The only flight sim you'll need. This is Falcon 5 and Hawks 3 in one box...
Since you're reading this, chances are you already know the difference between TWS and RWS, CCIP and CCRP. You've already mastered some combat flight simulator and you're familiar with how much effort and patience is required to play these sims. But even if you're just taking a break from FIFA or Mortal Kombat, even if you've only played Hawks, this is still a title you should look into. It has a superb arcade mode that you can get into the fire from the start and you'll never know when the sim bug will byte you. Just to put things into perspective, my Falcon 4 box gathered 5-6 years of dust before I finally decided to try it again, back in 2005, and it literally changed my life. Buy it even just to taunt you from the shelf, reminding you why real pilots are superhuman why you're just another lazy beer hog who gets dizzy from having to push 3 buttons at a time. If other flight sims haven't manage to catch you, fear not, DCS A-10 has the best chance to snare you into the world of hardcore sims.
The DCS series (Blackshark and A-10) represents the nirvana of modern combat flight simulators. While a russian attack helicopter (the Blackshark) might not be the most glamorous (or easy to handle and learn) choice, the A-10c ground attack plane is. It's a joy to fly in, stable and forgiving, maneuverable enough to get out of dogfights and the nemesis of any ground target. While some might miss the furious air-to air combat possibilities of other planes, the A-10 more than makes up in fun and tactical brain-crunching, thanks to amazingly simulated systems and random Close Air Support. It's unlike anything you've ever played before.
Back in 1998, Microprose released Falcon 4, a title which dwarfed all previous sims in complexity. It was so revolutionary in it's time that thanks to the Allied Force reboot, it's still the benchmark of any modern combat simulator. So how does the A-10 compare?
Beginner mode: Falcon 4 had a great arcade mode and thankfully, DCS inplemented such a system in both Blackshark and A-10. I've played Blackshark for a long time in that mode, never feeling unsatisfied, even though I dreaded switching to realistic difficulty. The A-10 however interested me more so I only tried that feature it for a few hours and then switched to realistic mode. The good news is that even in Arcade mode, after reading just 40 pages of the quickstart manual, you'll have more fun and a more realistic experience than in any other arcade flight game. If you're a fan of Hawks, missing this title is not an option. It has the same price but it has a whole world underneath, waiting for you to dig into. What's even better, is that unlike other titles, the DCS series never turns options off for you, it's more like flying with a copilot. You still have access to all the buttons so you never feel like cheating or missing anything. So, if you're new to flight sims, stop reading, buy the game, enjoy. If you're a veteran of flight sims, read on but keep in mind that the rest of the comments all relate to mastering the game, with maxed difficulty and no life :D
Career mode: nobody will ever beat Falcon 4's simulated war. Only Battle of Britain 2 has something similar, but only for planes. Fortunately the A-10 has great campaigns, lots of randomness, quick missions and a great Mission Editor. And yes, your action do count, this isn't a linear campaign. Even if you're not into creating missions or campaigns, other dedicated players are, so there will be no shortage of great campaigns to last you a lifetime.
Flight physics: no contest here, Falcon 4 did a great job in its time, but it had simpler graphics and it simulated the nervous fly-by-wire F16. So it was both hard to control and less satisfying. The A-10 with its slower speed gives you a perfect sensation of flying, thanks to great graphics and superb physics. Even with a cheap joystick, you'll have no trouble taming this docile plane. Sometimes, I just fly around to enjoy the scenery and at those times, it reminds me of the joy I use to feel when playing Flight Unlimited 2. While learning the cockpit systems, you'll have a great time just flying into the sunset. Formation flying and mid-air refueling are also a joy in this plane, thanks to it's real-life stabilization systems. Turn those off (although real pilots probably never do), and you'll have a blast just keeping the plane level.
Cockpit Systems: Since I'm not a real US pilot, I have no idea how well these sims compare to reality. Frankly, I don't care. After mastering either Falcon 4 or DCS A-10, you'll probably be skilled enough to fly the real thing if somebody ever forced you to (force me, force me!). Sims that simulate every button and switch are not new; I used to fly the PMDG 737 for FS9 using the real 737 pilot's manual and couldn't find anything missing. But the A-10 blew me away when I forgot to turn on my oxygen supply and blacked out at high altitude due to the loss of oxygen. Every button is there and 95% of them are functional. Some older avionics are buggy or simply don't work, but that's because you'll never need them. Windshield heating and defogging? I have the feeling that they'll implement each missing feature in patches. Anyway, this is the best simulated cockpit you'll find in any sim, you have to see it to believe it.
Controls: Houston, we have a problem. While Falcon 4 had 2D cockpits which were easier to control, DCS A-10 is so out of this world that you'll have a hard time taming the cockpit. Don't get me wrong, it's not the game's fault... It even has camera presets to show the different panels and has an Active Pause mode, so it tries its best to help you. But this might be the first time you'd consider making yourself a real cockpit. And it might also be the first time you google for days for the latest news on virtual helmet technology. The game is so complex (in a good way) that even a 500$ joystick (I recently bought the Thrustmaster Warthog), a head tracker, the best gaming keyboard and an awesome mouse will still leave you wanting for more. On the plus side, learn from my mistake and don't postpone learning the sim until you have bought 1000$ worth of hardware. A decent cheap joystick (I recommend the Saitek Cyborg X) is all you need. If you have a webcam, try FreeTrackNoIR for decent head tracking, it's free.
Manual and Tutorials: I'll be frank here, this is the reason I didn't give the sim a perfect 10 score. Falcon 4 had a better manual. The A10's manual can be hard to read, you really need to keep the sim open and practice each step. And it never displays the keyboard commands, only Hotas commands. But as a whole, the A-10 is easier to master. That's because the A-10 plane usually sits behind the front line of the aerial war and so has less to worry about. You also have interactive tutorials which will help you a great deal, but you still have to go through the manual. And the manual (700 or so pages) doesn't explain some things, so you'll need to google for them. Fortunately, there are lots of youtube tutorials already. Even if you're somewhat versed in military technology, you'll still have problems. I actually got myself official manuals for the real A-10 plane (5 minute google search) full of great schematics. If your only flight experience has been IL-2 , you're in for a world of pain. What the A-10 badly needs is 100 hours of interactive flight school starting you from scratch and going through each and every system. They should make a new title called, DCS: Flight School and integrate it with the other titles, full of missions to take you step by easy step. Then again, maybe I'm just stupid and have a hard time remembering stuff. Gradually you'll start to get a hang of it and most of the information you need is there, so it's not a game breaker. Anyway, from install to your first successful campaign mission, you'll spend a lot of time. But in the end, you'll probably never buy any other game so it's time well spent.
Out-of the box experience: Falcon 4 was buggy on release. Actually most of the high-end flight sims are buggy on release and some are never fixed or take years to be patched. Luckily, thanks to the brilliant idea of giving the Beta game to preorder customers, this sim is a joy to play after install. It runs smooth, I had absolutely no crash to desktop and It will take you a long time to find any bugs. Sure, there are some, but nothing gamebreaking, or anything that you'd encounter in Arcade mode. And patches come have out every 2-3 weeks so I guess soon it will be completely bug free. For such a complex title, for a niche market, a huge thumbs up for the devs for making such a superb effort.
Conclusion: After years of crying for the loss of the 1990's flight sim era, we again have that proud smirk on our face. And it's all thanks to Eagle Dynamics and their DCS series.