Latest Updates

Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin now available pre-owned.
Scottie has just posted to What movie did you watch last?
KnightFall500 has just posted to What did you buy today?
Steel Diver now available pre-owned.
Reel Fishing Paradise 3D now available pre-owned.
Petz: Countryside now available pre-owned.
Fossil Fighters: Frontier now available pre-owned.
Puzzle and Dragons Z + Puzzle and Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition now available pre-owned.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. now available pre-owned.
Master of Illusion now available pre-owned.

Who's Online

Guests: 14, Members: 0


Please sign in to add comments
Scottie
01 July at 11:09
Will do!
eYss
01 July at 11:08
Have a look at the Gears of War 4, Mafia III, Halo 5 and Far Cry 4 as well.
Scottie
01 July at 11:05
Damn this is a bargain Nexus team. I weighed it at 2.5kg

https://nexushub.co.za/product/mass-effect-andromeda-collectors-edition-guide-with-tempest-crew-patch-hc-pid221493.html
Scottie
01 July at 11:04
Mine 18:00 to 22:00, TF I watch my TV shows on a tablet.
eYss
01 July at 10:59
I have nice load shedding from 16:00 to 20:00... the best time
eYss
01 July at 10:59
Morning phreak
phreak
01 July at 10:55
morning
Scottie
30 June at 13:48
Read it and weep

https://twitter.com/Eskom_SA/status/1542450574548996096?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Scottie
30 June at 13:47
LOL thinhs worse after Govt got involved. Pitiful.

Due to the continued unlawful strike Stage 6 loadshedding will be implemented at 14:00 until
midnight. Stage 6 will again be implemented from 05:00 until midnight on Friday.

Scottie
29 June at 16:45
Stage 6 tonight people despite the clownish intervention of the SA Govt. But good news only Stage 4 planned for tomorrow.
View all posts »

Cart Contents

Item: Price: Qty:
Total: R 0.00

View Cart
Checkout

Message Content


View All Messages


New Message
Outbox

User Content

Login / Register

Latest Poll

Do you make use of Xbox Game Pass?

This poll is restricted to members only

  • Home (current)
  • Brands
  • News
  • Forum
  • Events
  • Contact us
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Tech
  • About Us

Review

Review: Microsoft Flight Simulator (Xbox Series X)

To infinity and beyond.

by Hylton Goodwin on 28 August, 2021

    4   2

     

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.

9
The most immersive sim experience ever created
Breathtaking visuals
A technological marvel
Endless replayability
Easy to learn, challenging to master
Poor UI design for controllers
9
See our scoring policy here

Hylton Goodwin

One tablespoon Star Wars, a dollop of motorsport, a splash of Metal Gear. And a pinch of space magic. Mix and blend. Smashing! Is also running for congress.

Follow Hylton on See more articles by Hylton

There are 2 comments

Tea
@Lurch- its probably the most zen game out there, and my primary reason to own and Xbox series, right next to Forza Horizon and Fable (When that finally shows itself)
Lurch
Gah, I need to find a lot of free time and get lost in this. Figured controller support might be difficult in the virtual cockpits but just seeing it working on console is awesome.

Please login to post comments.


More Reviews

Review

9

Review: Razer Kraken V3 Pro

Earlier this year, Razer released the Kraken V3 Pro, the next evolutionary step in the ever-reliable...

24-06-22 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: The Quarry

When it comes to finely tuned interactive horror experiences, developer Supermassive Games are masters...

13-06-22 Read more

Review

7.5

Review: SnowRunner (PS5)

In my gaming life, I never would've thought I'd invest a healthy amount of time into a game like SnowRunner...

07-06-22 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation

Back when we reviewed the Razer Kaira gaming headset for PlayStation, we called it a premium experience...

31-05-22 Read more

Review

6

Review: Dolmen

I'm pretty sure I've used this subtitle somewhere before given the number of games in the Souls-like...

24-05-22 Read more

Review

7

Review: Nintendo Switch Sports

Gather around, fans of motion controlled sports games! The Nintendo Switch finally brings us an upgraded...

23-05-22 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: Razer Kaira for PlayStation

Razer originally launched the Kaira headset for Xbox, but now they've brought it to PlayStation consoles...

11-05-22 Read more

Review

8

Review: MotoGP 22

With any annual franchise, the biggest question I find myself asking upon review is: is it worth forking...

29-04-22 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

There is no denying that Tiny Tina is one of the biggest fan-favourite characters from the Borderlands...

14-04-22 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: MLB The Show 22

The problem with annual releases, especially sports titles, is being able to consistently improve an...

08-04-22 Read more

Load More

Overview


Add to cart

Developer

Asobo Studio

Publisher

Microsoft Studios

Platform

Xbox Series

Release date

30 July 2021

Latest Reviews

9

Review: Razer Kraken V3 Pro

8.5

Review: The Quarry

7.5

Review: SnowRunner (PS5)

8.5

Review: Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation

6

Review: Dolmen

7

Review: Nintendo Switch Sports

Browse All Reviews

What's Next

24
Jun

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes [SWITCH]

07
Jul

Matchpoint - Tennis Championships Legend Edition [MULTI]

29
Jul

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 [MULTI]

23
Aug

Saints Row [MULTI]

02
Sep

The Last of Us Part I [PS5]

08
Sep

Steelrising[MULTI]

Latest Podcasts

GI Joburg: Return of the Star Wors

EPISODE 255

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.

Checkpoint Chat: Throwing Hands

EPISODE 190

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.

Checkpoint Chat: Gun Trees

EPISODE 189

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.
Browse All Podcasts
Tweets by NexusHubZA
  • Digital
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Opinion Pieces
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • About Us
  • The Team
  • Our Scoring Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Retail
  • Game
  • Watch
  • Read
  • Collect
  • Wear
© Copyright NexusHub 2022 | Privacy | Terms & Conditions