Xbox Games Studios
Microsoft Flight Simulator from Xbox Game Studios and developer Asobo Studio is an ambitious expansion to a previous hit that attempts to do things no other game has—or will.
Namely, that means setting players loose in a huge number of realistic aircraft with simulation gameplay to go literally anywhere in the world.
A sequel to the 2020 game of the same name and technically the 12th entry in a series dating back to the early ’80s, the 2024 edition offers expansive, great-sounding upgrades to the proven formula.
But what the game sets out to accomplish is so gargantuan in scope that, as expected, there are technical hurdles and hiccups that come with the territory of a game asking for an always-online, cloud-based connection.
Microsoft Flight Simulator, when it isn’t battling graphical hiccups like artifacts and messy textures likely due to the streaming nature of the game, is gorgeous.
The series’ aptly-named digital twin is an impressive mirror of the real world in many respects. The sheer scope it is able to achieve as players reach higher elevations and can enjoy both the staggering detail of the world below while seeing the land stretch out to the horizon is downright stunning.
As expected, this new effort uses the new horsepower to pull off more immersive feats in environments such as herds of animals navigating the world, dynamic weather, and natural-occurring seasons. This leads to new features like herds of animals actually visible, not just a text popups in the past, and little details like forests of trees realistically swaying.
But the game also loops in new world happenings such as tornadoes, wildfires and more for players to navigate, too. Beyond the iffy-looking and sounding human character models and hitches likely due to streaming and/or hardware limitations, it’s a captivating experience.
While those more knowledgeable about aircraft might find accuracy problems, the interior cockpits seem immensely detailed and varied. And it’s neat to see little details, like imperfections, like small scratches on the window, when looking out it to say, see, the yawning breadth of the Grand Canyon stretching to the horizon.
This new rendition marries the visuals in a fun way with gameplay, first and foremost apparently revamping physics to be more lifelike. Again, those who have actually flown these crafts might argue the finer points, but it’s fun to take different types up for a spin and see how differently they control.
Even for those who don’t know, it certainly feels like the game gives players a robust understanding of the differences between say, a helicopter and new aircraft such as hot air balloons.
It mostly accomplishes this through a bevy of new mission types ranging from general sightseeing tours to more complex things like firefighting, search and rescue, cargo hook transport, racing jet fights through canyons, and more.
Players can, by the way, hop out of their aircraft of choice and walk around at times. And while it’s impressively detailed visually, the level of detail will hinge on one’s hardware and the walking pace is realistic—meaning painfully slow.
On a smaller note, the game’s user interface (UI), especially in the menus, are messy and lag at times, while other times are silky smooth.
Microsoft Flight Simulator desperately needed those new mission types to evolve from past games that often just asked the player to fly around accomplishing checklists.
The new career mode capitalizes on the new mission types in great ways. Players start as a rookie at any airport of their choice and manage funds and skill trees to great effect through those varied missions.
Eventually, players can break free of the early aviation companies and start their own businesses, too. The result is a varied experience where progression feels meaningful, and players really get a behind-the-scenes look at the business side of aviation.
Players, of course, manage a variety of aircraft as things expand, plus pick and choose certification trees for a lot of different specifications, like eventually working toward a sky crane option.
Beyond the career mode, the game offers a photo challenges mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Small details like the positioning of the sun or scenic backdrops play a role in the grading process.
There’s also a challenge league that offers three, well, challenges for players to tackle a week, plus leaderboards for those who are into that sort of thing.
For those completely new to the series and how strictly it cares for being a simulation, there are, thankfully, training missions that do a good job of explaining things. And droves of options and accessibility features await in the menus, too.
All that aside, it’s no secret by now that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 had a rough launch out of the gates with long queue times and crashes. Those things have been largely ironed out, it seems, but the technical hiccups have not. Performance and visuals will weigh heavily on a player-to-player basis based on available hardware, it seems, so there’s a conversation worth having about perhaps allowing players to merely install a massive file, circumventing the always-streaming option.
There are going to be all sorts of delayed flight jokes early in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s lifespan and rightfully so.
Despite this, the upgrade for the series was a gamble worth taking. The more immersive details to the world really bring the digital twin to life, and the missions and structure of the career mode make it oddly addictive and fun to keep grinding out different paths and building up a business.
Of course, Microsoft Flight Simulator has never been and never will be for everyone. But the career and tutorials make this the most accessible version to new players as possible and those with even a passing interest—and some patience and strong hardware—should give it a look.
If nothing else, this feels like a fantastic foundation that can be improved upon for years.
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