Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) review
Our Verdict
Microsoft Flight Simulator is the all-time way to see the world from your burrow.
For
- Incredible realism
- Supports various experience levels
- Lovely graphics
Against
- Takes up a huge amount of space
- Some details could be better
Tom's Guide Verdict
Microsoft Flight Simulator is the best manner to meet the world from your couch.
Pros
- +
Incredible realism
- +
Supports diverse experience levels
- +
Lovely graphics
Cons
- -
Takes upwards a huge amount of space
- -
Some details could be better
Microsoft Flying Simulator (2020): Specs
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Xbox Serial X/South
Price: $60
Release Date: August 18, 2020 (PC) / July 27, 2021 (Xbox)
Genre: Simulation
If whatever one video game can chart the progress of PC development, it's Microsoft Flight Simulator. First released in 1982, the championship has been through 12 iterations, each ane taking advantage of the latest applied science and gaming trends. The newest version, simply called Microsoft Flight Simulator, not only looks fantastic, but too leverages Microsoft'south satellite imagery and live atmospheric condition data to provide the nearly realistic experience however. In addition, the game is too compatible with VR headsets and, in a first, with the Xbox Series X, opening it up to an even wider audience.
Every bit I was writing this Microsoft Flight Simulator review, I would get lost for hours just admiring everything exterior the cockpit.
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) review: Toll and availability
Microsoft Flight Simulator was released in the summer of 2020 for PCs, and in July 2021 for the Xbox Series Ten and Xbox Series S.
The game is available in three versions. The Standard Edition costs $59.99, and volition let y'all fly 20 unlike planes. The Deluxe Edition ($89.99) includes 25 aircraft, and the Premium Deluxe Edition ($119.99) includes 35 aircraft.
Asobo released a Game of the Year Edition on November 18, 2021, which included five new shipping (including the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the VoloCity, and the Pilatus PC-half-dozen Porter), too equally eight new handcrafted airports, including Leipzig/Halle Airport (EDDP), Zurich Airport (LSZH), and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (KNKX).
This edition, which besides supports DirectX 12, is a gratuitous update for existing players on PC and Xbox Series 10|S.
While all versions allow you land and take off from 37,000 airports effectually the world, each edition has "handcrafted" airports with additional details. The Standard Edition has 30 such airports, the Deluxe, 35, and the Premium Deluxe, 40 airports.
The Standard Edition is too available as part of Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Xbox.
In the game itself, you can download boosted updates, some of which are free, and others of which cost coin. For example, yous can install more detailed airports or more shipping, from a WWI-era Bleriot XI to an F-15 Eagle. Most of these à la carte offerings range in price from a few bucks to as much as $50.
Microsoft Flying Simulator (2020) review: Organization requirements and updates
Microsoft Flight Simulator requires, at minimum, a Windows ten PC with either an Intel i5-4460 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 processor, an Nvidia GTX 770 or AMD Radeon RX 570 GPU, 8 GB RAM, 2 GB VRAM, 150GB of hard drive space, and support for DirectX 11. Here is a link to the minimum, recommended, and ideal specs, according to Asobo.
| AMD | Nvidia | |
| CPU | Ryzen 3 1200 | Intel i5-4460 |
| GPU | Radeon RX 570 | Nvidia GTX 770 |
| VRAM | 2GB | 2GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 150GB | 150GB |
| Bandwidth | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| AMD | Nvidia | |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 1500X | Intel i5-8400 |
| GPU | Radeon RX 590 | Nvidia GTX 970 |
| VRAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 150GB | 150GB |
| Bandwidth | 20 Mbps | twenty Mbps |
| AMD | Nvidia | |
| CPU | Ryzen vii Pro 2700X | Intel i7-9800X |
| GPU | Radeon VII | Nvidia RTX 2080 |
| VRAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| RAM | 32GB | 32GB |
| Storage | 150GB SSD | 150GB SSD |
| Bandwidth | fifty Mbps | 50 Mbps |
To test the game, I used an Alienware Area m51 with an Nvidia GeForce 2080 GPU, a iii.half-dozen GHz Intel Core i9-9900K CPU, with 64GB of RAM. Notwithstanding, a large update in late July 2021 has fabricated the game less of a drag on system resources, enabling meliorate functioning from lower-specced systems. After this update, with the graphics at Ultra settings, I was able to average between 50-60 fps on my flights, with the GPU output at around 80 percent and the CPU effectually 20 percent.
It'southward also a large game. The initial download was 90.99GB, and a subsequent update was another 40GB. Waiting for these to install was similar sitting in an overcrowded aerodrome last. It added nevertheless another aspect of reality to flying, albeit one that Microsoft probably didn't intend.
Since its release, there have been numerous updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator, which have either added better item in sure regions — such as better-rendered landmarks— or refinements to aircraft and various bug fixes.
Microsoft Flying Simulator 2020 VR headset compatibility
Microsoft Flying Simulator supports OpenXR-compatible headsets, such as Valve Index, Oculus Rift South, the HP Reverb G2, and Oculus Quest with Link.
Previously, you could sign upward for a airtight VR beta program—in which it looks like you tin utilise whatsoever VR headset—but you'll need at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen v 1500X processor, an Nvidia GTX 1080 or equivalent GPU, and at least 16GB of RAM.
However, this latest update opens the flight simulator to a number of other VR headsets.
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) review: Visuals and sound
Microsoft Flying Simulator: Latest upates
June 17: Release i.17.3.0 (Globe Update V): The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are getting their due, and five airdrome landing challenges have been added.
To put it simply, the graphics are stunning. If anything, the all-time reason to play Microsoft Flight Simulator is simply to gaze in wonder at all the Earth has to offer, both natural and artificial. Passing over highways, yous can see cars and trucks driving, with an astounding lack of gridlock — perhaps the most unrealistic aspect of the game.
Because everything is generated from Microsoft's extensive world-mapping database, it's as shut to looking out the window of a real plane as you're going to get. Outside of Google or Apple, it's hard to imagine whatever other company existence able to pull this off.
There are a few instances where the graphics could utilise some work, though. In the New York City expanse, the graphics under more than than a few bridges were distorted, making it look like there was a curtain hanging from their lower decks.
Suffice it to say, invest in a good monitor to really relish in all that the game has to offer. It's also helpful because many important popup screens — such equally Air Traffic Command, your flight map, and navigation log — can quickly take up a lot of real estate.
Y'all can set the Simulator to any time of the day or night, and yous can besides incorporate real-time weather information, which adds in even more realism and challenge.
Audio-wise, there's not much to speak of, as the primary sound you'll hear is the thrum of your aeroplane's engine. This besides, is modeled well, equally each aircraft has its own unique sound. The simply other sounds are those of alarms and air-traffic command.
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) review: Gameplay
While I'm non exactly a novice with flight simulators or flying games, it's been a number of years since I sat backside the yoke. As such, I was pretty rusty coming into Flight Simulator 2020. No problem, I thought. I'll just take the training courses — there are a handful, and they cover both propeller aircraft and jets — and I'll be off flying the friendly skies.
Then I tried landing. It took several tries earlier I could safely land a Cessna 152 — your garden-diversity single-propeller aircraft. Fortunately, the simulator can exist very forgiving, and lets you adjust how "real" y'all want your flight experience to be.
Even and then, there's a real learning curve. Subsequently nigh a dozen flights in diverse propeller shipping, I felt assuming enough to fly a Boeing 747 out of San Francisco International Airport. I figured I'd swoop downward low over the Gold Gate Span and snap a few picturesque photos for this review. Before yous could say Coit Belfry, I had all sorts of alarms and warnings going off in the cockpit.
You can take off and land from virtually anywhere on the Earth. A Globe Map lets you select where you'd like to get, the aircraft, and the fourth dimension of day.
On the other manus, if y'all just want to sit back and enjoy the view, at that place are a handful of discovery flights where the simulator does all the flight.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 aircraft
The following shipping are available in Microsoft Flight Simulator:
| Standard Edition | Deluxe Edition | Premium Deluxe Edition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320neo | 10 | X | X |
| Boeing F/A-xviii Super Hornet | X | Ten | X |
| VoloCopter VoloCity | Ten | X | X |
| Pilatus PC-vi Porter | X | 10 | X |
| CubCrafters NX Cub | 10 | 10 | X |
| Aviat Pitts Special S1S | Ten | Ten | X |
| Aviat Pitts Special S2S | X | Ten | X |
| Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental | X | Ten | X |
| CubCrafters XCub | 10 | X | 10 |
| Daher TBM 930 | X | X | X |
| Diamond DA62 | X | X | X |
| Diamond DA40 NG | X | 10 | X |
| Actress 330LT | X | X | X |
| Flying Design CTLS | X | X | X |
| ICON A5 | X | X | Ten |
| JMB VL-3 | X | X | X |
| Robin CAP x | X | X | 10 |
| Robin DR400-100 Cadet | X | Ten | X |
| Beechcraft Bonanza G36 | X | X | X |
| Beechcraft King Air 350i | X | X | Ten |
| Cessna 152 | 10 | 10 | X |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) | X | X | X |
| Cessna 208 B Grand Caravan EX | X | 10 | X |
| Cessna Citation CJ4 | Ten | X | X |
| Zlin Roughshod Cub | X | X | Ten |
| Diamond DA40-TDI | X | X | |
| Diamond DV20 | Ten | X | |
| Beechcraft Baron G58 | Ten | X | |
| Cessna 152 Aerobat | 10 | X | |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk | X | X | |
| Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner | X | ||
| Cirrus SR22 | 10 | ||
| Pipistrel Virus SW 121 | 10 | ||
| Cessna Citation Longitude | Ten | ||
| Zlin Shock Ultra | X |
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 airports
According to Microsoft, players tin can state and accept off from around 37,000 airports around the world. Even so, xl of these airports have "mitt-crafted" elements, offering more item and other features. So, for instance, all players volition be able to fly into San Francisco's airport, only only those who accept the Premium Deluxe version will be able to see these mitt-crafted items. Microsoft has non specified what the exact differences are between hand-crafted and non-handcrafted versions.
| Standard Edition | Palatial Edition | Premium Palatial Edition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen/Pikin County (Us) | X | 10 | X |
| Allgäu Airdrome Memmingen | 10 | 10 | X |
| Bugalaga Airstrip (Indonesia) | 10 | X | X |
| Chagual Drome (Peru) | X | X | X |
| Courchevel Altiport (France) | X | X | X |
| Donegal Drome (Ireland) | 10 | X | Ten |
| Entebbe Int'50 Airport (Uganda) | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira Int'50 Airport (Portugal) | X | X | X |
| Gibraltar Int'l Airdrome (United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland) | 10 | X | X |
| Innsbruck Drome (Austria) | X | X | X |
| Leipzig/Halle Airport | 10 | X | X |
| Los Angeles Int'l Drome (USA) | X | X | X |
| Tenzing-Hillary Aerodrome (Nepal) | X | 10 | 10 |
| Nanwalek Airport (United states) | X | Ten | X |
| John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport (USA) | X | X | 10 |
| Kassel Airport | X | X | 10 |
| Lugano Airport | Ten | 10 | X |
| Luzern-Beromunster | X | 10 | X |
| Marine Corps Air Station Miramar | 10 | X | Ten |
| Orlando Int'l Airport (Usa) | X | X | X |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle Int'50 Airport (French republic) | X | X | Ten |
| Paro Int'l Airdrome (Kingdom of bhutan) | Ten | 10 | X |
| Patrick Space Force Base of operations | X | X | X |
| Queenstown Aerodrome (New Zealand) | X | X | X |
| Mariscal Sucre Int'fifty Airport (Ecuador) | X | X | X |
| Rio de Janeiro-Antonio Carlos Jobim Int'fifty Airport (Brazil) | Ten | Ten | 10 |
| Juancho E. Yrausquin Airdrome (Dutch Saba) | X | X | X |
| Gustaf Iii Airport (French republic) | X | X | X |
| Seattle-Tacoma Int'l Airport (The states) | X | X | X |
| Sedona Aerodrome (United states) | X | X | X |
| Sirena Aerodrome (Costa Rica) | X | X | X |
| Stewart Airport (Canada) | X | 10 | Ten |
| Sydney Airport (Australia) | 10 | 10 | X |
| Telluride Regional Airport (Usa) | X | 10 | X |
| Haneda Airport (Japan) | X | Ten | X |
| Toncontin Int'fifty Drome (Honduras) | X | 10 | Ten |
| Billy Bishop Toronto City Drome (Canada) | X | 10 | Ten |
| Zurich Airport | 10 | X | X |
| Schiphol Airport (Netherlands) | Ten | 10 | |
| Cairo Int'l Airport (Egypt) | X | X | |
| Cape Town Int'l Drome (South Africa) | Ten | X | |
| O'Hare Int'50 Airport (Us) | X | X | |
| Adolfo Suarez Madrid Barajas (Espana) | Ten | Ten | |
| Denver Int'l Drome (Us) | X | ||
| Frankfurt Aerodrome (Germany) | X | ||
| Heathrow Airport (UK) | X | ||
| San Francisco Int'fifty Drome (United states of america) | X |
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Recommended peripherals
For those who program to purchase Microsoft Flight Simulator, the company recommends the post-obit peripherals, which include a diversity of flight controls:
| Logitech | Thrustmaster | Honeycomb |
| Farthermost 3D Pro | F/A-18 Grip | Honeycomb Aeronautical |
| Flight Rudder Pedals | Warthog HOTAS (stick + throttle) | Virtual Fly |
| Flight Throttle Quadrant | MFD Cougar | Ruddo+ |
| Flight Yoke System | Pendular Rudder | TQ3+ |
| X52 | T.Flight Stick Ten | TQ6+ |
| X52 Pro | T.16000M (stick only) | V3rnio TPM |
| X56 | T.16000M FCS (stick + throttle + rudder) | Yoko+ |
| T.Flight HOTAS 4 | Microsoft | |
| T.Flying HOTAS One | Xbox Controller | |
| T.Flight HOTAS X | Xbox Adaptive Controller | |
| T-Flight Rudder Pedals | ||
| TWCS Throttle | ||
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) review: Verdict
In some means, calling Microsoft Flight Simulator a "game" is doing it a disservice. At that place are no bosses to defeat, no coins to collect and nada to "win." It'due south more than like an experience. The attention to detail is truly impressive, especially if you accept a arrangement that can take advantage of information technology all. If yous've been cooped upward in your flat, it's the perfect pandemic game to get out and run across the world without ever leaving your home.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/microsoft-flight-simulator-2020
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