Quick Thoughts: Microsoft Flight Simulator
- KG
- Aug 1, 2021
- 2 min read
I've been playing a little bit of Microsoft Flight Simulator since it recently released on the Xbox Series X and it can be fun, but there's definitely a lot to learn with it.
When you first load it up it, rightfully, suggests doing the tutorials. There's a lot. Especially since they make flying the plane as realistic as possible. They're useful, but they take a good while to complete if you want to know what you're doing. You can just jump right into flying the plane if you're so inclined, but be warned that it may not go so well. It's not like you're playing Star Fox or something.
It's a pretty game, so long as you're in a densely populated area or some other popular location. Fly out to the middle of nowhere and it won't look so great.
Granted, I expect that most people will want to hit up specific locales and Microsoft does have a mode to bring you to popular attractions, such as the pyramids, right away. Choosing that mode will definitely take you to some of the best looking areas.
I've heard some people suggest that this game will be a system seller for the Xbox, but I don't really think that'll be the case. 1. The game has been on PC for a while now and the diehard flight sim enthusiasts will have already gotten it there to make use of their flight sticks and other hardware. 2. It's a good looking game and a great example to show off the system's power, but sim titles aren't always easy to learn and your enjoyment depends entirely on how much you love to fly. 3. The Series S and X are still relatively hard to get ahold of.
It certainly is fun to fly over places you know or ones that you want to visit, but for me that fun is short lived. Sims aren't really my cup of tea so I don't expect that it'll be in my play rotation for long. Microsoft Flight Simulator will set you back $60 unless you have the Xbox Game Pass where it's ready to download at no extra cost. It is over 100GB though so make sure you've got some storage space handy.