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!

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, (<-that's this part of the review->) 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.

If you enjoy this review please consider following my Curator page here .

Since 2005, Madden has been the only football game available. Many people agree that NFL 2K5 was and still is the best football game made, but EA snatched up the exclusive rights to the NFL and has had an iron grip on the property since. As a long time player of the Madden games, I have yearned for some competition for the franchise as they really have no one to push them. While Axis Football 2016 will not dethrone Madden, it’s a heck of a good start.

Since EA holds the exclusive rights to the NFL, Axis is not allowed to use team or players names but they are allowed to have teams like the Chicago Grizzles and New England Volunteers. Luckily, the game is fully moddable and an NFL roster already exists. This also opens the door for legacy rosters which are not available in Madden.

As far as the actual gameplay goes, it is somewhat rudimentary. If you’re looking for Madden levels of fluidity and polish, you won’t find that here. This being the games’ second installment, it’s not that surprising that there are still areas to be improved upon, and the developer seems quite active on the forums and dedicated to making this series as good as possible. I really didn’t have a problem with the minor jank that the game may have, but I do hope that there are some future balancing changes. There are some easily exploitable plays on both offense (I got 26 receptions with one WR) and on defense (6 sacks with a MLB).

While I have my gripes with the game, these are all fixable, and really the game makes up for it in a big way: the passing game. When I talk about wanting competition for Madden and more innovation, the passing system in Axis is exactly what I’m talking about. Instead of having icons assigned to different receivers, you use the right thumbstick to direct where you want the ball to go. This system feels infinitely more natural than the standard icon passing since you can pass to a specific spot on the field and lead the receiver or throw it shorter if you want him to come back to the ball. This mechanic is just so intuitive and brilliant that I wouldn’t be surprised if Madden ripped it off.

Axis Football 2016 is by no means perfect, but for PC players who have been craving a proper football game this is a great start. It’s not even so much that I recommend Axis 2016 based on what it is, but rather on what the Axis franchise can become going forward. I would say that it’s worth getting the game just to support someone who is trying to innovate and do new things with a genre that has largely been stagnant for the past decade. Will Axis ever be as big as Madden? Probably not, but it doesn’t have to be either. There is enough of a solid foundation here that I am excited to see where this franchise goes if it keeps improving and listening to community feedback.

Axis Football 2016 is the second edition in Axis Games’ professional football sports simulation franchise.

As an Australian who considers themselves to be an armchair football fan, I tend to anticipate every quality American football game that hits PC. Unfortunately, this has been an all too rare occurrence. There are very few viable options when it comes to football games that allow you to actually play the game. Gamers do have a few other options when it comes to actual sports management games. Sadly, EA has spat in the face of PC gamers by not publishing Madden on PC since 2008. This is naturally something that I am quite bitter about even though I realize Madden is as guilty of the ‘annual roster update’ issue.


Let’s get the potential deal breaker out of the way immediately. Because Madden controls the licenses for the NFL and they would cost much more than a small indie developer could afford Axis Football lacks official licenses. What this obviously means is that the team names, uniforms, etc. are not in the game. More significantly, it means that there are no official NFL players featured within the game. However, I believe that the developers have done a very reasonable job in attempting to replicate the real deal so far as teams and players are concerned. For example, one of my favorite NFL teams is the Seattle Seahawks. The Seattle team is called the ‘Seattle Warhawks’ in the team. Furthermore, although the Warhawks players are not given the same names as the real Seahawks players their attributes are a reasonable match to what last season’s Seahawks team was.


Although the game lacks officially licensed rosters there are community mods. That means although the game may lack official licenses that there are people within the game’s community who have dedicated themselves to creating a realistic experience. By this, I mean that there is an ‘NFL Experience 2016’ mod. This has been painstakingly created by ‘thesackmaster’ and several other community members. There is also a NCAA mod. You will find these two mods and others in the official ‘Axis Football Mods’ forum. There are other mods including create your own league starter kids, broadcast graphics, and stadium graphics downloads.

The community is one of the game’s strongest points.


Being Australian gridiron is not a native sport. Therefore, I find the game to be very complex. Consequently, anything beyond position names and basic functions has been beyond me. There are many so many technicalities within each play that trying to understand everything is difficult. I have often found myself taking an automatic option or coach’s pick in football games. However, I do not believe that this function is within the game. This may be perceived as a negative but I’ve personally found it to be a major advantage. By playing the game I am naturally increasing my understanding of formations and of the technical aspects that go into each player’s role within each given play. Therefore, I believe that the game deserves recognition as an easy and enjoyable way to learn American football.


Arguably the greatest negative that I have encountered thus far is that the game is arguably too easy. In my second game, I ran the score up into the 70’s while my computer opponent put out a single touchdown. I am finding that this repeats itself and that the only scores the computer often makes are the fluke-like plays that are unstoppable. I’m finding that this may soon turn into a game where I target specific achievements to perfect the game and return for my dose of pro football action.

The reason why I am finding it too easy is because the AI does not react – at least noticeably – to the same tactics being employed again and again. In one game I used blitz for every single play. Unless the quarterback dishes off the pass quickly enough I can generally get the sack as no one is there to cover the blitz. On offense, I prefer the long throwing game. I can generally always count on one of my receivers getting open but the occurrence on 1-on-3 (offense-defense) catches is far too common. I’ve thus far found that the likelihood of throwing an interception is far less than my single receiver catching the ball.

However, I must suggest that I am finding the running game to be quite challenging. The majority of my big scores have been performed through the throwing game. I have yet to unlock the 200+ rushing yards in a single game. This may be because I’m not entirely familiar with the nuances required for the running game.


This is where the game is lacking most of all. The graphics are not at all current generation. The features are lacking in contrast to a fully fleshed out feature complete game (e.g. Madden).

If I could have one wishlist item fulfilled on the next entry in the franchise it would be a complete franchise mode. I understand that there are other games on the market (the management simulators) that allow you to do this but it would be a fantastic feature. The current franchise mode is insufficient in this regard and feels as though it has only been implemented to give players an option besides single game quick matches. Although it’s a good thing that there is something else in the game its lack of depth is a little concerning.


The developers have an understanding that the game isn’t where they want it to be. What the game currently is an opportunity for PC gamers to get their football on. They have ideas and plans to implement what they want to. However, they are open to advice, feedback and even criticism (please make it constructive). They are a very hands-on development team and want to make their game the best that it can possibly be. In complete honesty, you have to start somewhere and what they have now is an already highly playable and enjoyable football experience.


It certainly is. There are trading cards and Steam achievements. I would, however, like to see them do away with their mod forum and try and implement Steam Workshop compatibility. This would encourage mod makers to create content for the game. This would increase the activeness of the community which would work wonders for the game.


Axis Football 2016 offers PC gamers the opportunity to play entertaining football games. The developers are willing to work with their community on the continued improvement of the game’s quality. If you’re a fan of American football, then the $20 investment is well and truly worth it.

For similar reviews and your chance to win great giveaways please visit Steamified[www.steamified.com]

A huge improvement over Axis Football 2015 with new animations,player moves,more modding such as team modding,stadium modding,new announcer,and franchise mode. More features are coming as well. This game still has a long way to go but just look at this years version and compare it to last. Supporting this game will mean even more improvements in the future. Lets support now for better options in the future.

Axis Football 2016 does a few things right, but for American football fun you’ll be better served finding a copy of Madden 08 on Amazon.
Total size on my hard drive: 1.4 GB

+ Run mechanics. Well-implemented, with moves that are easy to execute.
+ Kicking mechanics. With the right timing, some long kicks are possible.
+ Good hot-route audibles.

+/- Graphics are acceptable, but not special. There is no crowd animation – not even animated 2D sprites.
+/- Decent but limited in-game announcer commentary.

- No referees = no penalties.
- No penalties means no challenges for incorrect plays (out of bounds, didn’t cross the down marker).
- Passing mechanics. Under-throw your receiver, and he’ll turn around and wait for it. Even if the opposing defense is there and in position to intercept, the defender will rarely if ever turn around for the ball.
- Not enough plays, especially on defense.
- No player draft when beginning franchise mode. Stock rosters are what you start with.
- Defensive plays don’t have the effect you’d expect. Blitzes apply very little pressure, meaning an extra receiver will be open – no doubt turned around and waiting for the under-thrown ball to arrive. Zone defenses are oddly effective against the run, and poor against the pass.

Overall, a project with a lot of promise, but a lot of work yet to be done. If you’re a fan of American-style football, worth trying at 80% off or more.

I want to give as detailed and unbiased review as possible so no one is misled.

I recommend this game not just because it's the only football game on steam, but also because this game has also showed a good amount of progress from last year's version. With that in mind, I'm not saying this game is perfect. This game is most likely slightly overpriced. Not as overpriced as 2015, which I couldn't see spending 15 dollars on. That price, is probably more fit for this game, and for '15, a cool $6-10 dollars. The game needs funding though, so overpaying isn't awful because Danny puts the money back into the game.

Now, for the animations and features of the game. Jukes, Spins and Dives were added to the game which is an incredible upgrade considering in 2015 all you did was run. Which is upgraded in itself, your player no longer is holding the ball like he's asking for a defender to knock it out of his hand. He properly holds it like he has played football before. The UI also like the running animation, recieved a huge update and no longer looks as outdated. Blocking animations are improved now, engaging in a block is no longer engaging in a hug. There is a push mechanic that allows a better blocker/defender to be able to push back the opponent. A speed burst feature was added,(not sure if it was in '15) it's really unrealstic at the moment as players all speed burst at the same speed. There are real handoff and pitch animations instead of the ball glitching to the player. The playbook recieved a small upgrade, was hoping for even more of an upgrade I must point out. There are 8 plays for each formation, Not sure how many formations there are, I believe around 7-8 for each side of the ball. Franchise mode is not implemented and is the same as '15, very simple and nothing other to do besides play games. Full 4 quarter games, instead of two halfs.

The final part of the game, the gameplay. There are still some flaws, most noticeably happens in the passing game. No swat animation or catching animation means balls thrown in coverage are often times a coin flip. The lack of catching animations makes it hard for receivers to catch certain balls on the run. So you'll often have to throw them to a stop. DB's don't properly play the ball and will often times run behind the WR and sit there. DB's backpedal a set amount of time, which causes them to get burnt in coverage sometimes. No fouls in the game don't hurt, besides the lack of offsides. This means you can easily blitz around edge and get sacks. The most improved part of the game though is clearly the blocking. Danny did a great job in changing how awful blocking was in '15. Kickoffs no longer clump the players together in the center which means you can have fun in the return game. Including on punt returns. The best way to make defenders miss is to manually swerve/spin after you bait them in, opposed to using a spin or juke. No physics system in the game, so the player movement and ball carrier moves are real arcadish.

PROS
-Gameplay improvements since '15 (Money play removal, blocking AI is no longer complete garbage)
-Football game on steam
-Unique passing system
-Controller support
-Very moddable (Personal favorite is hot route mods)
-Community feedback is listened too
-10x better animations than '15

Cons
-pretty awful interactions in the passing game(Including defensive zone and man coverage AI)
-Very simple franchise mode
-Inability to make hot routes on defense (Was hoping for this feature)
-No online multiplayer
-Very small playbook
-No penalties
-Defense is pretty bland, feels like you have no control


The game isn't great, but it's worth the $20 dollars if you're a football fan on PC, or just upset with the direction of madden.

This Game is Great fun!!

I've been playing axis football since the 2014 version and the devs have taken a quantum leap forward. What started as an arcade-ish football game has matured into a real football sim. Graphics and animations are greatly improved. Even though they are unable to use proprietary IP of real pro teams, they have done an excellent job producing a really awsome football game.
Can't handle that, or you don't like something, you can change it with easy modding tools. The community has already produced a complete re-skin to give you all of your favorite pro teams.
The devs actually listen to suggestions and bug fixes. I say buy this game just to support them so they can continue to improve the only PC football game there is.
Its still a little light on franchise mode and lacks salaries, drafts, and other things we like to geek out on, but the core game play is the real deal. I love the PC freindly mouse passing. it makes you feel like you're really making the throw where and when you wanted to good and bad.

Once they implement on-line multiplayer, there will never be a need to play Madden again.

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.

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.