Alright, after a full day streaming AFL 26, here\u2019s the honest truth \u2014 it\u2019s definitely a step up from AFL 23, no question. The gameplay feels somewhat smoother, way more physical, and way more rewarding when you get things right.<\/p>\n
That said, it\u2019s still rough around the edges. There are bugs (some pretty funny ones, others… not so much), but we\u2019ll get to that.<\/p>\n
The goalkicking is proper hard now. You\u2019ve actually got to focus. No more auto-slotting them from 55m out. You mess up the timing? It\u2019s a shank. You rush it? It\u2019s a shank. But when you nail it from the boundary it genuinely feels like an accomplishment. It adds tension, and I love that.<\/p>\n
Marking\u2019s way better too. Pack marks are intense. It\u2019s all about positioning, timing, and a bit of luck. You can\u2019t just spam the mark button anymore and hope for the best. Leading does have its issues with defenders zipping infront of you. But contested grabs, intercept marks \u2014 they all feel way more satisfying when timed correctly.<\/p>\n
And speaking of improvements, the physical stuff. Jostling, bumping, body-on-body contests \u2014 finally, it feels like footy. You can crash into packs, throw your weight around, and actually feel the impact, Players now hit each other in the air and dont phase into each other anymore. It\u2019s not perfect, but it\u2019s way more realistic than what we had last year.
\nPlayer Career mode is a much needed inclusion and Management Mode is way more detailed.<\/p>\n
Now, don\u2019t get it twisted \u2014 there are still bugs. Some minor, some game-breaking. During my stream, I ran into a few weird T-Pose animations, some AI doing laps outside the ground, and a couple of crashes when running through the banner.<\/p>\n
You can check out all the stuff I found over on my socials \u2014 just search GWSharpy and you\u2019ll see the chaos.<\/p>\n
The games menus feel clean but the text could be a bit bigger. A main issue is the commentary\u2019s still so flat, and some player models are, let\u2019s just say… unique. But look, compared to AFL 23, it\u2019s clear they\u2019ve listened. It\u2019s not just a patch job \u2014 it actually feels like they\u2019re building something better here.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, AFL 26 is a proper footy challenge. It\u2019s harder, it\u2019s rougher, and it rewards good play. Is it perfect? Nah. But it\u2019s got the bones of a great game \u2014 and with a few more updates, it could be the footy game we\u2019ve all been waiting for.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a diehard fan or just keen to see how it stacks up, give it a crack. Just be ready for a few glitches and don\u2019t expect perfection straight out of the box.<\/p>\n