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Hardware: Rivals, currently in beta on PS4, entered my consciousness recently not so much with a fanfare but with a low, persistent rumble. The majority of the people I've spoken to so far about Sony's drivey-shooty title have been more than happy to play the soothsayer, each saying the same thing; this game might be onto something special. This, they say reverentially, could be the next Rocket League. It won't be, but I can see why you came to think that. (I think this privately, because I'm not a very nice person.) The presentation of Hardware: Rivals is clearly skewed toward the Rocket League audience, tempting them with the promise of a similar experience - fast enough to get your heart pumping, brief enough that you've always got time for one more match and losing never hurts too much. But that's about as far as it goes.
While I'm certain Hardware: Rivals was already some way into development when Rocket League swept in, I get the distinct impression its presentation was retrofitted to emulate that of its noisy, sporty cousin. That's a shame, really, because they're two very different beasts; Rocket League is a sports game, Hardware: Rivals is a multiplayer shooter. Beyond the breezy presentation, the only similarity in the DNA of these games is that you're driving a car.
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