AFL 23
- May 3, 2023
- Big Ant Studios
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreAFL 23 is the most authentic video game football experience to date. Featuring the fully licensed 2023 AFL Premiership and AFL Women’s competitions and over 30 detailed stadiums, it’s time to play footy for real.
Reviews
- The game has improved significantly since launch, with frequent patches addressing many issues.
- Graphics and player likenesses are praised, making it visually appealing.
- Gameplay can be enjoyable for AFL fans, especially with the potential for future updates.
- The game was released in a very buggy and unfinished state, leading to frequent crashes and gameplay issues.
- Many promised features, such as Pro Team and Player Career Mode, are missing or not functioning as expected.
- AI behavior is often criticized for being poor, with players failing to tackle or mark effectively.
- gameplay55 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users citing poor mechanics, frustrating AI, and numerous bugs that severely impact the experience. While some patches have made minor improvements, many players feel that the core gameplay remains broken and unsatisfying, with issues like rubber banding, ineffective tackling, and game crashes persisting. Despite the game's impressive graphics, the lack of polished gameplay and essential features has left many players disappointed and frustrated.
“The game has amazing graphics and the gameplay is outstanding.”
“Handball and kick mechanics are good.”
“Shorter field kicking and goal kicking mechanics are satisfying and intuitive.”
“Terrible AI, terrible game mechanics, rubber banding of players who slingshot across the oval which ruins contests and possible match-defining moments, absolutely ridiculous calls by umpires and game crashes halfway through matches.”
“The worst 100 bucks I have spent on Steam. The game is horrible; interchange doesn't work, it's impossible to tackle the computer, players always kick into the man on the mark, difficulties make no difference to gameplay, and the game crashes at halftime and mid-game all the time. How can you release a game that's unfinished? So stupid. We deserve our money back; worst game I have ever purchased on Steam.”
“While the graphics and animation are the best of any AFL game, the lack of features, poor AI, user difficulty when controlling the players, nonsensical gameplay, and distinct lack of communication around this release has completely turned me off AFL 23.”
- stability27 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of crashes, freezes, and various bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Players have experienced issues such as players getting stuck, erratic kicking mechanics, and frequent crashes during matches, leading many to label the game as "buggy" and "unplayable." While some users see potential and note improvements over time, the overall consensus is that the game remains far from polished and requires urgent fixes.
“Do not waste your money on this buggy rubbish.”
“Need to get on to fixing the issue when the game freezes after scoring a goal; haven't been able to play through a full game in over a week without it crashing or freezing in both single player and multiplayer.”
“The game is very buggy and poorly made, feels as though I'm playing an alpha of an alpha version of the game.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the impressive visuals, lifelike player appearances, and detailed recreations of grounds, marking it as the best in any AFL game to date. However, some players noted issues such as screen stutter, glitches, and a lack of clarity, suggesting that while the graphics are strong, they may not compensate for gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight, but concerns about performance and playability persist.
“The positives: great graphics and lifelike appearances of the vast majority of players and very accurate recreations of the grounds - 10/10 to the art team.”
“Impressive presentation with realistic visuals and broadcast aspects.”
“Now for the positives, the graphics are actually really good, for an AFL game, aside from the few faces that aren't scanned properly.”
“I'm playing on an amazing PC and yet no matter what, the graphics look awful; it isn't clear.”
“Graphics are stuck in 2012 as well.”
“I feel like the developers concentrated on the looks of the players and visuals more than the smooth running and AI abilities.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players note that recent updates have significantly improved the game's replayability, making it more enjoyable and playable compared to its initial launch. While many express optimism about future patches enhancing the experience further, some still feel that adjustments to difficulty and other elements are necessary for optimal replay value. Overall, the game shows strong potential for increased replayability as it continues to evolve.
“The updates have made this game more playable; it's getting better. There are still a few things to change and tweak, but it's definitely going in the right direction.”
“Has come a massive way since day one. All the patches that have come out have made the game way more playable. The only thing that needs to be touched up is the difficulty.”
“The game has tons of potential and should be more playable once patched.”
“However, the game has a lot of potential, and I am waiting for more patches to improve the game and make it more replayable.”
“The updates have made this game more playable; it's getting better, but there are still a few things to change and tweak for better replayability.”
“Game is more playable than at launch; however, there is still work to be done to enhance its replayability.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted as being genuinely funny, with some players finding the absurdity of certain mechanics, like the slow running speed, to be particularly amusing. However, others feel that the game's numerous flaws overshadow the humor, suggesting a mixed reception overall.
“I honestly thought it was hilarious.”
“Running speed is hilariously bad; you can outrun everyone very easily.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with players expressing frustration over the focus on adding microtransactions and advertisements for other sports games rather than addressing existing issues and providing meaningful updates.
“Shilling out advertising for tennis games, cricket games, and even rugby, while not addressing the concerns with this game or fixing them after many months.”
“This game sucks; the only updates now are to add more microtransactions.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is criticized for its lack of realism and engagement, particularly in the crowd dynamics. Reviewers suggest that enhancing crowd sounds would significantly improve the overall atmospheric experience, making it more reminiscent of attending live AFL games.
“The atmosphere in this game is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the action.”
“The sound design really enhances the atmosphere, drawing you into the experience and making every moment feel alive.”
“The vibrant crowd noises and ambient sounds create an authentic atmosphere that captures the excitement of live events.”
“The crowd atmosphere lacks realism and engagement.”
“The overall ambiance feels flat and uninspired.”
“There is a noticeable absence of tension and excitement in the environment.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized to the point where some players would prefer engaging in a frustrating conversation rather than enduring the loading screen accompanied by the game's soundtrack. This suggests that the music is considered unenjoyable and detracts from the overall experience.
“I would genuinely rather have an hour-long conversation with a year 7 eshay who thinks he's an A-list musician than stare at the loading screen for another 25 hours.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally decent, with players reporting an average of 100 fps on an RTX 3070, though there are noticeable drops to 40-60 fps during cutscenes.
“The performance was decent; I averaged about 100 FPS on an RTX 3070, with drops to 40-60 during cutscenes.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, often dipping below acceptable levels during intense moments.”
“Optimization seems lacking, as I frequently experience stuttering and long loading times that disrupt gameplay.”
