When players think of Soccer/Football video games, they tend to think of one of two industry giants; FIFA and/or Rocket League. REMATCH, developed by Sloclap and Kepler Interactive, is an ambitious new entry into a space currently dominated by two well-established franchises. REMATCH blends team-based, fast-paced soccer action with colorful visuals and casual-friendly mechanics. But is it just a flashy mash-up of existing ideas, or does it actually bring something fresh to the table? I got the chance to play during a closed pre-release playtest, and while REMATCH definitely has potential, it’s also got a few hurdles to clear before it can truly compete with the giants. Here’s what stood out — the good, the bad, and what still needs work.
Next Rocket League?
So, is REMATCH the next Rocket League? Probably not. REMATCH does have a lower skill floor, meaning that it is easier to first get started on the game, but I don’t think it will be nearly as difficult to master as Rocket League. More like FIFA, REMATCH relies on button presses and timing to acquire and control the ball. You can pass the ball just as easily as pressing X and shoot the ball just as easily too. In contrast, Rocket League has no set “pass” button and it’s all about controlling the car and the ball in just the correct way. That kind of demand for excellence can be daunting for a lot of players who just want to play a soccer/football game. At the same time, not everyone is interested in the realistic aspects of FIFA and other official sports titles. It’s arguably more fun and faster paced to have the ball never go out of bounds and simply bounce back into play, which REMATCH and Rocket League both understand. That’s why I would say this game has potential as the middle ground between the realistic FIFA and far out Rocket League.
What’s Good About It
Unlike Rocket League and perhaps FIFA, REMATCH is way easier to pick up with any number of friends. There’s game modes to play 3V3, 4V4, and 5v5. The fact that there are no solos or duos shows that the Devs of REMATCH wanna focus on teamplay and group matchmaking, which is totally cool. The game is easier to pick up. but it teases a lot of depth with the different combos and ability to read your opponents moves. There are systems in place to call for passes and take over goalie at a moment’s notice so it’s totally possible to play without direct communication. That makes REMATCH a lot of fun for a more casual audience, but there’s still plenty of reason to get intense about teamplay and communication as well. Although it’s totally possible to search for a game by yourself and be automatically matched with teammates, this game is definitely more fun with friends. With so much emphasis on passing and bouncing the ball off the boards, the game is designed to create those fun and intense moments of teamplay between players
The game ran fine and you’re able to play with both Xbox and Playstation controllers. Arguably, the game could have run “better” than it did, but I didn’t face any crashes or jarring bugs. What I mean by “better” is that the performance is stuck somewhere between FIFA on console and Rocket League on PC. Even on my high-end PC, the framerate didn’t meet my monitor’s refresh rate, but it didn’t become choppy or slow either. The animations are smooth and the art style is simple, but eye-catching. REMATCH and the artists at Sloclap, understand the appeal behind colorful maps and custom character design. Showing that there is a higher emphasis on fun rather than realism. I also thought the sound design was great as it actually sounds like it would when making contact with the ball in real life, which helps immerse players further in the game. The simple amount of controls feels intuitive to anyone familiar with the sport and it makes the game that much easier to pick up.
So, is this game going to be the next FIFA then? Not even close. This game is fun and has a lot of potential, but it’s not going to overthrow either Rocket League or FIFA in its current state. It provides a middle-ground that opens the field up to newer players, but it has to worry about keeping these players and that’s the most difficult part. Players are continually incentivized to play FIFA with the feature to create their own team that allows players to research and invest their own money into creating realistic and impressive teams. Rocket League players are incentivized to continue playing because of the satisfaction provided from climbing ranks and learning new moves. So what will REMATCH offer to keep players? Something along these lines or something else entirely? Either way, it can’t rely on just being accessible, people will get bored and move on quickly.
What I didn’t like about It
The following Impressions are based solely on the closed playtest that was offered shortly before release. Therefore, I understand that (hopefully) many of these issues will be fixed. Let’s start with the more subjective criticisms. This game borrows a lot of elements from Rocket League, and while they are good elements, the game can feel a little copy and paste. For all the elements they copied, one they missed is being able to see your party’s characters while in the lobby or searching for a game. This helps easily confirm when someone is in your game and gives players extra opportunity to show off their custom characters. I hope this ends up in the final game. Another criticism I have is that due to the design of the ball basically “snapping” to whoever has possession, it can be wonky to try and steal the ball or make plays with it. In Rocket League, the movement of the ball from player to player is directly influenced by the player’s movement and the laws of physics. In REMATCH, it feels more subject to latency and strict coding. However, I can understand that not all players want to have to regularly practice in order to reliably control the ball in their sports game, so REMATCH offers a far more accessible method of play.
I’m sure some of my more objective complaints will be fixed in the final release. Firstly, I couldn’t change custom key binds, which I found jarring because there is a “custom” option, but it doesn’t function. Or at least, I couldn’t figure it out. I understand it’s a playtest, but why even show the option if it doesn’t work? So you can fully customize the amount of vitiligo on your character but you can’t create custom controls? The release is not too far from the playtest, I feel like they could’ve prepared this feature in time. Secondly, the in-game menus are not that nice to navigate. For example, when navigating menu tabs on keyboard and mouse, A and E will swap the larger tabs while Q and D change the control scheme tab. Pretty awkward. This UI stuff is hopefully fixed before full release or it could be indicative of a larger problem.
Lastly, I do not think the game should be priced as high as it is. At the risk of sounding like a miser, It is my opinion that I will only purchase the full game if it is on sale or through Game Pass. I understand that the staff at Sloclap and Kepler Interactive have worked hard on this game and want to see financial return on their investment, but I think the price point is too high a barrier for entry. Some might argue that “at least it’s not as expensive as EA Sports FC 25”, but it also doesn’t offer the same level of publishing and detail of real athletes. EA Sports FC 25 can also be played as a single-player sports simulation, whereas REMATCH will always depend on having an active player base. For that reason, they should either cut the price in half or make the game free altogether and introduce a battle pass or something instead. I don’t mind being wrong, but I see a future of a quickly diminishing player base and buyer’s remorse. Even Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, which upheld an initial price for like a decade, is now becoming free-to-play. This is because the most important thing, in a multiplayer game, is to make sure new players are always willing to try the game, and everyone loves a free sample.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, REMATCH is a fun, fast, and approachable take on arcade soccer, carving out a niche somewhere between the high-skill ceiling of Rocket League and the realism of FIFA. It succeeds in being accessible and entertaining, especially for players looking for something more casual and team-focused. But accessibility alone won’t be enough to keep players coming back. The game still feels like it’s finding its identity — borrowing ideas from better-known titles without yet delivering a standout hook of its own. With tighter polish, smarter pricing, and better long-term incentives, REMATCH could absolutely grow into something special. For now, it’s a promising work-in-progress with just enough spark to keep an eye on — especially if you’re looking for a new way to play digital soccer with friends.
REMATCH is available for purchase and play on PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox series X/S as of June 19th, 2025.
