Even if it's a couple of years old, it's still fun!
Gameplay:
The gameplay can greatly vary depending on the many settings offered to you. Adjust realism, weather, time, etc. all down to the smallest scale. Want to see if you can fly through hurricane conditions? Just set the wind to the greatest setting and precipitation to heavy rain, and you've got your hurricane. Flight Simulator 2002 easily attends from those novice pilots to the hardcore flight fanatics. If you can't identify all of those buttons in the internal views, such as myself, don't worry, you'll still be able to get the plane off the ground, just keep a joystick handy. Additionally, each plane handles as it should, and plenty of ATC options during flight makes your experience with this sim "as real as it gets". You'll think you're flying a real aircraft. With the professional edition, you get the bonus of float planes, which allow you to land in water as well. It's a neat feature unseen in previous installments of Microsoft's flight sims.
Graphics:
For a flight sim made in 2001, the graphics are pretty good, even for today's standards. If you have a high-end computer, each building on the ground can cast a shadow, planes reflect sunlight, and you are able to turn on a plethora of graphical options. Low-end users, do not worry at all, as the game still looks good without many of the options turned on. The low point though, are the 2D internal views, which seem outdated.
Sound:
Overall, the sound is good enough to immerse you into the flying experience. The game comes with 8 different voices you can use for ATC purposes, and each plane has its distinctive engine sound. Put the Air Traffic up and you'll have constant radio chatter as other aircraft make their way to and from their destinations. When you land, you defintitely know you have hit the runway. Although the sound is good, it can be polished in some areas, peticulary the engines of prop planes.
Value:
Flight Simulator 2002 has plenty of value, due to the fact that there are over 1,000 airports, scenery for every location in the globe, and of course, you can download more aircraft, etc. on the internet (www.avsim.com). With a great mod community, FS2002 can perhaps never grow old. You can also join virtual airlines, which fly actual routes from real life. In my opinion, FS2002 is one of the few games I've played that has great value.