When Slocap revealed Rematch at The Game Awards last year, it took players by surprise, for better or worse. Before displaying a single frame of gameplay, the trailer proudly proclaims it's "from the studio behind Sifu," but a sequel to the 2022 beat 'em up wasn't to be found. Against all odds, Rematch is already off to a promising start, with over one million players stepping onto the pitch. Curious about the game's origins, I sat down with creative Pierre Tarno from Sloclap to find out more.
Before Sifu, Sloclap's previous action game effort, Absolver, set the foundation for the studio's penchant for unique combat and movement mechanics. It's a game that relies on patience and thought behind each strike, parry, and feint, rather than brute force. Rematch is born out of a similar ethos. "Rematch came from a love of third-person action games, team-based online gameplay, and, of course, football," Tarno tells me.
The new Steam Deck game's premise came into focus with a singular move, though. "One moment really stood out for us: the volley. That instant when you strike the ball without controlling it first. It's instinctive, beautiful, and collective. We wanted to build a game around that kind of feeling. Fluid, responsive, and focused on timing and teamwork," Tarno adds. Getting the first touch in Rematch is unlike any other sports game I've played in recent memory. There's a sense of fear behind it, but it's an exciting rush, as Rematch doesn't handhold your way to victory.
It echoes Sifu's gameplay in many ways, pushing you to find the limits of the game's mechanics. TikTok is already rife with methods known as the 'Ippy Slide' and gonzo ways of goal scoring that have me scratching my head. But Sloclap could have easily moved on with Sifu 2, so why didn't it? "From the outside, it probably looks like a sharp turn. But for us, there's a clear thread that connects all our games: bodies in motion, reactive gameplay, and a strong sense of physicality," Tarno explains.
"After supporting Sifu with major free updates, we felt ready to explore something new. As an independent studio, we have the creative freedom to take risks, and we wanted to use that to make something fresh, even if it meant learning a lot along the way," he expresses. While Rematch still has some hurdles to overcome, like implementing clubs and refining some of its live-service aspects, there's a strong sense that this is something special. It isn't without some degree of difficulty, though, as the initial skill ceiling can be daunting.
Despite the barriers of learning Rematch's unique third-person shooter hook, it eventually clicks. The results are euphoric, as I'm currently on my way to 100 goals scored overall. Before I get there, Tarno shares with me that Rematch's goal is to be "expressive, readable, and energetic. Our animation approach comes from action games more than sports sims."
For some players, the game's reverence for non-sports game titles may be jarring. It's nowhere near the style of gameplay you'll find in genre staples like EA FC. "We weren't chasing realism, we were chasing credibility," Tarno says.
In response to this, Tarno relays that "you can hop in and have fun with friends, but the more you play, the more depth you discover. It's not just about mechanics, it's about decision-making, movement, and rhythm." Since launch, Sloclap has been keeping consistent with hotfixes and improvements, but that's just the start. Tarno teases that Rematch will "keep expanding" its gameplay mechanics, by bringing "improvements to the sliding tackle, to the goalkeeper mechanic, to the dribbling system."
It isn't all informed by Sloclap's preferences. Tarno iterates to me that the developer is listening: "We're also closely monitoring how players interact with the game to make sure our design intentions align with how the community plays."
Rematch is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It's also Steam Deck verified, which is always a win. You can read our Rematch review to hear more about it.
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