After a year out last year, the Axis Football series returns, but where does it find itself? Well, for one, the most recent Madden game, EA Sports Madden NFL 26, was actually quite good. And then there is the sister game, College Football, returning strongly last year after a lengthy absence. So whilst EA still control the monopoly when it comes to American Football games, the ones they are churning out are the best for a few years.
Which makes Axis Football 2026’s shortcomings all the more obvious. The equivalent of a sack in the backfield, Axis Football is losing precious yards against its biggest rivals.
To do a direct comparison to the Madden series would be unfair. Axis Football is obviously running on a much lower budget, but the problems it has cannot exclusively be attributed to that fact.
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Looking downfield
It doesn’t have all the extra filler that a Madden game brings with it though. From the main menu you can start a Franchise mode, play a single game against a local opponent of CPU, or launch a single game where you play only as the Coach choosing the plays. No Ultimate Team, online, Pro mode or, thankfully, The Yard.
Customise To Your Hearts Content
Axis Football 2026 has a big emphasis on customisation. This is not a licensed game, but there is nothing to stop you creating your favourite NFL or college team, and there is a robust menu to allow you to do just that.
If creating new plays is more your thing, then you can play around with these as well. It doesn’t allow you to move individual positions nor allow you to create the most outlandish of trick plays. But you can go as far as choosing QB dropback steps, primary receivers or selecting where you defensive players will target, and it does so in an easy fashion too.
Obviously, these creation screens take place in the menus, and Axis Football 2026 has a licensed soundtrack to accompany this. Let’s just say we hope you like Skillet, because you’ll be listening to an awful lot of them.
A Franchise Mode To Be Proud Of
The same goes for being in the menu in Franchise mode. It feels like a lot of work has gone into making this a robust game mode, and in the menus it shows. At first glance, it certainly looks like a Franchise mode, with the abilities to upgrade facilities, depth charts and an overall dynamic morale.
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Customise your own plays
Franchise mode can also be tailored into a mode you want to play. Don’t like the traditional NFL style of conferences and division? You can make it into a Tiered system with promotions and relegations. The Draft is also here, but can only be accessed after your first full season, there is no way to start a season in the offseason.
Creation modes and new features are good, but the true test is the onfield action, and unfortunately, this is Axis Football’s biggest weakness.
Onfield Gameplay Is A Major Letdown
For a start, this is a pretty ugly game. The grass/astroturf is an unnatural shade of green, and the spectators may as well be cardboard cutouts. Some may look at this as a bit of a throwback to earlier football games from generations past, but it’s not a great look here.
Some effort has been made to make each stadium unique. The main stands are all largely the same, but each endzone has a bit of flourish, added to represent the team and make them feel a bit more unique.
It sounds ugly too; there is only one sound effect for players tackling and colliding with each other and the only option when a sustained hit happens is to hear it repeatedly in quick succession. The only thing I can liken it to is if a child finds a funny fart noise on a new toy at Christmas, this will be the only thing you hear for hours on end.
But it is the actual gameplay that really lets Axis Football 2026 down. It feels like trying to play American Football in a vat of treacle; everything is so slow. From the running back trudging through a defensive line, to even the QB throwing a bullet pass, everything is slow.
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Many stadia are given unique sculptures
Same goes for the AI. I have lost count of how many times I have run into a defender only for them to be buffeted along for a few extra yards before then deciding to tackle me. These poor gameplay designs cannot be glossed over with rose-tinted glasses like the presentation can be.
Fumble Recovered By The Defence
Axis Football 2026 allows you to customise a team and playbooks and comes with a good-looking Franchise mode, at least on the surface. But it seems to forget the proof is in the pudding and it will be judged by some really bad gameplay on the gridiron itself. If American Football had a treacle mode, then Axis Football would have its gameplay speed nailed; unfortunately that isn’t the case and Axis just feels very slow.
Even as a vastly cheaper alternative to Madden, my advice would be to go for the more expensive option.
Important Links
Can the Underdog Finally Compete? Axis Football 2026 is OUT NOW! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/can-the-underdog-finally-compete-axis-football-2026-is-out-now/
Buy Axis Football 2026 from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/axis-football-2026/9N5HLTLRDCWC/0010