Ever since Microsoft Flight Simulator was first announced at E3 last year, fans have been going crazy over the company’s insanely realistic take on the simulator genre, with the game allowing players to fly over real locations sourced from Bing Maps. To many, it was the first look at a truly next-generation experience, allowing players to see what crazy technology was being worked on at some of the most ambitious game studios in the world.
Over a year later, Microsoft Flight Simulator is finally ready to make its way into the hands of the players, with the game officially launching on PC tomorrow. However, there’s one final hoop the game has to soar through before it’s ready to hit shelves, with players eager to find out how it stacks up with the critics.
Luckily, it seems embargo on the game has lifted today, with several of the biggest gaming publications in the world giving their opinion on whether Microsoft’s shockingly authentic flight simulator is worthy of the hype. So, will Microsoft and Asobo Studio be able to deliver on its promise of a technologically advanced flight simulator? Or does it buckle under the pressure?
IGN (Seth Macy)
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is legitimately incredible. It’s difficult to fully describe how amazing it feels to jump into a plane and have the freedom to fly to and from literally any place in the entire world. The base game’s 20 included aircraft feel like more than enough for even hardcore aviation enthusiasts, and the ability to adjust the assists to tailor the experience to whatever skill level you desire makes it suitable for anyone looking to fly the friendly skies from the comfort of their home. The real-world mapping data, however, takes Microsoft Flight Simulator from being just an impressive game to the most awe-inspiring simulation I’ve ever experienced, in spite of its less than stellar load times. Seeing famous landmarks, landing at the world’s most recognizable airports, or just touching down in a remote landing strip in South America is mind-bogglingly cool and an absolutely unparalleled way to virtually explore our world.”
Score 10 / 10
VG24/7 (Alex Donaldson)
“Developer Asobo Studio says Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is a ten-year project with many additions to come. That makes sense, as it’s a brilliant base package with so very much to love that I can still see myself returning to for years. For me, the casual, it’s a perfect low-stakes, relaxing gaming experience. It’s a technical achievement and an excellent training aid, but it’s also a brilliant piece of escapism, transcending its purpose as a tool to become something far more widely enjoyable – and I can’t recommend it enough.”
Score: 10 / 10
Gaming Trend (Ron Burke)
“There is nothing out there like Microsoft Flight Simulator. It delivers the entire world in unrivaled quality, combined with pinpoint precise controls and realism at a level that is unmatched. If you want a taste of the sky, this game is virtual perfection, and if you are learning to fly in the real world, nothing will reinforce what you’ve already learned more than Microsoft Flight Simulator.”
Score: 100 / 100
Game Rant (Robin Meyer-Lorey)
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is well worth checking out. Hardcore simmers will love it, and for more casual players it is still undeniably fun. While the full $60 price tag ($120 for the Premium Deluxe edition) might be a bit much for gamers who typically play more traditional titles, Flight Sim will also be offered on Xbox Game Pass, which makes it a very strong value proposition. As much as we longed for more content, something kept us coming back, again and again, to try out another plane, fly over another landmark, or attempt one more tricky landing.”
Score: 4.5 / 5
Twifinite (Giuseppe Nelva)
“While it may require a lot of effort to truly master (and Asobo could have done more to make that process smoother), once you get to grips with the more advanced aspects of the simulation, you’ll unlock nearly infinite possibilities. I know you read this often, but this time, I can truly affirm that the world is at your fingertips. I’d say that the sky is the limit, but Microsoft Flight Simulator’s sky doesn’t have any limits.”
Score: 4.5 / 5
PC Invasion (A.K Rahming)
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is by all means the most complete out-of-the-box package that out of any flight sim ever. It’s advancements have pushed the genre as a whole to an entirely new standard with the promise of ongoing support solidifying its rank as the defacto flight sim for the years to come. While it has its quirks, this really is ‘As real as it gets’.”
Score: 8 / 10
Eurogamer (Martin Robinson)
“Microsoft Flight Simulator is the kind of thing that can make an enthusiast of you, or rekindle a passion that’s been lying dormant. I’ve started to work over my own checklists, and map out my own flight plans. I now can’t bring myself to spawn on a runway, and instead enjoy getting lost in the rhythm of procedures as you set off from your stand. Over the past month or so, Microsoft Flight Simulator has sent me on a spiral of discovery, exploring the world as well as the often mundane, frequently magical detail of air travel, my appreciation of what Microsoft and Asobo have achieved growing all the while. When it all comes together, this thing can be as uplifting as flight itself.”
Score: N/A
PC Gamer (Phil Iwaniuk)
“That’s where I am with Flight Simulator 2020 so far. Bugged by annoyances that I have to let go, because of the sheer achievement in long-focus scale. The opportunity to explore the world in as high fidelity as we’ve ever seen it in a game simply overrides my befuddlement at learning to fly without any teachers, and doing so at 27fps.”
Score: N/A
Overall, it seems as though Asobo Studio and Microsoft have set a new bar for realism in a simulation game, with Microsoft Flight Simulator quickly becoming one of the most critically acclaimed titles of the year so far. Praising its incredible visuals, ambitious concept, and jaw-dropping ability to essentially render genuine environments in shocking detail, it’s clear the team has knocked it out the park with the newest entry in the Flight Simulator franchise. While some have pointed out that it has some bugs and technical mishaps, it seems the game is also a project set to be worked on for years to come, so its more minor issues will hopefully fade away in time.
As of right now, the game has pulled in an astounding 93 on Metacritic from 26 reviews, and while it’s sure to change with more critics adding to the consensus in the next few days, that currently puts its aggregate review score alongside some of this year’s heaviest hitters. As it stands, it’s currently tied for the best-rated PC game of 2020 with Half-Life Alyx, while both games occupy the third place of the best-rated game of the year ranking, with The Last of Us 2 claiming second and Persona 5 Royal taking first. Evidently, it’s already making some serious waves with critics lucky enough to get their hands on it.
Microsoft Flight Simulator will be available for PC on August 18, with an Xbox One version in development.
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