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Microsoft Flight Simulator Review
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Posted: 10 months ago, last updated 6 days ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer and Jo Robertson.
Overview
Microsoft Flight Simulator (Microsoft Flight Sim 2020) is the latest flight simulator game in the long running series. Along with a huge range of aircraft you can learn to fly, the game recreates the entire Earth using textures and data from data maps and three-dimensional models of famous cities and features. Add to this the real world weather and physics effects and you have an incredibly accurate flying simulator.
Flight Simulator populates the world with animals and roads with vehicles, water flows realistically based on wind direction, grass has individual grass blades and trees have individual leaves, creating the illusion of a living world. This includes over 2 million cities and towns. It adds trillions of trees, real-world airports and various animal species including birds, elephants, giraffes and bears.
Although the central tenant of the game, to recreate the complex expansive world of flight and its related protocols, it's also an amazing way to explore the world. You can use the game to learn about different areas of the planet and even scout, "chase" and interact with real-world storms as they occur in real time.
A tutorial takes you through the basics of flight instruments, takeoff and landing. These are complemented by more leisurely and low-pressure "sight-seeing bush trips, which include overflights of Nevada, Patagonia, and the Balkans."
For those wanting a more realistic experience there are features where players can talk with the air traffic controller, switch camera views, modify checklists, adjust AI systems, adjust fuel tanks, view the navigation log, see objectives, view the VFR map, and adjust the weather; buttons in the bar can be changed.
Out now on PC and coming to Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2021.
Flight Simulator populates the world with animals and roads with vehicles, water flows realistically based on wind direction, grass has individual grass blades and trees have individual leaves, creating the illusion of a living world. This includes over 2 million cities and towns. It adds trillions of trees, real-world airports and various animal species including birds, elephants, giraffes and bears.
Although the central tenant of the game, to recreate the complex expansive world of flight and its related protocols, it's also an amazing way to explore the world. You can use the game to learn about different areas of the planet and even scout, "chase" and interact with real-world storms as they occur in real time.
A tutorial takes you through the basics of flight instruments, takeoff and landing. These are complemented by more leisurely and low-pressure "sight-seeing bush trips, which include overflights of Nevada, Patagonia, and the Balkans."
For those wanting a more realistic experience there are features where players can talk with the air traffic controller, switch camera views, modify checklists, adjust AI systems, adjust fuel tanks, view the navigation log, see objectives, view the VFR map, and adjust the weather; buttons in the bar can be changed.
Out now on PC and coming to Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2021.
Game Details
Content Rating: PEGI 3
Skill Rating: 14+ year-olds
Release Date: 18/08/2020
Platforms: PC and Xbox Series X|S
Genres: Open World and Simulation
Accessibility: 22 features
Developer: @AsoboStudio
Lists
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Commitment
Costs
Microsoft Flight Simulator usually costs £61 to £109.99.
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. There are different versions available:
Microsoft Flight Simulator
 | PC | £61 | – | – |
 | PC | – | – | Free Xbox Game Pass |
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Deluxe
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Premium Deluxe
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. There are different versions available:
- Microsoft Flight Simulator Standard Edition - Includes 20 highly detailed planes with unique flight models and 30 hand-crafted airports.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator Deluxe Edition - 25 highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 35 hand-crafted international airports.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator Premium Edition - 30 highly accurate planes with unique flight models and 40 hand-crafted international airports.
Age Ratings
Content Rating
This game has been rated PEGI 3.Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Skill Rating
This game is enjoyed by 14+ year-olds as it's a good match for their ability and maturity.
Accessibility
Although this simulation is complex and challenging, it has several helper features.
You can use a reduced set of buttons but opting to start the flight in the air so you don't have to deal with taking off procedure which requires multiple buttons. This enables you to fly and using just the left stick to fly. Although you can't control throttle, this mode is playable although you can't ascend very high. You could also opt to let the computer fly the plane then use the right stick to look around.
Flight Simulator also allows players to search for faunas in the game, either by searching "fauna" on the World Map, or selecting "Fauna Markers" when in mid-air. In addition, there is a feature of entering a geographic coordinate to find a location.
Helpful information on how to play the game is available from the SpecialEffect video.
Our Microsoft Flight Simulator Accessibility Report documents 22 accessibility features:
- Assistance enables waypoint arrows at the taxiways, guiding players on where to go.
- Route & Waypoints enables markers to guide players in the sky.
- Landing Path guides players on landing.
- Travel To time-lapses the flight, condensing long-haul flights.
- Active Pause pauses the flight, allowing players to explore the surrounding area.
- Autorudder keeps the plane in the centre line of taxiways and runways when the player is unable to control it.
You can use a reduced set of buttons but opting to start the flight in the air so you don't have to deal with taking off procedure which requires multiple buttons. This enables you to fly and using just the left stick to fly. Although you can't control throttle, this mode is playable although you can't ascend very high. You could also opt to let the computer fly the plane then use the right stick to look around.
Flight Simulator also allows players to search for faunas in the game, either by searching "fauna" on the World Map, or selecting "Fauna Markers" when in mid-air. In addition, there is a feature of entering a geographic coordinate to find a location.
Helpful information on how to play the game is available from the SpecialEffect video.
Our Microsoft Flight Simulator Accessibility Report documents 22 accessibility features:
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