Experience the console debut of Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S, bringing a true civil aviation flight simulator to Xbox gamers for the first time. The game requires over 100GB of storage and an internet connection for scenery updates. You can optimize bandwidth usage by caching frequently visited areas. The Xbox Series X Controller is seamlessly integrated into the game, though mastering controls like throttle may take some time. The left thumbstick provides easy control for banking and changing the plane’s attitude, while the rudder triggers can be initially sensitive. The right stick allows for immersive exploration of Flight Simulator’s stunning world.
Getting started with your initial flights is straightforward, but as you delve deeper, the game becomes more complex. Xbox owners will encounter the PC version’s intricate menu system, which can be more challenging to navigate without a mouse. If available, using a keyboard and mouse is recommended. The game offers three editions, with the standard version included in Xbox Game Pass. The deluxe edition adds extra aircraft and handcrafted airports, while the premium deluxe edition includes even more planes and airports.
While it provides excitement, it is not action-packed. If you enjoy the idea of soaring through the skies and admiring breathtaking landscapes or taking on the challenge of piloting large aircraft across continents, you will undoubtedly have a great time. Flight Simulator allows you to tailor your experience to your preferences. If you simply want to fly without the responsibilities of a real pilot, you can do so.
There are numerous labeled points of interest to explore, whether you prefer clear skies, dawn or dusk flights, snowy conditions, rainy weather, or even hurricanes (with a little help from online searching). You can witness a mesmerizing sunset over the Pacific, take off from LAX, or explore Buckingham Palace on a foggy London morning. For those seeking more realism, the game offers the opportunity to utilize real-world aviation techniques, such as en route radio navigation and autopilot settings.
A comprehensive flight school that covers controls and procedures for both single-engine Cessnas and commercial airliners. Additionally, there are bush tours and landing challenges for immediate engagement. The virtual skies are not empty, as Xbox pilots can share airspace with other players in an open-world multiplayer environment, alongside scheduled or AI flights. This marks the Xbox Series X’s first standout title. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a remarkable technical achievement, seamlessly blending stunning visuals with enjoyable gameplay. It is a true game-changer, and there is a high likelihood that this is just the beginning, as seen with the PC version. The game is available on PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
Flight Simulator is a testament to accessibility and scaled difficulty, providing a masterclass experience for players. Various flight control assists and the inclusion of an AI co-pilot ensure that the skies are accessible to all. You have the option to immerse yourself in the pilot’s cockpit or take a more casual approach by viewing the aircraft from the outside, resembling an arcade feel. With countless airports worldwide to choose from and a wide selection of aircraft ranging from airliners to single-engine prop planes, the sheer number of choices may be overwhelming. However, the new Discovery mode introduced in the Xbox version simplifies the process. In this mode, players can select iconic locations with predefined settings for the aircraft, weather, and time of day. All you have to do is choose your flight, take the controller, and embark on a scenic journey.
After a year of refining the game for its Xbox release, Microsoft Game Studios and lead developer Asobo Studio, known for their work on A Plague Tale: Innocence, have brought Flight Simulator to console players. With just a few clicks from the welcome screen, Xbox Series X|S owners can take control of an aircraft and soar above some of the world’s most stunning destinations. Flight Simulator delivers exceptional visual fidelity on the Xbox Series X in 4K HDR, even rivaling my experience playing the game on a high-end PC for a year. Although there are some compromises, they are hardly noticeable without comparing both versions side by side. The game runs incredibly smoothly, and many airports and cities are remarkably faithful to their real-life counterparts. The developers have achieved something truly remarkable, leveraging detailed terrain mapping, artificial intelligence, cloud data streaming, real-time weather, and flight updates to create a digital replica of our planet.
Introducing Microsoft Flight Simulator’s console debut on Xbox Series X|S, granting Xbox gamers the opportunity to immerse themselves in an authentic civil aviation flight simulator. To embark on this virtual journey, players must allocate over 100GB of storage space and maintain an internet connection for scenery updates. The integration of the Xbox Series X Controller into the game is commendable, although mastering certain controls may require some time and practice.
Flight Simulator offers three distinct versions, each containing unique content to enhance the experience. From serene exploration to intricate challenges, the game caters to a wide range of preferences, allowing players to venture through stunning landscapes and employ real-world aviation techniques. With accessible features and the inclusion of multiplayer options.
Microsoft Flight Simulator stands as a remarkable technical achievement, captivating players on both PC and Xbox consoles alike. It’s a testament to the wonders of modern technology, delivering an unparalleled virtual aviation experience:
Upon completing each tutorial, you receive a score breakdown, providing insight into your performance in key learning areas. This feature allows you to revisit tutorials and refine your flying skills as you progress. I found this particularly valuable because transitioning from a small Cessna 152 to a massive Airbus A320neo was quite a leap. In addition to tutorials, the game offers landing challenges of varying difficulties, including remote landing strips worldwide, as well as engaging bush trips that feature longer flight plans.
Flight Simulator is the Discovery Tours, which will also be available in the PC version upon its global console launch on July 27. These tours offer breathtaking experiences, starting you in the air and eliminating the need for takeoff. Each tour takes place in an idyllic location, such as Rio de Janeiro, Bora Bora, and the pyramids of Egypt. After downloading the five free World Update packs from the game’s marketplace, you gain access to 16 available tours. These tours are meticulously curated with the perfect music, weather conditions, and choice of aircraft, allowing you to relax and explore these locations at your own pace.
With the sun setting over the ocean and iconic landmarks like Christ the Redeemer in view, I had a moment of reflection. Controlling a light aircraft and enjoying a free scenic tour from the skies of Rio, a place on my real-world travel bucket list, left me amazed. With stunningly realistic graphics that rival any I’ve seen in a video game, this experience felt like a close approximation of the real thing, especially considering the uncertainty of international travel in recent times. All this on a $750 console out of the box left me smiling in disbelief.
Is the ability to enter any airport name or even specific latitude and longitude coordinates into the world map search bar, allowing you to fly over countless places worldwide. Additionally, I was fascinated by the ability to search for and observe fauna, such as elephants, from the air, taking you to specific airfields for unique flyovers. I also enjoyed fulfilling requests from my stream viewers to fly over their hometowns or special places, providing them with a personalized experience.
Regarding graphics performance on the Xbox Series X and Series S, the game is capped at 30fps, but this limitation hardly detracted from the stunning visuals. Many of my stream viewers were in awe of the sheer beauty of the locations I visited. However, it’s worth noting that both consoles support variable refresh rates (VRR), allowing for higher frame rates on compatible TVs and monitors. During my day flights, I experienced smooth and immersive gameplay with minimal stuttering or performance issues, except for one incident where I accidentally clipped an invisible part of a bridge while attempting to fly under it on the Thames. Night flying, with the multitude of lights in cityscapes and the intricate details of buildings, roads, and cars below, occasionally resulted in brief moments of stuttering. Nevertheless, overall, the game performed remarkably well on the Xbox Series X.
I encountered two instances of crashing to the dashboard, which reset the game state, and also experienced a problem where the binding for the pilot to look around the cockpit was disabled, despite correct keybind settings. I attempted to resolve this issue by switching controllers, rebinding the actions, and adjusting settings, but to no avail. As a result, I relied heavily on the external camera and faced challenges during landings. However, I eventually managed to resolve the problem, enabling me to lift the pilot’s viewpoint for takeoffs and landings.
Offering bite-sized excursions through captivating locations such as London, Tokyo, San Francisco, Mount Everest, and Bora Bora. These flights allow players to explore remarkable destinations without the stress of takeoff. While the nuanced controls can catch you off guard and potentially result in a rapid descent, the actual act of flying is surprisingly straightforward. The groundbreaking technology employed in the game, combined with the console’s power, delivers an incredible experience. It’s astonishing how every detail of the world is faithfully recreated within the game, leaving players in awe of the developers’ achievement.
Flight Simulator’s real-time delivery of two petabytes (two million gigabytes!) of data necessitates a stable internet connection. Although occasional frame rate drops may occur, they are easily overlooked when you witness the breathtaking scenery outside your virtual window. For many players, Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S is a valuable gift, providing an opportunity to explore distant skies and discover the wonders of various countries from the comfort of their own homes.
The sheer ambition of Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S is evident regardless of your preferred playstyle. Asobo Studios has successfully brought to life a fully recreated planet Earth, allowing players to explore almost every inch of it within the game. While controlling the plane with a controller is often manageable, utilizing a joystick would enhance the flying experience even further. Running at 4K and 30fps, the game stands as a technical masterpiece, accompanied by an immersive soundtrack and stunning visuals. Flight Simulator represents a remarkable technological breakthrough in the realm of gaming, providing a platform to embark on a globe-spanning adventure.
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