Axis Football 2020

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Axis Football 2020 offers vastly improved gameplay with catches on the run, intelligent players, and new animations. The game includes a redesigned UI, local 2P Coach Mode, and new stadiums. Franchise mode features player contracts, trades, injuries, practice squads, free agency, retiring players, weekly and yearly awards, and unlimited seasons with dynamic league structures and player progressions. Career stat tracking and end-of-season drafts are also part of the experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 164 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The franchise mode is incredibly deep, offering extensive customization options and a unique promotion/relegation system that adds a fresh twist to the gameplay.
The game has seen significant improvements in gameplay mechanics, including smoother animations, better AI logic, and more responsive controls compared to previous versions.
There are no microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy all content for a fixed price, which is a refreshing change from other sports titles.

The graphics and animations feel outdated, resembling titles from previous console generations, which detracts from the overall experience.
Gameplay can often feel clunky and unpolished, with issues such as inconsistent player movement and AI making questionable decisions during matches.
There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including problems with controller compatibility and issues with the draft and trade systems.

gameplay
65 mentions
15 % positive mentions
77 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Axis Football has seen significant improvements over previous iterations, particularly in areas like on-field mechanics, AI logic, and player animations, making it more enjoyable than past versions. However, many players still find the gameplay lacking compared to AAA titles like Madden, describing it as clunky and simplistic, with limited control over player actions. While the franchise mode is praised for its depth and detail, the overall gameplay experience remains a mixed bag, appealing primarily to those who prioritize franchise management over on-field action.
- “Axis 2020's on-field gameplay is a drastic improvement from 2019, especially after the last patch.”
- “The gameplay is constantly improving, the franchise mode is extremely detailed, the game experience is easily customized, and the developer is highly attentive to the wants and needs of the community.”
- “The updates to the gameplay are a welcomed addition over last year's release.”
- “The gameplay is just so lacking it is not fun.”
- “I would compare it to the gameplay of an early PS2 2K football game.”
- “Now it looks better than the other titles, however this game's gameplay is awful and the devs want to say this is an upgrade?”
graphics
37 mentions
19 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they resemble those from the early 2000s, lacking the polish and smooth animations found in modern titles like Madden. While some players appreciate the improvements in player models and stadium details, others criticize the overall quality as unrefined and dated, often describing the visuals as rough and robotic. Overall, the graphics are deemed adequate for those who prioritize gameplay and franchise management over visual fidelity.
- “The graphics are actually quite good though rough in places.”
- “Visuals: the game has improved in a number of ways, player models are better, some stadiums have improved along with a new large grouping of animated fans in the stadiums which adds a sense to the 'lived in' feel of the stadium.”
- “What I like about this game are the graphics and a majority of the team management elements.”
- “Graphics look like 2003.”
- “The players look robotic, the animations are rough, and there are plenty of little graphical quirks that just feel unpolished.”
- “The commentary is awful and the graphics are basically that of a second generation console (or maybe worse).”
music
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received significant praise for its improvement and expanded variety, with many users highlighting the quality of the included songs. While some feel that more tracks could enhance the experience, the current soundtrack contributes greatly to the game's immersive atmosphere, making it a standout feature. Additionally, the game's audio elements, including crowd reactions and menu music, have pleasantly surprised players, further enriching the overall experience.
- “This game will make you want to play it more and more; the play on the field, the stadiums, logos, uniforms, music, and the crowd reactions just add to the immersion.”
- “The franchise mode has gotten deeper, the soundtrack is a huge improvement, and everything feels significantly more polished and complete.”
- “Music is much improved with a larger variety of songs.”
- “I also almost always turn off the announcers/menu music for sports games, but not Axis; that caught me by surprise.”
stability
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly during the trading of draft picks. Many players have experienced significant issues that require restarting the game, leading to an overall impression of it being unplayable and unreliable.
- “In particular, trading of draft picks is horrible; it has seemed buggy at times. If you have more than one pick in the same round, you can't tell which one you are trading.”
- “The game is buggy.”
- “The game sometimes glitches badly, and you have to exit and restart.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, especially considering its outdated graphics, which suggests it could perform better. However, players have noted that certain mechanics, like leading receivers, function smoothly during gameplay.
- “You can lead the receiver and they will catch and run smoothly.”
- “Performance: how does it run?”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, often dropping to single digits during intense scenes.”
- “I experienced frequent crashes and long loading times, which severely impacted my enjoyment of the game.”
- “The optimization feels rushed; textures take too long to load, and the overall performance is disappointing.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game largely stems from the amusing player movements and quirky animations, which often lead to unexpected and comical situations on the field.
- “The player movements are hilarious.”
- “I have to say, there are strange things happening on the field sometimes, with weird animations and funny looks.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of predatory microtransactions and absence of an Ultimate Team-like mode, making its monetization approach more favorable compared to other titles in the genre. Players appreciate the depth and responsive controls, indicating that the game offers a solid experience without aggressive monetization tactics.
- “If that's not a deal-breaker, then the game has quite a bit of depth (despite make-believe teams), fairly responsive controls, a decent-sized playbook, and everything else that's common in a new Madden release except it doesn't have predatory microtransactions or quite as many game types to participate in.”
- “No Ultimate Team-esque mode, with no further monetization attached.”
story
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's flexibility in storytelling, allowing them to project their own personalities and narratives onto the characters, which enhances their engagement and personal connection to the story.
- “They are whoever you want them to be, and I love projecting personalities and storylines onto them.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect to be balanced, offering just enough engagement without excessive micromanagement. However, it can become tedious and lose its appeal after a couple of playthroughs.
- “Because it becomes tedious and loses its allure after the first or second season playthrough.”
- “Not too grindy, not too much micromanagement, but just enough to enjoy that it's there.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While some users appreciate the emotional depth of the game, they feel that the animations could benefit from improvement to enhance the overall emotional impact.
replayability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find that as they become more familiar with the game's unique mechanics and gameplay style, their desire to replay it increases, enhancing overall replayability.
- “Get acclimated to the quirks and feel of the on-field gameplay, and your replay value only increases.”
- “Once you've experienced the game once, there's little incentive to go back for more.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel tedious.”
- “After completing the game, I found no reason to revisit it; the story doesn't change.”