Rematch Review: The Modern Shaolin Soccer

It goes without saying that EA FC takes the top spots for soccer simulation, and well, the legacy of Pro Evolution Soccer is buried. However, Imagine Rocket League, but instead of cars, we have humans kicking the ball with style. That’s Rematch for you, and I think the arcade soccer idea is brilliant, even though it could use some adjustments to truly make it shine.

Aside from the globally well-known sport, there’s one thing that might click in your head once you play Rematch, and that’s Sifu. The character design, gameplay, and even the way they kick resemble it at first glance. And that’s great. It’s far removed from what we’ve seen in the soccer games so far, and it suits the gameplay very well.

However, Rematch is still based on soccer, and its relevance to the real-life sport is kept. Its arcade element has not become too difficult to learn or too overwhelming to digest. The gameplay is simple, fun, and fast-paced, although it may be a bit tedious to stay back for the goalkeeping duties. But even in that case, you’ll become a Sweeper with extra stamina in attack, making it a somewhat 50/50 risk to rush with more power and score or leave the goal vulnerable.

The elephant in the room, of course, is the third-person view. That is the only way you can play Rematch, and the best you can do is to increase the FOV to 90 from the settings. We have had similar gameplay mechanics in PES and EA FC games as game modes for a long while now, but Rematch is a different story. Here, every player on the field is an online user, and you must actually aim your shots like FPS games, but without assistance.

Speaking of which, there ain’t no such thing as SR, power level, or anything related to elevating your player to shoot harder or gain extra dribbling moves. Since there are no Messi or Ronaldo in the game, adding them is not even necessary. I think allowing players to rely on their skill instead of upgrades in a competitive online game prevents “pay-to-win” problems in the long run. Really.

Now, even though there ain’t no skills trees to work on, you can still grind for levels. You gain more XP as you play, and by that, your account levels up. You reach level 5, unlock Ranked Play, and that’s it. For now, at least. That’s where Rematch could stick some meat to the base game, and while we can ignore the levels and reward system, a few other game modes in its playlist could be great.

As of the time of writing this review, Rematch is currently in Season 0. You can play 3v3, 4v4, and 5v5, with the addition of Ranked Play, which is also 5v5. The more crowded the mode, the less chance you’ll have to control the ball and find good teammates. I found 5v5 to be like playing soccer in junior high, where it’s a free-for-all with two goals to score. The 3v3 is probably the best, for starters, at least since you’ll have more time controlling the ball than chasing it. But the 4v4 is the most balanced, especially if you have good teammates.

On the other hand, Rematch is a blast to play with your friends! At least you know that they won’t ignore you with passes. If they’re good mates, I mean. And if your lobby is too crowded, you can always play against each other in custom matches.

As for the overall gameplay, Rematch is way easier to handle than a game like EA FC. There are numerous dribbling moves to master in simulation games, whereas Rematch currently features only a few. The R1/RB + X/A is all you need to dribble the opponents, and the goalkeeping is just a matter of good timing and jumping toward the ball with Triangle/Y. The only skill you must work on is shooting toward the goal or precisely hitting the wall for a rebound. There’s no such thing as aim assist in Rematch.

Rematch is a user-friendly arcade soccer game that you can enjoy playing, regardless of whether you’re a fan of the sport or not. The basic controls are easy, the aiming may take a bit to master, and the animations are delightful to watch, much like those in Sifu.