When you hear the phrase ‘landmark games’, titles that have transformed the industry, what comes to mind? For me, titles like Mario 64, Wolfenstein 3D, Metal Gear Solid, God of War and The Last of Us serve as great examples of transformative points in gaming. Boundaries were pushed and expectations shattered, forever changing the way developers approached creation, whether that was narratively, or design. Asobo Studio’s Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of those games, a monumental construction of modern technologies that truly impresses on every front.



By now most folks with a beat on gaming news will have heard or seen something about this impressive title, a true simulator in every sense of the world on a scale unseen. A 1:1 near accurate representation of our planet, from small country roads to hulking skyscrapers, you can literally fly anywhere on Earth and be lost in some of the most impressive visuals seen to date, more impressive yet, it’s all on a console.

Microsoft Flight Simulator debuted on PC late last year to much praise. At a time when most of the world was stuck in doors, it offered an escape like no other; the ability to go anywhere, visit landmarks, chart a course into the unknown and explore. Now having finally arrived on Xbox Series consoles, does it live up to the hype?



In short, yes, Microsoft Flight Simulator is probably the most immersive and realistic experience I have ever had in a game. It is a transformative title that takes you from your living room into the world without barely lifting a finger. Asobo have blown the roof off using cloud technology, utilizing Bing Maps and Microsoft’s Azure AI to generate an entire planet’s worth of data. To further enhance the already impressive textures, Azure’s AI also generates real-time weather and air-traffic data. What this does is give you a true to life experience. Taking off at sunset and flying over Joburg during a storm? Look at the window and hey presto, the same storm will be there. This is mind boggling technology, and it’s not just technically impressive, it's visually astounding.

Asobo have blown the roof off using cloud technology, utilizing Bing Maps and Microsoft’s Azure AI to generate an entire planet’s worth of data.

To accompany the real-time data is a fully realized world below. Asobo teamed up with Blackshark.ai to analyze map data and photogrammetry to generate near perfect renditions of buildings, trees, and topographical data. What you land up with is a stunning level of detail on the ground. Major cities have received special attention too. New York, for example, is a stunning experience, details abound and no stone has been left unturned. Asobo have been rolling out individual updates to locations too, giving extra attention to specific locales and countries as they go, vastly improving vegetation and landmarks specific to certain regions. But nothing is perfect, and not everything looks quite as it should. Occasionally buildings are distorted, and you may find your home town not quite photo perfect, but overall, it is a marvel and the results speak for themselves.



The less mentioned star of the show is the flying itself. All aircraft are painstakingly detailed and handle incredibly well. Asobo have been careful not to create too steep of a learning curve and there are multiple ways to play, from beginner with a wealth of assists to get you in the sky in minutes, to true simulator, which will have you flipping every switch and toggle to feather your controls. Airspeed and handling on the higher levels greatly impact the way your aircraft handles in the sky; every millimeter of metal is affected and reacts to different thermals and conditions. It’s quite breathtaking to fly into a storm and watch your Cessna’s wings wiggle as they are buffeted by the stormy conditions. The standard edition serves up 20 aircraft to play with, each of which has its own personality and characteristics.

The less mentioned star of the show is the flying itself.

While the game features no campaign, several challenges are available which include take-off, landing and navigational adventures that will test your flight skills. It’s hard to knock Asobo on a lack of a campaign as they have essentially given pilots a sandbox from which to create their own scenarios. Nearly everything can be adjusted: time of day, weather conditions, air traffic and aircraft settings, etc. This gives players liberty to fiddle and play with a near limitless option of experiences.

The Xbox Series version of Microsoft Flight Simulator bears a striking similarity to its PC counterpart, and while the UI was slightly tweaked for launch on the console, it proves to be the game’s biggest headache for anyone using a controller. The in-flight menus are a nightmare to navigate using a controller. A cursor is provided, but it’s a sluggish creature that makes what would be quick adjustments a slow and frustrating process. I would highly recommend syncing up a mouse to your Xbox to get the most out of the game. Flying aircraft with a controller is no issue - while lacking some of the finesse of a yoke or mouse and keyboard, I found little to dislike about it as a pickup and play experience.



Microsoft Flight Simulator is a wonder, a breathtaking escape into a beautiful world beyond the confines of your home and it couldn’t have come at a better point. In a time where we are stuck inside and restricted from travelling in most instances, it serves up a level of escapism and realism that is unmatched. I wondered, just out of interest, where most new players travelled to first when they started flying? Would it be the big smoke of New York, a spin over the Thames and London, a flyby of Everest? No, according to Asobo, most users fly home.