Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight Preview
We take a first-hand look at what's new in the next major update to Microsoft's long-running civilian flight simulation.
Like it or not, Microsoft's Flight Simulator series cornered the market for PC civilian flight simulations quite some time ago. These days, older contenders such as Terminal Reality's Fly! and Looking Glass' Flight Unlimited seem like nothing but distant specks disappearing over the horizon--and there is simply no other serious alternative. Fortunately, judging from what we've seen, Microsoft doesn't seem content to rest on its laurels.
Early this summer, the software giant will release the most impressive version of Flight Simulator to date. The release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight will coincide with both the 100th anniversary of powered flight and the 20th anniversary of this respected series. And if the version we played is any indication, it may offer the most comprehensive and believable civilian flight experience in any PC game to date. Just check the numbers: For instance, Microsoft has upped the number of operable airports from 22,000 to an even more impressive 24,000. More importantly, the company has increased the number of flyable aircraft by nine, from 15 to 24. And these aren't just any old aircraft, either. With Flight Simulator 2004, Microsoft will attempt to chronicle and celebrate the beginnings of our love affair with modern-day airborne transportation.
Those who want to take this flying thing all the way back to its rickety beginnings will undoubtedly enjoy a hazardous spin in a real original--the Wright brothers' famed Kitty Hawk contraption, the Wright Flyer. The game will also let you try out Charles Lindbergh's "The Spirit of St. Louis" or Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega. There are more relics where these came from, including the infamous World War I bomber-turned-long-distance-traveler, the Vickers Vimy, the relatively sophisticated Douglas DC-3 passenger airliner, and the thrilling little Piper Cub. Add in a cast of returning craft that includes contemporary Beechcrafts, massive Boeing passenger jets, a flock of Cessnas, and a couple of choppers, and you have a truly impressive list of flyable aircraft.
Yet raw numbers don't even begin to tell the story. If what we've seen is any indication, the game's presentation will be even more impressive than the sheer number of new airports and aircraft. Those new aircraft, for example, are modeled with incredible accuracy. Take a seat in the infamous Spirit of St. Louis, and you'll soon realize Lindbergh was far more than just lucky. Almost uncontrollable and frighteningly shaky, the simplistic little machine he flew over North America and then across the Atlantic would have bested many men. In fact, with a large front-mounted fuel tank obscuring his line of sight, Lindy couldn't even see where he was going without first extending a retractable periscope. And nor will you, unless of course you press the W key on your keyboard and magically open your field of vision. One click and you'll eliminate the entire cockpit, except for the most important gauges, which sit conveniently across the base of the monitor screen. Another click and you'll remove those gauges too, for a completely unfettered perspective.
Indeed, with various single-click difficulty adjustments, a variety of intricate customizations, a broad range of tutorial material, and plenty of pilot's aids, Flight Simulator 2004 may be the most accessible Flight Simulator ever. Even complete beginners will once again benefit from a series of helpful introductory videos hosted by real-life flying educators John and Martha King. Rookies and veterans alike will get even more information and experience in the game's flight lessons component, wherein Flight Simulator's resident guru Rod Machado returns to take trainees on two dozen in-depth textual and hands-on exercises ranging from basic skills to advanced airline transport pilot instruction.
More good news will come in the form of Flight Simulator's new learning center. Here, users may access the game's e-manual and other associated options, all displayed and catalogued inside an attractive and comprehensive Web page-style format. Dream up a pertinent subject and chances are it's addressed within the learning center, from helicopter and jet guidelines to kneeboard and GPS instruction and even hardware controller and graphic optimization advice. Indeed, the learning center comes far closer than most virtual guides to making the absence of a printed manual quite palatable. In many ways, it goes much farther than a hard-copy booklet ever could.
Flight Simulator 2004 Quick Links
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- GameSpot Score8.8great
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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight Review
You could say that Flight Simulator 2004 is still a straightforward simulation, but if you have even a passing interest in flying, you'll definitely get your money's worth from it.
- Jul 28, 2003
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- Microsoft Game Studios
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- Release: Jul 29, 2003 »
- ESRB: Everyone
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