AFL 26 Review (PS5, PlayStation 5)
Summary: AFL 26 hits the points but not the goals!
3.45
Almost a goal!
AFL 26 marks the latest instalment in Big Ant Studios’ ongoing effort to bring Australian Rules Football (AFL) to gaming consoles. Building on the foundation of previous titles, particularly after AFL 23’s challenging launch, AFL 26 aims to deliver a more refined and immersive experience. As a result, it offers smoother gameplay, updated visuals and deeper tactical options, showcasing a clear learning curve from past iterations. While some legacy issues persist, this entry does provide a more polished footy experience for fans, including some controller range along the way. Oh and besides the AFL, it has state teams and the AFLWL!
Gameplay modes of AFL 26
- Player Career Mode
This is a brand new and highly anticipated mode where you create your own player and guide them through their journey from draft day dreams to game-day glory in either the AFL or AFLW. You train, rise through the ranks, overcome setbacks, and celebrate milestones. You can choose to control only your created player or the entire team - Pro Team
In this mode, you build and upgrade your own “Pro Team” and compete through seasons to unlock rewards and showcase your skills against rivals - Management Career (Coach Mode)
This mode allows you to take the reins as a coach, shaping your team’s destiny. You manage your list, nurture young talent, and make in-game decisions to push your team towards premiership glory. This mode has been expanded to offer more control over finances, scheduling, and clear objectives compared to previous iterations - Exhibition/Single Matches
While not always explicitly named as a “mode,” the ability to play individual matches with any of the 18 AFL and AFLW teams is a core part of the game - Multiplayer
AFL 26 supports multiplayer, allowing players to compete against each other
The game also introduces new tactical options that deepen strategic play as players can now tag opponents or strategically position a spare player anywhere on the field, opening up possibilities for reinforcing defense or taking calculated risks by pushing an extra forward. While these additions enhance gameplay depth, some mechanics carried over from AFL 23 remain unchanged, meaning a degree of trial and error is still involved in mastering optimal playstyles.
For newcomers, AFL 26 presents a steep learning curve due to the inherent complexity of Australian Rules Football that when combined with its competitive AI, it can make initial matches challenging even on easier difficulty settings. You also need to complete the tutorial, or else you will find yourself in a whole world of pain and while you won’t master the gameplay, it will give you the basics because there are quite a few buttons to remember. Seasoned players may also find the lowest difficulty more demanding than expected, making early domination difficult to achieve. The customisation feature of “Academy Tools” will also benefit some players who want to design and personalise their own clubs, players and stadiums which will increase the longevity of this title, not to mention the Hall of Fame feature.
On PlayStation 5, AFL 26 improves the overall performance on this console, including significantly faster load times that adds to the gameplay. However, it doesn’t fully leverage the capabilities of next-gen hardware which means occasional frame rate dips can occur during intense, chaotic moments, particularly when many players are contesting the ball in tight spaces. Playing with a real-player is a totally different ball game and does make the gameplay feel more refined and natural, opposed to the sometimes-interesting AI choices for single-player.
While the DualSense controller is utilized, it doesn’t offer the deep, immersive feel found in other sports titles that fully embrace the controller’s advanced features. This has been a curse for developers trying to bring AFL to the PC and console world because unlike EA Sports with its “unlimited” budget, this digital game has always been just out of reach. If you’re expecting a David Zaharakis from the Bombers Anzac Day winning goal, AFL 26 gets the point opposed to the goal. However with that said, the game undeniably feels like AFL which is where Big Ant Studios have succeeded, so kicking, handballing, marking is all incorporated and of course points and goals which makes it the best version of AFL to date, even with gaming warts. So yes, the core mechanics are commendable that also allows you various tactics on the field as well.
Graphics & Audio
Graphically, AFL 26 benefits from updated animations and performance enhancements which does provide sharper visuals, improved lighting and more lifelike player models, the game still feels like a last-gen title. Again, this means it doesn’t quite reach the graphical fidelity seen in other modern sports titles as animations can occasionally appear stiff and some player movements lack the fluidity found in higher-budget productions.
Audio-wise, the commentary is serviceable but could benefit from more dynamic excitement as at times it does become repetitive and that the commentators (Anthony Hudson, Gary Lyon, Daniel Harford, Kelli Underwood & Jason Bennett) have called in their lines. However, crowd reactions and the overall stadium atmosphere contribute to bringing matches to life, yet there remains room for improvement in future instalments.
Final Thoughts?
AFL 26 is a commendable iteration that refines its predecessors’ foundation while introducing meaningful improvements. The enhanced marking system, deeper tactical options and more challenging goalkicking contribute to a more engaging experience, despite the persistence of some long-standing issues. While the PlayStation 5 version is fast for load times and performance, it doesn’t represent a groundbreaking leap forward for next-gen hardware. Nevertheless, AFL 26 is a significant step in the right direction for Australian Rules Football gaming and fans of the sport will undoubtedly appreciate the considerable effort put into this title.
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