Ongoing Review of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Much like the game that came before it, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 serves up the entire globe for exploration, providing a bundle of possibilities for virtual pilots. I remember the 2020 edition earning the first perfect score I’ve ever given in a review because of its sheer scope and ambition. With this year’s edition, while it does introduce an array of fascinating features, some persistent issues have slightly dulled my initial excitement. Unfortunately, due to some technical hiccups—like being unable to play for the first 24 hours due to launch issues—and the last-minute availability of review codes, I’m still charting my course for the skies. At this moment, while I appreciate the dazzling additions of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, it doesn’t quite leave me as awe-struck as its predecessor. I’m left not blown away, but still quite impressed.

Right from the jump, the standout novelty in Flight Simulator 2024 is the career mode. Starting with a home base airport, you get absorbed into a fictional aviation firm and set off on your pilot career journey. It almost functions like a video game skill tree system: you start with beginner missions, progressing to unlock new pathways and certifications. For example, after meeting the criteria for a commercial pilot’s license, you can gain a tail wheel endorsement, which unlocks newer aircraft and roles such as search and rescue—definitely a “hell yeah” moment for me. With more certifications, your choice of jobs broadens significantly. Whether it’s flightseeing or more complex helicopter operations, there’s a spectrum of opportunities awaiting.

With enough virtual earnings and reputation, you can break free from the company grind and start your own aviation business. I haven’t reached that milestone yet, but I’m advancing through my fixed-wing endorsements quite rapidly. As for my end game? I’m still figuring that out. Creating my own enterprise and reaping the financial rewards is the ultimate goal, allowing expansion into my own aircraft fleet, which I eagerly anticipate.

Initial missions serve as basic flight training, a refresher on the basics of flying. What slightly frustrated me is that these missions mirror the tutorials from the 2020 version. They unfold at Sedona, Arizona’s airfield, mirroring both location and instructional tasks from last time. The main upgrade is the AI instructions and on-screen cues, which are somewhat clearer than before. I appreciate the enhanced default tooltips in 2024, especially since managing countless plane controls can get confusing. Previously, finding the parking brake often meant a quick Google search! This time, however, I’m inclined to keep the tooltips active, given my forgetful nature.

As you dive deeper into career mode, more missions and types of missions unlock. It was a bit odd, though, that not all missions are rooted near your chosen home airport. After initiating at a small field in eastern Maine, I soon found myself dispatched to Europe for aircraft delivery and skydiving missions. It’s a touch bizarre and does pull you away from the crafted “career” narrative, but it’s a minor gripe.

Reflecting on the 2020 version, Microsoft Flight Simulator was outstanding. Hopping into a cockpit with complete freedom to fly anywhere globally remains a captivating experience. Featuring 20 incredibly detailed aircraft, it caters to all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned pilots. The real-world mapping elevated it from a game to the most awe-inspiring simulation I’ve ever tried. Despite its longer load times, exploring the planet’s famous sites from the comfort of a virtual cockpit was, and still is, phenomenal.

In the current game’s career mode, I’m drawn in. Back in 2020, I invented little quests, like delivering “air pizzas” from Maine’s Knox County Regional Airport. Now, with well-structured missions, I’m honing my virtual pilot skills better, making career mode my favorite aspect of this edition. I’m eagerly planning to establish my airline or venture into helicopter logistics—or perhaps both, given time.

Another fresh facet is the challenge league, designed for competition lovers like me. Three weekly challenges, complete with leaderboards, let players push for top speeds and best scores. The Grand Canyon F/A-18 rally race is one standout, offering thrilling gate-slaloming excitement. It’s no easy feat, with the same challenging flight model governing the experience, but the speed chase is exhilarating. Although my final time of about 1 minute and 54 seconds only earned me a Bronze, surpassing an unknown rival on the leaderboard provided a rush. Compared to 2020’s leaderboard landing challenges, the new dynamism is electrifying.

One feature that enchanted me in the last simulator was the ability to explore unfamiliar spots worldwide. Photo challenges in Flight Simulator 2024 spotlight this by setting iconic landmarks as targets for your lens. Each task varies; for the inaugural challenge, you photograph the Great Sphinx at the exact moment the equinox sun perches above its shoulder. Not only do you photograph it, but you do so on foot, thanks to a new ability to leave the plane and walk around.

This outside-of-aircraft experience, while awe-inspiring, isn’t yet fully polished. Walking unfolds at real-life speeds—painfully slow if accustomed to fast-paced video games. The visual detail also depends on your hardware, internet, and cloud server health, so expect some variance. Despite occasional GoldenEye-like modeling quirks, the landscape, like around the Pyramids, is richly detailed. Ground surfaces—be it sand, snow, or mud—reflect a new realism, showing wheel tracks from past travels.

The wildlife element also got a realistic boost; animals now appear in expected habitats instead of merely being map points. A bull moose authentically wandered a Maine airfield during one of my sessions, enhancing immersion.

And raising your gaze from the ground reveals sweeping graphical advancements. Areas like the Grand Canyon now boast realism that outshines their former computer-generated look. On a top-tier PC setup, featuring i9 processors and powerful GPUs, the game performs impressively—mostly. Cloud-streaming remains a sore point. Technical glitches occasionally mar vibrant landscapes, as I saw in Venice with the hauntingly polygonal, texture-lacking Basilica. I wish world data could live locally with an option to stream mundane overworld sections instead.

Currently, my GPU pushes hard at recommended settings—100% load isn’t ideal—and only marginally drops at lower settings.

Despite a launch plagued with issues, Flight Simulator 2024 has still captured my admiration, albeit not the unchecked wonder from the 2020 debut. As initial bugs are patched, I’m more drawn into what makes Flight Simulator captivating. The aimless flights remain, but the directed career mode enriches the experience, enhancing my understanding of aviation. Though this edition hasn’t quite recaptured all the magic of its predecessor, it’s a splendid simulator in its own right, with promise for even more improvement as it settles into its flight path.