Should you play Rematch with a controller or keyboard and mouse?

Rematch has finally arrived on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S after months of alpha and beta tests. The new take on the soccer game genre already seems to be a huge hit, with some Rocket League and EA FC players jumping over to see what the hype is all about. If you decide to play Rematch on PC, though, you could be faced with a huge question before you even play your first match. Since Rematch supports both controller and keyboard and mouse inputs on PC, you might be conflicted about which one to use.

While a controller seems like the easiest answer given its history with sports games, there are definitely some advantages to using a keyboard and mouse. Below, we'll dive deeper into this debate and give you the pros and cons for both a controller and keyboard and mouse in Rematch.

For starters, if you're a Rocket League, EA FC, or another soccer game player, you ideally want to use the input device you use in those games. That will make your transition to Rematch much smoother, as the controls will initially make more sense to you.

However, this doesn't mean that Rematch recommends a controller. There are various benefits you gain from using a keyboard and mouse, and some of which could prove to be a deal-breaker for certain players.

The primary advantage that a keyboard and mouse offers is accuracy when shooting the ball. Similar to aiming in an FPS, you can precisely aim where you want to shoot the ball with a mouse, provided your sensitivity is in a good place. Compared to a joystick on a controller, a keyboard and mouse allows much more control over where the ball goes if you're an experienced player with the input device.

The same benefit applies to passing the ball in Rematch, as you can make clean and crisp passes with higher accuracy while using a mouse. This is especially noticeable when you try to shoot or pass from a long distance.

Unfortunately, that's where the benefits stop for the keyboard and mouse in Rematch. The current biggest downside to using a keyboard and mouse is that you're unable to alter your keybinds through the settings menu. This means you have to use the default keybinds the game gives you.

Aside from that, a keyboard and mouse is quite limited when it comes to movement in Rematch. Unless you use a fairly high sensitivity, you won't be able to move as quickly and efficiently while using a keyboard and mouse compared to players using a controller.

Speaking of which, a controller possesses all of the advantages that a keyboard and mouse doesn't in Rematch. A controller allows you to become a master of movement and in-game mechanics, as you're able to use the smoothness of your joysticks to make quick moves, dribble precisely, and perform tricks that are much harder to pull off with a keyboard and mouse.

Of course, as we said previously, a controller doesn't have the optimal features to pull off accurate, long-range goals and passes in Rematch. However, that's something that can be practiced and perfected, while a keyboard and mouse's limited movement isn't really something that can be fixed.

So, if you want the most optimal experience in Rematch, a controller seems to be the way to go. However, if you're partial to shooting and passing accuracy above everything else, then a keyboard and mouse might be your best route. Just keep in mind that you still can't change your keyboard and mouse keybinds as of right now. Hopefully, the developers add a way to change the keybinds in a future update.

Similarly, fans in Rematch are awaiting an update on crossplay in the future.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for more gaming guides.