"I see no reason whatsoever, that this game was created."

First and foremost, why would EA even consider making an AFL game!? The fan base for Arena Football has to be so incredibly small that it isn't even funny. Football…played on a shortened field…with less players…and a tiny uprights. I have no idea how anyone can enjoy that. I find it funny to people who buy Madden every year, but I can rationalize that. The NFL is awesome. It's been around forever, the Super Bowl is broadcast around the world, to billions of people. It is the same league that once had Barry Sanders (The greatest running back of all time) play for it. I cannot, and will not allow for any rationalizations of people who purchased this game, however. This game shouldn't have ever left the piece of toilet paper it was drawn up on.

Graphics--9/10
This is the best part of this game. The graphics in this game are good. They are standard Madden graphics. However, when is there a game with bad graphics nowadays? They don't exist. Some games “lessen” there graphics in some areas, to heighten them in others, but never is there a game with “bad graphics”. We all know, that graphics do not make the game. Look at classic games, such as Final Fantasy, Metroid, and Ice Climber. Those games didn't have “good graphics”. But they sure as hell were good. Sure, these graphics are good, but that doesn't mean anything. Not to me, anyway.

Sound/Music--1/10
First off, I am sick and tired of EA's soundtracks. They are chock full of this new crap. It is all of this new cool hip stuff. Stuff you see on crappy shows such as TRL, and Headbanger's Ball. I hate that genre. If you want good music, go with 80's Pop/Synth. There isn't anything better. Secondly, the field effects are nothing good, either. It is filled with stale commentary, by people who know nothing about Football. There are some mediocre player voices, which dish out worse trash talking than that on a playground in a Pre-School. They didn't even bother to hire talent. The player voices are all the same. Knowing EA, they probably gave their janitor a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to do the voices. They lack feeling, they lack inspiration. Worst sound/music in any game. I am being honest, 1 out of 10.

Controls--1/10
These controls sucked! Really, that is all I would need to say. I broke one of my controls in an attempt to throw the ball. I kept pressing the button to throw to the reciever, and the QB just sat there. It wasn't my controller either. It worked perfectly up until this. I smashed the button so hard, that it now does not work. After that event, I never touched this game again. It wasn't hard, either. I simply put some rubber gloves on, picked up the game, and returned it to the poor sap who owned it (my dumb neighbor). It is also very hard to switch players on defense, or when attempting to catch the ball. I think the programmers just dropped the ball on this. The controls are just horrendous. 1 out of 10.

Gameplay--3/10
This gameplay is just like that of a real AFL game. Hence, the low score. Honestly, though, it gets a low score because the lack of things there is. There is hardly any celebrations after a sack or interception. There is maybe three total. All lack energy and emotion. There is also the three-second intro. You see cool lights, screaming fans, then your team hit's the field. But you missed it! It ended, right after it started. You think you were in for a treat, but there was really nothing there. Kind of like what the Wonder Bra did to millions of people. Also, the animations were choppy. It was like Madden 2001 all over. With bad animations, and a lack of animations, this score is lowered to a 3.

Replayability--1/10
The only reason to play this game is for the multiplayer. Really, that isn't a reason though. You should just play Madden. The game has such a lack of things. Lack of modes, lack of animations, lack of plays (the playbooks are very small). I really don't think you should buy this game. Don't rent it either. I wish I could say something good about this game, but I can't. When I thought something good was about to happen, there was nothing. Don't play it a first time, if you can.

I thought we all learned a lesson with “Kurt Warner's Arena Football”. I guess not, EA had to go and make this game. The Season mode is terrible, the multiplayer has no real meaning of existence, and frankly, neither does this game. With nothing good, except the Graphics, I do not know, why this game was ever created. Please, if you want a football game, get Madden.

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 02/27/06