Reviews

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  NoLandForOtherCountries

  Jul 30, 2016

  'The Washington Savages' I laughed.
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  AtmaVegeta

  Jul 30, 2016

  The AI feels like a huge improvement over Axis Football 2015. In '15 I could get a sack every other play (I play on All-Star difficulty). In '16 I got 1 sack and actually lost the game. AI improvement alone makes this game far superior.
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  Heichi

  Jul 30, 2016

  I really wanted this game to be good, but I just don't enjoy it. The gameplay has kind of a late 90s feel to it, along with a comparable AI. Despite frequent mentions of franchise mode, you have 0 control over your franchise. There are no substitutions, trades, free agency, draft...any of the things one would want from a franchise mode. What sucks is that franchise mode is currently what I like least about Madden, so I would expect a competitor to offer something there. I've yet to master the passing mechanic, which I did find intriguing, but given the graphics and in-game physics, really hard to adjust to. I ended up requesting a refund, as I felt the advertisement of a franchise mode was very misleading.
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  Letalis13

  Jul 30, 2016

  Oh where to begin... Up front: The Pros here are outnumbered by the cons. Do not buy unless you understand two things. 1. This is not anywhere near as good as Madden was well over a decade ago. 2. You're not paying for a superior football simulation so much as helping a (tiny!) developer create an alternative to EA. Pros: -Decent number of mod options apparently available. None used so far, just the game "out of the box." -Franchise mode! For when you're in it for the long haul. -Quick Play mode...for when you want a...quickie. -Passing game control using mouse is easy/intuitive and innovative. Allows you to put the ball where you want. -Good audible and hot route system, but no option to simply flip play direction at the line of scrimmage. -32 teams to choose from...wonder how they arrived at that number... Bugs/Cons/Gripes: Complaints and negative generally fall into the three categories below: gameplay, graphics and sound. Gameplay: -No sense of physical inertia in the game at all. When there is a collision, players simply fall down at the point of contact. -No substitutes. The players on the field are who you have, period. -No injuries -No fake punts or fake field goals -There is only a small difference between how a lineman looks and handles on defense versus a defensive back. -No defensive audibles. -No real options/special moves available if playing as a defensive lineman...or any defensive player for that matter. -No instant replay or option to record matches. -In a game with 10 minute quarters there was a grand total of ONE broken tackle. Spins and jukes are basically useless. -Announcer is bland, repetitive and sounds like he is referring to powder puff football. -Quarterbacks can throw the ball 95 yards in the air. -Scale of field to players is off. Field feels like it is 30 yards wide, not 43 and change. -Far too many dropped passes. -Zero receiver animation in some cases, the ball simply bounces off a guy with arms at his sides. -In first (only) game played, my QB had over 40yds rushing...but had no rushing stats. -NO PLAY CLOCK. What time is it? Tea time you say? I'll leave my boys at the line of scrimmage for a half hour then! -Game clock only moves 10 seconds at a time after a play. My team had 130 plays in a 40 minute game. -Zero indication of when a quarter has come to an end other than looking at the clock. -No wind or wind indications, even in the kicking game. -Kicking and punting controls make it much easier to kick to the right than to the left. -TINY PLAYBOOKs. All teams have same playbook with a total of up to 8 plays for each of the half dozen formations. -On punts, kickoffs and incomplete passes, THE BALL DOES NOT BOUNCE when it hits the ground!?! (#VelcroBowl2016) Graphics: -Wideout animations are odd before the snap and freeze to the point they don't look alive till the snap occurs. -Runner animations have a very high center of gravity and wierd arm movements. (Special Olympics, is that you?) -Quarterback animation upon dropping back is same goofy one from Axis '15. Zero NFL QBs act/look like they're chilling at the disco. Once you notice, you can't un-notice. -Crowd sprites would not be awful if they had more than two colors and weren't in the shape of the stadium seats! -1920x1080 resolution looks like 1024x720 Sound: -Announcer bland, repetitive and annoying. Zero references to team, field position, player name. -After playing one game, started a second but quit out of annoyance because of a wierd persistent ringing tone. Closing Thoughts: I played a quick match to generate this review and quit during the second quick match because of a game bug. Despite the fact I won that first game 43-42 in overtime on pro difficulty, there were far too many shortcomings for it to be a satisfying gaming experience. I love playing football in real life, watching football on TV, playing football on consoles. I want to like playing football on the PC. Axis Football 2016 as a competitor to EA just is not there yet. We're not talking not in the same league, zip code, area code, state...no my friend, that would be too kind. We're talking in terms of a pseudo third-world video game in comparison virtually across the board here. This is the kind of game that cohabitates the abstract space occupied by AK-47s and angry black people shooting other angry black people. This game had to learn DirkaDirka on the same streets as the neighborhood suicide bomber before it came across the border into the US, got on to Steam without a photo ID and voted 3,000 times in Florida and Idaho as an undocumented democrat. (I can't resist, it's an election year) The feature set that is in place is decent enough, but the core gameplay itself is so unengaging and flawed that I would have to force myself through a season, and that's something I've never had to do going all the way back to the age of Tecmo. With ALL that said, I hate EA. I hate EA enough to shave my chest hair and eat it if they would simply stop being EA. I hate EA enough to give this tiny developer a thumbs up despite the fact their game probably doesn't deserve it. The effort put forth here IS somewhat praiseworthy for all the negatives. Football is not simple to simulate as compared to say, golf, and EA has had large, well-funded teams refine their product over many years. I want to support an alternative to EA very badly, but I also need to write a review that gives prospective buyers an idea of what they are purchasing. Do I regret paying $20 for this game? Kinda. If it were just the game, oh my yes. If it were just the game itself being judged, it is worth 5-10 bucks in my book. But you're not just buying a game, you're buying hope for the little man and hope for a rebirth of football on the PC that isn't run by the cash-grabbing *BLEEEEEP* at EA. All that said, odds are you're gonna want something better too, even with the lowered expectations from this review - you have been warned. In the end, (

  ) I give Axis 2016 only a 5 out of 10 but a thumbs up for heading in the right direction...that and not being EA.

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  Fooshigi

  Jul 30, 2016

  Not a ton to it yet, but I'm really pulling for this to become THE american football simulator. It's got a solid, fun foundation but lacks replayability right now. That should come once the Franchise mode gets fleshed out. I'm happy to have spent $20 on it but if you're expecting a deep experience, it's not there yet.
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  Eliseo

  Aug 1, 2016

  Update: The game plays a hundred times smoother now after not playing it for a while. It is really nice. I was really impressed how much smoother everything feels. You can play the game with a mouse and keyboard and it's so fun. The passing game is unlike anything I've ever played and the running game is reminiscent of Tecmo but better, The teams are really cool and creatively named. I have been having alot of fun playing this game and i can see myself playing it for a very long time. The only thing i was kinda looking for was the ability to pump fake when passing but after playing a couple games I feel that the game is still super fun without pump faking, You can scramble, juke effectively, and dive.
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  The Crazy Monk

  Aug 2, 2016

  I want to start off my review by saying simply, you CAN get the regular NFL uniforms and current roster as a mod and this is the link (so you don't go digging around like I did): http://axisgames.proboards.com/thread/35/nfl-experience-2016-mod-available Installation is simple, a video is provided even if you can't figure it out. Now time for the review. Pros: -A Madden alternative -Developers and a few modders display commitment towards creating a good Madden alt that attempts to excell where the current game does not. -The QB throwing dynamic is amazing. Not only do you have to find the open receiver, you have to aim correctly. It's more difficult but more rewarding as it feels realistic. -Kicking is not as easy and it feels great. You have to balance your power with accuracy, where in Madden of course you just kick it as hard as you can in the direction you desire. -There is potential for some awesome mods support, but it is currently lacking. As stated before you can mod the uniforms, team name, and roster. I think you can also edit the audible sound clips and the hot routes, and maybe more. I would really love the ability to add the correct schedule for our team as I want to play according to the actual NFL schedule. I'm sure graphics and animation mods would help too. Also individual adjustments to each QB voice would be VERY useful for modders. I would love hearing the actual voice of the NFL QBs as audibles are called. Cons: -Not as many options as Madden -Defense feels bland to play on -Animations and graphics are obviously well below Madden's but you really can't complain given the circumstances. -Mod support is not quite there yet. -No ability (as far as I am aware) to modify the schedule which this game needs IMO -Franchise mode is underwhelming. Needs more options and adjustments. Overall I recommend it for the QB/K play but mostly its potential. I'm not going to lie, I probably will continue to play far more Madden than Axis. However I think we really need some alternative so for that reason I will not request a refund in order to support the developers. If this game can achieve what it set out to do originally, I think it will thrive. To the developers please focus on Franchise mode a bit more for us that don't want to play multiplayer, this is one of the ways this game can really outshine Madden. Also consider some fun game modification settings for multiplayer like gravity adjustment, speed, slow-mo, etc. You should try and do everything that madden does not. Give this game some flavor that catches people's attention. Being on the PC is a huge plus, but not enough. I'm sure I speak for the rest of us when I say that I want this game to thrive. I don't want to spend $60 a year on what is essentially the same game with an updated roster and schedule. Give me a game that I can mod and update on my own, and release sequels every few years to upgrade graphics and mechanics... etc. Good luck and thank you!
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  jensen.s.graves

  Aug 7, 2016

  A game that pales in comparison to Madden, but does show enough potential to keep me interested in how this series develops. I don't regret the purchase and recommend this to anyone who prefers PC gaming ot console gaming. The passing mechanics are unique and a little annoying at first but with practice you should get better. Runnning the ball becomes much more difficult the bigger a lead you have and your O-line tends to disengage blocks sooner when you're ahead. Playing on defense is a little bland due to a lack of abilities and diversity when it comes to how players handle, and your D-lineman gnereally move too slow to sack any QB. I've had fun with this game thus far but can't imagine I'm going to invest as many hours as I have already in the first week in the future. If you want a football game on your PC and don't like EA then please support this small developer.
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  N1GHTMARExxx

  Aug 13, 2016

  If you love American Football and are looking for an alternative to Madden, please give this game a chance. The graphics might be rough, but the game has come a long way since last year's version and the developer has some exciting plans for future content.
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  jbyroade

  Aug 16, 2016

  This football game brings back memories of Front Page Sports 98. It had a complete franchise system so much better than any madden. I think Axis will be made into the best PC football game ever given more updates
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  kalucas

  Aug 18, 2016

  I bought this game based on the good reviews, the activity of the developer on the forum communicating with the users, and the hope that this will develop into a really great game. The game is far from perfect but hopefully that will come in time. I played through 3 games tonight. Each game was close and produced realistic stats. I can see myself spending a lot of time with this game.
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  Ciesel

  Aug 27, 2016

  This is not Madden. I want Madden. Can't have Madden. This will have to do. Go into it with this mindset and you'll be alright. Otherwise don't buy it. Seriously no play clock? WTF. Buy this game with the hopes that they'll get enough buys to develop a real football game for steam/pc. This is essentially Tecmo Bowl with advanced timed passing and better graphics. Lead blockers do not pick up blocks. Defense is essentially 4-3 / base man and guard the slot receiver. Offense is toss to rb and run to the outside or short passes past the d line. 40-15 scores all day. This game is limited in features. I really want to like this game. But it's a tough pill to swallow. Weird glitches. Like holding right on kick offs and their return runner runs OB. When you get the ball off a turn over, don't press any buttons to pick a defense player and just hold left stick down. Interception.
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  boomhauertjs

  Aug 31, 2016

  My interest in playing football games has decreased in recent years, mainly because of the ineptitude of my favorite team, the Cleveland Browns. I no longer a hardcore football gamer, but I still enjoy playing from time to time. I was interested in an alternative to Madden that features lots of modability, so I decided to invest in Axis Football. The game still has a way to go to be comparable to even last gen football games, though it does play a reasonably fun game of football. If you're buying this game, you have to think of it as an investment in future versions where the developer is promising to bring in more features you'd expect in a current gen football game. My only concerns is that for a game that is supposed to be very mod friendly, the modding community is nearly dead. The only available mods, NFL and NCAA rosters, were released when the game came out, but there has been next to nothing since. That's definitely been the most disappointing aspect to me. Also, the amount of news on updates from the developer has seemed to dry up as well, which makes me nervous that he has already stopped supporting this version to work on next year's. I'm giving it a recommend because the bones are there for a good football game. Hopefully, a few more updates add in things like substitutions and more audio modding options and then next year we'll see a more robust game.
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  Brad's Games

  Sep 21, 2016

  For an indie American football game it's very fun to play and it shows real potential. This isn't Madden by any means but since EA has abandon us this is the next best thing.
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  kalimnyak

  Oct 1, 2016

  [b]If you want to play football on a pc and can lower your expectations as far as presentation and realism are concerned, this game is for you. [/b] [h1]What Needs Work:[/h1] 🏈 Animations are basic and clunky 🏈 No sense of inertia or impact physics (NFL2K5 is over a decade old and still feels amazing in this regard) 🏈 Players on the field have slippery movement. You'll run the ball and have a hole and suddenly a defender magically slides in front of you from across the field 🏈 Sound design is poor. I run an additional loop track of crowd noise in the background as well as music to beef it up and turn the less than stellar announcer down a bit. 🏈 No play clock and the time mechanics in general are off. 🏈 The kicking mechanics are almost arbitrary. I have played games now where even the AI couldn't pick up the extra point after a touchdown for the entire game. [h1]So Why Play?:[/h1] 🏈 It's fun! 🏈 Mod support 🏈 I want to play football on my PC 🏈 Xbox One controller works great 🏈 Despite my criticisms, I like what the developer is doing and want to see them continue to build and refine Between the NFL mod that I DL from the mod forums and the doctoring I've done to get more robust crowd noise and music into the game, it feels reasonably close to NFL football. I only have a little over 2 hours of play time right now but even with some of the negatives, I keep coming back for more.
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  wheeler.jorge

  Oct 7, 2016

  Ive been playing madden since, it came out on Genesis. I still own 2K5 which is still the best football game ever made. I own ps 4 and xbox one but I refuse to support madden anymore. Sixty dollars every year for a game which is still the same. The money means nothing, but the product is still behind 2k5. Where is the halftime studio, where is the score updates of other teams during the game when your in franchise mode, coin toss is gone. Where is the ability to relocate your team as in the past. Or create stadium, set prices on the merchadise for your franchise. Madden to me has gone backwards and is becoming almost a joke. Yeah the graphics are good but the overall progress of the game is just about putting out a product for money. Axis 16 has alot of work to do, but i like what they did. Its a step in the right direction and i will continue to support this product as long as i see progress to become a game that can finally give EA some competition. This is a good game. Is it the best no, not by a long shot. But its worth 20 bucks especially you can mod the roster which was brillant by the way. I want to see EA have someone to remind them of how to put quality games together.
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  MaelstromRX

  Nov 27, 2016

  Franchise Mode is terrible. No draft of players.
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  GatorFanEvan

  Jan 20, 2017

  As someone who plays Madden NFL and NCAA Football on console all the time, I think my expectations were set unreasonably high for this game. That being said, I think that, for the price, Axis Football 2016 probably isn't worth the money. I love having a football simulation game on my Mac that spoofs the NFL, and it's a great way to keep myself entertained for a while when I have nothing else to do, but I feel like the quality of this game—e.g. the graphics, the gameplay, the interface—is akin to that of the old NCAA Football 11 app for the iPhone, which came out in 2010...I spent $4.99 on that game. It's overly simplistic, the graphics are poor, the mechanics are both bizarre and confusing, and there aren't a ton of unique features. In a sense, it's a glorified flash game. Again, it's my fault for expecting the complexities of a $60 console game to show up in a 1.3 GB $20 computer game, so keep that in mind when factoring this review into your decision-making process. I bought it on sale, so I don't regret spending $10 on boredom therapy, but if you're looking for a solid, deeper game with your $20 bill, this probably isn't for you. Also, if you do decide to get the game, it's far better with a Steam controller, especially if you play Madden NFL or NCAA Football.
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  FlyieGuyie

  May 25, 2017

  Okay, so I know nothing about American football, but, as an introduction to the game I really love this. I'm sure that people who know more about american football could find a lot of faults with this, but, for someone who's new to the game, or just wants a very quick distraction from other games, this is really good. I will definitely be looking forward to other versions in the future.
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  MoonChild

  Nov 30, 2019

  It's frustrating that there really isn't a good option for a football game on steam for American Football fans. I respect the creator of this game as It's him and maybe a few others helping him. I haven't played the newer version of this game, but I been a big supporter of the franchise in hope that things get better in the future. As for AXIS 16. The game is not very fun and very stiff. The controls on defense are terrible and you probably would have more fun playing Tecmo Super Bowl on NES or Madden 2000 on PS1. Anyway here is hoping the series is improving with the newer iterations of the game.