Ongoing Review of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Just like the game that came before it, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 opens up the entire planet for exploration, offering an enormous playground for aviation enthusiasts. Back in 2020, I handed out my first and only perfect score for a game review, and I was blown away by what it offered. This year’s iteration is packed with even more features, although some stubborn issues linger. Without early review copies and with a rocky start that kept me grounded for the first 24 hours, I’m still diving into my virtual piloting journey as well as crafting this review. So far, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 impresses with its features, yet doesn’t quite hit the same high note that left me in awe last time. Instead, I’m solidly impressed.

Right off the bat, the standout new feature in Flight Simulator 2024 is the career mode. You start by choosing an airport as your base, join a fictional aviation company, and begin your journey up the career ladder. It’s a bit like a skill tree in a traditional game: you conquer beginner missions, which unlock new ones, leading to more advanced opportunities. For instance, after earning a commercial pilot’s license, you could get a tail wheel endorsement, which lets you pilot newer planes and take on jobs like search and rescue. On the flip side, specializing in rotorcraft, or helicopters, might lead you to operating a sky crane. I can’t help but think, “heck yeah!” These certifications or endorsements each open up a range of jobs, from simple flights to complex helicopter operations.

As you progress, you can eventually gather enough funds and reputation to break away from your employer and launch your own aviation business. I haven’t reached that milestone yet, but I’m making good progress with my fixed-wing endorsements. The end goal still is up in the air, but I’m eagerly anticipating the day I can start my own company and rake in the majority of the profits to expand my aircraft fleet.

The initial missions in career mode cover basic flight training, designed to get you comfortable with the plane’s controls. A bit disappointing, though, is that this training mirrors the 2020 tutorials, even using the same airfield in Sedona, Arizona. The tasks are unchanged, though instructions and on-screen guidance are clearer now, which I appreciate, given the endless array of controls—so many that in 2020, I often turned to Google for help. This time, I’m grateful for the tips 2024 provides, as reminding myself how to release the parking brake is a continuing need due to my forgetfulness.

As you delve deeper into career mode, new missions and mission types become available. A slight oddity I encountered was that not all opportunities appear around your chosen home airport. My base is KMVM Machias Valley Airfield in eastern Maine, but soon I found myself flying to Europe for aircraft deliveries and skydiving missions. It’s not a deal-breaker but did make my constructed career narrative feel a bit off-kilter. Ah, imagination, you fickle thing!

Reflecting on the previous Microsoft Flight Simulator from 2020, it was a sheer delight. The freedom to fly to any place on the globe was overwhelmingly liberating. With 20 aircraft as a starting point, it catered well to serious aviation buffs. The real strength lay in its mapping data, transforming it from a good game to an awe-inspiring simulator. Though the load times were lackluster, the experience of visiting world landmarks, renowned airports, or the secluded strips of South America was virtually unmatched. – Seth G. Macy, August 17, 2020.

Although honestly, I’m thoroughly enjoying the career mode aspect. In 2020’s release, I would invent little missions like air-delivering pizza from Knox County Regional Airport in Maine to the distant Matinicus Island (a real-life feat, believe it or not). Now, having structured missions gives me concrete objectives, ensuring I learn more about aircraft operation and flight patterns, which is likely to make me a better sim-pilot. It’s easily my favorite part of Flight Simulator 2024, and I’m excited about possibly starting an airline or maybe a sky crane outfit. Maybe both—who knows how much time I have?

The Challenge League is another fresh feature, veering more into the gaming side while preserving the simulation’s flight models and physics. There are weekly challenges and leaderboards, which I relish because I can be quite competitive. I want to succeed above all others.

In the inaugural challenges, my pick is the F/A-18 rally race through the Grand Canyon. You navigate a modern jet through canyon sections, weaving between gates as you push for speed. While it sounds straightforward, the flight model’s complexity amps up the difficulty. It’s exhilarating and utterly fun. My best attempt clocked in around 1 minute 54 seconds, only good enough for the Bronze league. Yet, seeing my name above someone I’ve never met gives an unexplainable satisfaction. I’m eager to tackle the challenges each week, testing my mettle against the best.

One of my favorite memories from the last Flight Simulator was virtually visiting places far and wide. Flight Simulator 2024 has put a spotlight on this with its photo challenges mode. You fly to iconic spots worldwide and snap photos that meet certain criteria—like capturing the Sphinx with the sun just right on the equinox, which you do on foot!

That leads to one of the coolest new perks: you can now land, exit your plane, and explore on foot. It’s a neat concept, but walking at a true-to-life pace feels slow if you’re a seasoned first-person gamer. Additionally, visual detail can fluctuate based on your computer setup, internet speed, and cloud server condition.

Despite these quirks, the terrain detail is phenomenal. The environment—whether sandy or rocky—looks strikingly realistic. Trails in grass, snow, or mud where you’ve been remain visible, adding to the immersion, although I haven’t tested if mud truly affects aerodynamics.

There’s a notable increase in wildlife presence. Animals now inhabit expected locales rather than being static points, enhancing the realism. Witnessing a bull moose wander across a Maine airstrip added a touch of authenticity. While I haven’t seen other creatures yet, they’re placed according to a global animal location database, so I anticipate lion-spotting in Africa soon, with luck.

When taking in the vast sceneries, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 can look even better than before, especially in iconic places like the Grand Canyon. The visual upgrade over 2020’s version is impressive. My powerful PC setup, which includes an i9-13900K processor and a Radeon RX 7900XT GPU among other specs (thank you Corsair for the RAM), significantly enhances performance and visuals. However, the game’s cloud-streaming setup hasn’t been perfected yet. During a mission in Venice, Italy, parts of the environment were beautifully rendered, while other sections, like St. Mark’s Basilica, were just glaring errors. I’d prefer if detailed areas were stored locally with less exciting areas streamed, though the current reliance on streaming seems unlikely to change soon.

Despite my high-performance PC, my GPU is at full tilt even at recommended settings, indicating optimization isn’t quite nailed down.

Overall, despite a rough launch, I’m already very fond of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. I haven’t been as awe-struck as I was with the previous version, but it retains its adventurous spirit. The initial technical hiccups are fading, allowing me to immerse myself in what the sim offers, like exploring the skies or diving deeper into commercial aviation via career mode. I’ll continue exploring before finalizing my opinion, but right now, despite not capturing the full magic of its predecessor, Flight Simulator 2024 is impressive in its own right.