting boring. The satisfying punch of the ball contact sounds adds to the feeling of using a controller.
Crowd noises add atmosphere, but they don’t get too loud, so you don’t feel like you’re being smothered by background noise. You can change the audio settings, but the default mix sounds good right out of the box.
REMATCH is a risky experiment in soccer games. It’s a skill-based game that you control by hand and feels good to master once you do. Sloclap has made one of the hardest and most fun football games in years. The intense arcade rules and smooth position swaps add new twists.
The game is, however, in a bit of a mess right now. Bugs and network problems can sometimes ruin matches, and the $15 price tag and small number of game modes make it feel cheap compared to free games with more features, like Rocket League. Casual players might not like how long it takes to learn, and there are still things that could be done to make the game better, like making the controls and camera work better.
Still, REMATCH‘s graphics and sound are great, and the core gameplay is great, especially when you work together well and know how to use your hands well. If you can look past its flaws and decide to learn how to play, REMATCH is a very fun soccer game, especially if you have friends to play with.
If you are a big fan of football games, you should try it right away. If not, you might want to wait for more content updates and bug fixes before starting.
