izigame.me

Look, just to start off, I DO NOT recommend buying this game, especially at release (unless you are a die-hard AFL fan). $100 (AUD) for this game is just not worth it. Yes, the new visuals and squad updates are nice QoL changes compared to AFL 23, but the gameplay feels almost a step backward with the new release.
Visual/Graphic Updates:
The game looks a lot smoother, with the UI being responsive and the overall colour palette is nice in my opinion. In-game the shaders look very nice, along with the menus in a pause. Interchange menu looks quite nice compared to AFL 23's bare bones UI, and I can appreciate the overall colour schemes and shades for each team. The new font is also very nice to read (although I don't think it's a necessary change).
Gameplay:
Not a lot to say positively about the gameplay to be honest. I think the new set shots will take some getting used to, considering the angle of the shot is determined by the power bar and not by just moving the indicator to the left/right. Handballs and kicks feel a bit more responsive with the new game, and being able to visualise marking contests clearer is an added bonus compared to the previous title. AI on the hardest setting feels a lot more of a challenge than the last edition. That's pretty much it for positives.
However, after just one game, I noticed:
- AI Players take a mark and then don't move (Then get done holding the ball, this happens a lot from kick-outs)
- Hitting the post restarts the play from the wing as a boundary throw-in / occasionally happens when kicking a behind
- Tackles do not affect a kick on the run, no matter how off-balance they are
- Injuries are way too frequent (got two before half-time) and mostly happened off the ball away from play
- AI runs are just very awkward (running into other players with no collision, weird leading runs from a mark, in boundary contests some players will just stand out of bounds on the full)
- My AI also gives up blocking 50m penalties way too much
- Kicks sometimes just feel off in terms of accuracy (might just be me)
Considering most of these issues weren't present in the last edition of this series, I find it odd how they are so frequent here. The gameplay feels essentially the same as the previous game with some new animations, yet the bugs make the game feel far too easy, regardless of the AI difficulty.
Haven't yet tried the management mode too much (enough to see all the newgen rookies are bald though!) and Pro Team had crashed my game when attempting to open it.
Verdict:
As an AFL fan (Go Blues!), not being able to enjoy an AFL game sucks. The AFL evo series is a bit better, but overall there just isn't much happening with this game to have fun. Very much a watch-this-space game as of now, and evidently updates will massively help this game in the future (as did AFL 23).
At the current date (8/5/25) it just doesn't justify a AAA-game price tag for what feels like a game ripped off the PS3 with a visual remaster. Again, I only suggest buying this game if you are a die-hard but for casual fans who are looking to buy the new game, I would say wait for either an update or a Steam Sale. If you've still got AFL 23, just keep playing that until the updates on here roll out.