Slapshot: Rebound

"Slapshot: Rebound is a free-to-play, 3v3 hockey game with physics-based mechanics that emphasizes skill and teamwork. Play with friends or join others online in matchmaking, with training modes available to improve your skills. Compete to climb the leaderboards and participate in leagues around the world."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,945 reviews

gameplay140 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

gameplay
355 mentions
39 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Slapshot: Rebound" is characterized by a steep learning curve due to its complex mechanics, which can be challenging for new players but rewarding for those who invest time in mastering them. Players appreciate the game's unique physics-based approach, likening it to "Rocket League" but with its own distinct hockey elements, resulting in fast-paced and competitive matches. While the mechanics are praised for their depth and creativity, some users report issues with controls and server performance, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is a masterclass in balancing fun with skill.”
- “The mechanics encourage creativity, with moments of brilliance emerging from a perfect pass, a well-timed shot, or a last-second save.”
- “Slapshot: Rebound delivers a hat-trick of fun with its fast-paced gameplay, intense matches, and vibrant community.”
- “It's just hard to learn the mechanics.”
- “While the gameplay balance is solid, there’s a noticeable skill gap that can be tough to overcome for new players.”
- “Controls and gameplay are awful.”
humor
131 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is widely praised, with players highlighting its chaotic physics and silly mechanics that lead to countless hilarious moments, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews note that the game's simplicity and unpredictable nature create a fun and entertaining experience, often resulting in laughter and lighthearted frustration. Overall, it is recommended as a great choice for casual gaming sessions filled with comedic mishaps.
- “Every flick of the stick, every scramble in the crease, every hilarious moment where you collide with your teammate instead of the puck—all screaming: game of the year.”
- “Ridiculous and hilarious, a great game to play with friends for some casual fun.”
- “When I first played with my friends, I was crying laughing at how stupid it looked skating around and failing to hit the puck.”
graphics
67 mentions
39 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Slapshot: Rebound" receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the clean aesthetic and improved visuals compared to its predecessor, while others criticize the simplistic and sometimes underwhelming graphical quality. Despite the basic art style, the game is noted for its smooth performance, especially on lower-end devices, and its fun, engaging gameplay. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they complement the game's enjoyable mechanics and community-focused experience.
- “The clean graphics and fluid animations keep the focus on the gameplay, while the soundtrack and sound effects add a layer of immersion that pulls you in.”
- “The visual design of the arenas and cosmetics is well done, with a clean aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The game's graphics are visually stunning.”
- “However, it falls short on graphical quality.”
- “Challenging NHL 21, Slapshot: Rebound excels in its simplistic mechanics and community engagement, but lacks in graphical finesse.”
- “Graphics, lighting, sounds... everything is giving away a very cheap, low-effort, mobile, pay-to-win feel.”
story
46 mentions
11 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The reviews present a mixed perspective on the game's story, with some players praising it as deeply emotional and transformative, while others note a lack of narrative depth or even the absence of a story altogether. Many highlight the game's ability to evoke personal reflection and connection, contrasting it with other titles that they found lacking in storytelling. Overall, the game's narrative impact varies significantly among players, with some finding it profound and others dismissing it as minimal or non-existent.
- “This game changed me forever; the story made me cry. I love this game so much; this is the best game ever made. I don't think I'd be the man I am today without it. Please, for the higher powers above, play this game. I truly have fallen in love with this title.”
- “I wasn't prepared to actually love the lore and story behind a game like this. It even made me reflect on my own life and personal struggles through the main character.”
- “Very interesting and touching story with a lot of depth into the characters.”
- “This game has no story.”
- “As we started playing, we realized there's no shoot button - talk about a plot twist!”
- “Only gameplay, doesn't include a story.”
monetization
29 mentions
10 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
59 % negative mentions
The game's monetization strategy primarily revolves around cosmetic microtransactions, which are generally viewed as non-predatory and not essential for gameplay. While some players appreciate the absence of intrusive ads and the ability to earn in-game currency through play, others express frustration over the presence of background advertisements, particularly military-themed ones, and the perception of a cash grab through cosmetic DLCs. Overall, the monetization model is seen as friendly for a free-to-play game, though opinions vary on its execution and impact on the player experience.
- “This game's monetization strategy also gives off a strong anti-greed sentiment that I can get behind.”
- “For a free-to-play game, there's not much more you could ask for in terms of their monetization strategy, since the only things you can buy are cosmetics, and if you play the game enough, you'll just earn enough currency to get them without paying.”
- “It’s free to play, with a non-predatory monetization model.”
- “Game is full of advertisements, community is very toxic to new players.”
- “Gey devs milking the cosmetic items for a cash grab instead of improving the game, the graphics suck.”
- “Hiding ads in the game might be a support to the dev but it's sneaky and this game isn't worth the time to waste watching ads midgame....I hate advertising in games like for real.”
music
22 mentions
45 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the main menu soundtrack and finding it immersive, while others note a lack of in-game music during matches, which detracts from the experience. Many suggest that additional background music could enhance gameplay, although some players have found ways to improve their experience by playing their own music. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated but could benefit from more variety and presence during gameplay.
- “The clean graphics and fluid animations keep the focus on the gameplay, while the soundtrack and sound effects add a layer of immersion that pulls you in.”
- “Best game I have ever played, even the music slaps.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
- “For the devs, you paid for your music but Redzed also paid for his production of Deadboy98.”
- “Just filling noises, no music.”
- “It needs a bit of background music during the game, but otherwise totally worth the time.”
grinding
15 mentions
7 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
53 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite extensive, often requiring significant time investment, likening it to needing "a second life" to keep up. While some appreciate the challenge and fun that comes with grinding, others feel it can be excessive, particularly regarding coin accumulation for cosmetics. Despite the grind, many players still enjoy the experience, especially when playing with friends.
- “A bit grindy... sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There is a lot of grinding though!”
- “Gaining in-game coins to purchase cosmetics for your player can be a bit grindy, but that's my only complaint.”
emotional
15 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a profound emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to evoke tears and personal transformation through a touching narrative and character depth. Many reviewers describe the experience as life-changing, with some even finding love within the game's community. However, there are contrasting opinions, with some players feeling frustrated by gameplay mechanics, which detracts from their emotional engagement.
- “I cried.”
- “Tears embrace its highs and lows, a testament to its emotional journey.”
- “Very interesting and touching story with a lot of depth into the characters.”
optimization
14 mentions
29 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
57 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag spikes, and poor controls, particularly affecting those with higher ping. While some users noted smooth performance on certain devices, the overall consensus highlights a need for substantial improvements in server stability and input responsiveness to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The game runs smoothly without any lag or glitches and feels well-optimized.”
- “Runs smoothly on my laptop.”
- “It improves on the original in almost every way with better stick handling and puck physics (including the ability to raise the puck, which is a complete game changer!), a vastly improved new player experience (including fantastic offline practice modes and extremely customizable private lobbies), and impressive performance options for an indie game.”
- “Frequently seeing massive spikes and stuttering for all or some players in a lobby.”
- “Constant stuttering, high ping despite getting ping below 50 milliseconds.”
- “This is the laggiest game I've played for this long in my life. If you have more than 40/50 ping, you are at a huge disadvantage. Here, you have so much input lag that it feels like you wait almost a full second before your input goes through, on top of that, the game has lag spikes and stuttering every other minute.”
stability
13 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and freezing issues that can disrupt gameplay, particularly on European servers. While some players have experienced smooth performance without major issues, the overall consensus leans towards the game being buggy and in need of improvements to its mechanics and stability.
- “Also the tutorial freezes if you mess it up when lifting your stick over the puck, so I never go to finish that.”
- “Lots of crashes, glitches, and an auto-ban system (you can get banned for just people reporting you, without any warning).”
- “Sometimes the game even freezes at times, making games unplayable on Euro servers for me in Britain.”
replayability
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with users noting it can be played endlessly due to its engaging mechanics and skill gaps. However, some players express frustration with inconsistent server performance, which can hinder the experience. Improvements in controls could further enhance its replay value.
- “Awesome game with endless replayability.”
- “Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
- “Fun with high level skill gaps makes for entertaining and replayable game.”
- “In order to make this game far more playable, the developers should have designed the controls so that when you move in a direction, your character faces that direction.”
- “Weekends are still a nightmare to get consistent servers that are playable.”
- “5/15 game time / replayability”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as fun and engaging, making it ideal for casual competition among friends while also catering to high-level competitive play. Players appreciate the combination of enjoyable mechanics and a vibrant style that enhances the overall experience.
- “On the surface, the mechanics coupled with the fun atmosphere make this game look like a perfect fun time for anyone looking to have a casual competition with friends or other players, while also filling the role of a high-level competitive sports game.”
- “The game itself is quite fun; I like its atmosphere and style.”