Review: Maximum Football (PlayStation 5)

Maximum Football has big goals as a free-to-play football simulator. It aims to shake up a genre that EA’s Madden NFL series has led for years. This indie title from Maximum Entertainment gets noticed for its many ways to customize things, gameplay based on physics, and old-school look. But while it shows potential, the final product has some areas of opportunity.

The game’s customization stands out right away. Gamers can make their own teams, designing logos, uniforms, and player skills. They can also adjust playbooks to fit how they like to play. You don’t often see this much creative control in sports games, especially for free. It’s a great playground for gamers who love to control every detail of their franchise.

The gameplay uses a physics-based system, trying to get away from set animations and make the football feel more real and impactful. When it works, it’s good: tackles feel strong, and completing passes in tight spots can be exciting. Sadly, a lack of polish often hurts the fun. Awkward animations, slow controls, and AI that doesn’t always act right cause too many annoying moments. Quarterback throws often miss, and running plays have problems like players going through defenders or tripping for no reason.

Multiplayer has both local and online options. When it runs smoothly, matches can be quick and fun. But, online play suffers from shaky servers, slow matchmaking, and crashes now and then. The game’s retro look—like old sports games—has some charm, but the whole game feels kind of lifeless. Menus are hard to use, the commentary repeats a lot, and the user interface feels out of date.

Because it’s free-to-play, Maximum Football has a system where you have to grind or buy upgrades to progress. You can get to everything without paying, but it can take a long time, and the focus on small purchases might bother gamers who want a fairer experience.

In the end, Maximum Football is an ambitious underdog. Its best parts—customization, flexible gameplay, and being free to play—show what it could become with more work in the future. Right now, it feels more like a work in progress than a finished product. Hardcore football fans and those who like to tweak things will find something to enjoy. If you want a smooth, polished experience, patience may pay off; The team at Maximum Entertainment promises regular updates and even offers their roadmap to players who would like to stay informed of changes to the game.

Maximum Football is available now for PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam. While the game is free-to-play, gamers can also purchase the “Legendary Edition” for $39.99 that includes exclusive cosmetics as well as access to premium content.