AFL Live

By Tristan Tancredi

What is the most action packed, adrenaline pumping sport on this planet? That's easy, darts of course, but until they release a decent darts game for the Playstation 3, I'll have to talk about Big Ants latest release, AFL Live.

AFL Live is the first AFL game released for the Playstation 3 and the first attempt at an AFL game since AFL Premiership 2007 on Playstation 2. All AFL fans knew that the IR Gurus 07 edition was riddled with flaws so when sliding AFL Live into the Playstation 3 I was optimistic about this version.

Initially you are hit with "Holy Grail" by the Hunters and Collectors, a decent song. Trust me, by the time you are finished with this game you would have heard this song a gazillion times and you will be reaching for the mute button. What were the creators thinking only having 2 tracks on repeat throughout the entire game?

Enough with the pedantic stuff, lets talk about the game-play. The game itself is great and really enjoyable. The controls are tricky to get a handle of initially but after a season or two they gradually become clear. I was still learning different moves, including bumping, after already playing through an entire season.

The graphics are good with an occasional minor glitch here and there, and the commentary of Bristles (Brian Taylor) and Dennis Cometti is entertaining, but eventually become extremely repetitive.

The options available within the game are: Premiership Mode, Single Game, Pre Season, Finals, and Online. The biggest disappointment of the game for me, was the lack of a Career Mode. This limits the life of the game as after winning a premiership, there really is nothing else to do in single player mode.

It is a great game to play with a bunch of mates, so link up the ps3 over the net or have a few friends over for a kick. This game is more appealing for the multi-player aspect rather then single player mode.

A footy factory section enables gamers to create their own teams and players, whilst also changing stat's and details about current players. A really good idea by Big Ant that should increase the life of the game.

Negatives:
     • Lack of a Career Mode
     • 2 Songs on repeat throughout the entire game
     • Repetitive Commentary
     • Confusing Interchange System

Positives:
     • No landslide wins in Single Player
     • Multi-player Aspects
     • Footy Factory

Game: AFL Live
System: Playstation 3
Developer: Big Ant Studios
Publisher: Tru Blu Entertainment

Rating: 75%

(Ratings Key/Explanation)