Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Deluxe Edition

After a very bumpy take-off, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has hit a smooth cruising altitude, with impressive new features and exciting modes that once again make it an outstanding achievement.

It might not have quite the same wow factor second time around, but Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 builds on its astonishing predecessor with intelligence and precision - making an already impressive achievement richer and more welcoming.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 fulfills the promise of being the most true-to-life and detailed game of its kind.

A visually astonishing simulation of real flight in all aspects, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 now accurately recreates the energy-sapping demands of an actual commercial pilot.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is without a doubt the most ambitious and polished sim on the PS5 – but it's not without its faults. Slow loading, visual inconsistencies, an underwhelming sound mix, and plenty of bugs pull this otherwise exceptional experience back down to earth.But if you can accept its shortcomings and you're open to learning about aviation, this an obscenely impressive package, with a seemingly never-ending array of activities to engage with. Digital tourists will adore its attention to detail, while aviation obsessives will simply get a kick out of sitting in the cockpits of their favourite aircraft.

If there is a piece of good news here, I feel confident that Asobo will continue to resolve these issues, and, given enough time, we'll end up with a Microsoft Flight Simulator that is as stable as 2020 was and benefits from all the additional technical improvements. We're not there now though, and now is when folks have spent their money on this product. The '2024' title feels premature; this game needed another 6-12 months of development and testing. It's apparent that it's simply not ready and much more work is required before it is. Flight simmers now have to decide if they want to go back to 2020, like many have, or be the beta testers for 2024 and accept that it'll take time before things are better.

The game provides a masterful way of experiencing the iconic flying simulator series not just on console format, but for the PS5. With so many bad actor clones of the genre out there, it’s great to see this one should finally put those to rest.

Those familiar with the game know that you can spend hours and hours playing and flying through the skies, and that’s honestly the beauty of it.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a good entry point for the franchise on PlayStation, even if it still has some old problems and lacks the surprise and impact of 2020. It remains a niche game, and the shift to a more traditional game structure isn't the best way to open up that market.

With plenty of modes, both intricate for experts and approachable to newcomers, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a highly ambitious experience easy to recommend.