PITCH PERFECT

A few kinks aside, REMATCH is pitch perfect

- Justin Wagner

There's a lot going on in a 5v5 game of virtual football, but the thing I have to keep reminding myself to do is breathe. It's easy to forget when you're playing goalie a minute-and-a-half into extra time and three opponents are trading the ball in front of your net as they gear up for shot, but you'll need a lungful of air so you can rejoice or curse in a way the neighbours can hear when you make or don't make the big save.

I've rarely thought of a sports game as immersive, but here I can practically feel the turf whizzing by as I kick it up. That's because Rematch – aka Rocket League with feet instead of wheels – is as intense an arcade sports game as I've played in a long time, nailing that tightrope walk between depth and immediacy I associate with sports game greats like Super Mega Baseball and Daytona USA. It's an arcadey, stylised take on footy that trims fat like foul play and penalty cards to home in on the core of dribbling, shooting, passing, and intercepts.

The standout feature is that each player controls a single team member in third-person, trading roles like goalkeeper and striker.

Despite the lack of fist fights,