AFL 26 Review - Premiers Aren't Made In May
In a world where global sports like Soccer, NBA, hell, even faux-sports like WWE are getting great to excellent video game representations. Less glamorised sports like Cricket, Baseball, and Tennis have also been the recipients of some excellent games, but AFL, one of the most niche sports out there, as on account of the sport’s size and reach, has had a tumultuous ride when it comes to video game representation. We’ve seen highs, and more recently some lows in the form of Big Ant’s AFL 23, but like any good team in the AFL, they’ve gone into review mode, reflected, made changes, largely implemented them effectively, and have crafted a vastly superior (and functioning) experience with AFL 26. Having spent dozens of hours playing matches and exploring the numerous modes available in the game, I can confidently say that Big Ant have lifted the bar for AFL adaptations going forward.
It’s best to begin with the overall playing experience, with it being the element that underpins all else. AFL 26 is equal to, or superior to AFL 23 as a playing experience in every conceivable way. From improvements to the goal-kicking system, which both increases the difficulty, but also make the system more accessible, and encourages the player to deliver the ball deeper inside-50 to have a simpler shot on goal. Marking has been improved and who is in possession of the ball is easier to ascertain than in the past title (and essentially all other previous AFL games for that matter), leading to fewer scenarios where I would simply rocket handballs around until the ball ended up with someone in space, or recklessly tackled everyone if I believed that I wasn’t in possession of the ball. In the case of AFL 26, some simple, but important UI improvements have made the moment-to-moment of a match much less frustrating, and far more functional. AFL 26 also introduces some extremely helpful tutorials which feel like a must for players to try before the launch into a match, as I found out the hard way.
As well as the direct control that you have over a player, Big Ant have implemented a range of improvements to the games tactical suite, allowing the player to send players behind the ball to serve as an extra defender, and implement tagging roles upon opposition players, all atop the suite of options seen in AFL 23. Players can then choose from a lengthy list of possible strategic options, but what works best will be dictated partially by your playing style. Are you playing a heavily offensive or defensive game? Do you prefer to handball your way through a contest, or just get the ball on the boot? These differences will necessitate certain moves from the coaches’ box tactically, but it’s always work tinkering with the settings to see what suits you best.
The various systems underpinning AFL 26 are some of the best adaptations of the beloved sport have seen; however, some technical hiccups occasionally get in the way. While there is nothing even remotely as significant as the issues that constantly plagued AFL 23, AFL 26 does present a couple of pain points, sometimes you will go to kick the ball in a certain direction, only for the player to pivot on the spot and kick in another direction, or simply not kick it with the level of depth you had intended, leading to a ridiculous turnover (and potential goal). Sometimes, despite your best intentions strategically, your non-player-controlled have a penchant for not following instructions and going rogue tactically, and sometimes even actively running away from a ball as it enters their space. There is still the lingering feeling, no matter the difficulty level you play at as well that if you just tackle repeatedly, eventually the ball will pop out into space for you, at which point you can extract and dump the ball long inside-50 for a scoring thrust. It’s not the most elegant version of the game, but it gets the job done, unfortunately, it may not be how you want to play, yet you’ll be forced into it nonetheless, one of the great disadvantages that comes with trying to recreate such an expansive game, that can also have so much going on in a cramped space.
The moment-to-moment playing experience is, of course, the core of AFL 26, but there are a host of ways that you can engage with these systems. Of course, players will have the ability to launch into a quick match against a human or AI opponent, either locally or online; however, the game now features a much-needed career mode. As either an up-and-coming recruit of the game (in either AFL or AFLW) or an established superstar of the game, players can build their own story as they chase premiership success or repeated tilts at glory. You’ll go through the lower levels of the U18 championships, you’ll try to survive the drama of draft night, all the while you’re aiming to hit some in-game (and broader) KPIs to improve your player’s game, and their standing within the larger AFL community. Modes like this in the AFL are definitely suited best to those who want to be rockstar forwards and midfielders, where the action can be plentiful, but if you’re crafting a defender, as you grow more fluent in the game’s systems, the ball will spend less time down there, and your player won’t see the growth you would like.
AFL 26 again lets you indulge in a whole team management mode, and this component is impressively fleshed out compared to the prior title. Players can tweak the club’s financial plans, schedule, and customise training, budget for travel, and more. While the temptation will always be there to simply push on and get to the latest match, there are so many more layers to explore. Team management allows you to play the game, and chase down some on-field objectives that see the club rewarded, but off-field, you’re also pursuing record membership totals, profitability, and more. In the modern game, an AFL club is a business as well as a football team, and through team management, you can explore both sides of the coin, and it works well.
Finally, there’s Pro Team, something that was heavily advertised with the launch of AFL 23, but took a significant amount of time before it finally was added to the product. Pro Team (think EA Sports FC’s Ultimate Team) returns and gives players the opportunity to craft their own team from a laundry list of past and present AFL players. As more players hopefully come in time, this mode is only going to get more addicting, but for those who have itches scratched by modes such as Ultimate Team, AFL 26’s Pro Team is going to do a fantastic job, and also tug at the purse-strings a bit as well.
Finally, there is the game’s presentation. AFL 26 is the best visual representation of the AFL game that we’ve had to date. No, that doesn’t mean you should expect the visual fidelity of an EA Sports FC or an NBA 2K entry, but there has been another visible stride forward. Certainly, the marquee players have received more TLC than others, and some players do look a bit ridiculous compared to their real-world likeness, but the strides forward are all that I’m looking for in this space. The game’s UI is one of the biggest areas of clear improvement, making the user experience much cleaner to navigate, especially when you’re new, learning the ropes mechanically. The commentary still has some moments to be desired, and some lines of dialogue are spoken wayyyyy too often, but, like the visuals, there are also noticeable improvements in this realm.
AFL 26, despite its couple of warts, is still the definitive AFL video game. Bit by bit, we’re nearing the video game version of premiership success, but right now, we’re still getting a game that gives off the same vibes as a team who sits atop the ladder in May, but have a lot to prove before September. Perhaps, by September, with a few tweaks and updates, we’ll have an even better version of AFL 26 that can experience premiership-like success.
AFL 26 was reviewed on a PS5 with a PS4 code kindly provided by Big Ant Studios.
