One of the longest-running franchises in gaming history, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, lands on PlayStation 5, sparing no expense. What once was an expensive, CPU-heavy video game only available for a lucky few comes back better than ever to reign supreme in the world of simulators. A brand-new Career mode, great implementation of the DualSense and console features, and a rich variety of activities make sure it is more than a simple port. With literally every corner of the world fully recreated, this entry feels like the ultimate vision of an authentic flying simulator finally realized.
From The Ground Up
Career mode delivers the most goal-oriented of all the options available. Working towards the more than 20 certifications to fully gain the licenses to fly each type of aircraft, this mode alone ensures dozens of hours of gameplay. As it opens up, a focus on firefighting, agriculture, search and rescue operations, and more careers offer virtually endless replayability. There is a lot of repetition involved, but what else is there to expect from a game named Microsoft Flight Simulator? A leveling-up system gained by completing more missions and gaining more flight hours makes embarking on each journey a worthy endeavor. What’s more, a surprising level of depth and personalization is shown in this mode.
Creating your own aviator and co-pilot are the first things in the checklist before even considering getting into the cockpit. Various races, each with their cool aviator glasses, stylish bomber jackets, or classic outfit with a flying helmet, are all possible choices to show off your personality. What blew my mind next was the option to choose from where in the world to start my career. The options? All the airports recorded in the world.
I picked an airport near Cancun, as I am from Mexico and I love the sea. Before settling on that one, I zoomed in all over the globe, seeing the many airports and possibilities. What impressed me the most was to see the missions available adapted to Mexican names, taking “Maria” on a tourist flight around the beautiful beaches of Cancun. To see the entire world recreated with the help of satellite imagery and real-time weather information is utterly mind-blowing. And then there’s the flying.
Lessons Learned
Before taking flight, a slew of mechanical notions must be performed. A reverence for the act of piloting is noticeable from the start. Removing the engine covers, chocks, and walking towards the plane from a first-person perspective spark a feeling of emotion before even turning on the engine. To request permission from the tower control, sounding from the DualSense speaker, is a nice touch, reminding that this is a grounded flight simulator and not any gamey recreation. That does not mean there isn’t fun to be had, however.
The act of flying is one of the greatest human achievements. When the plane finally starts to take flight from the runway, the emotion is breathtaking. The truth is, there are many small variables that have to be considered when flying. Turning on the battery and alternator, releasing the parking brakes, and pushing the throttle to a manageable speed so as not to lose control of the vehicle… These are but a few of the many steps that need to be done before even being able to reach the runway. Of course, the anticipation, itself, of reaching the impossible is enough to keep going. For the most impatient players among us, every one of these steps can be easily skipped as well.
Because the AI-generated voices react to whatever it is you do in-game, it is partially surprising to listen to them comment on your every move, even losing control of the plane. Thankfully, it is a video game, after all, but hearing an NPC say, “What’s that weird jolt? Are we going down?” adds a sense of realism to caring for the passengers that were along for the ride for flightseeing only now fearing for their lives due to bad piloting. The game will reward you with more experience if you do achieve every goal with no mistakes, and the NPCs will shower you with praise.
Difficult To Master
Mastering the whole process of the flight is difficult, even on the easier controls. Positioning in the right area of the runway, maintaining a set altitude, and ultimately landing—just like in real life—is such a trial-and-error ordeal that requires patience. It is known that aviators do not have it easy, but the way it is recreated in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 drives the point home like no other. The controller violently vibrating due to a rough landing is a clear example of a dire lack of a skill in need of improvement.
Occasionally, inspiring orchestral music will sweep in to induce a feeling of awe while flying through the scenery. There was a time Microsoft Flight Simulator was simply focused on showcasing its technical advantages, going all the way back to 1983. It is uplifting to see that it focused on more than recreating the world’s largest amount of aircraft and airports. It is quite possibly increasing the number of people who appreciate aviation with subtle details like the one mentioned.
A vast amount of options exist in the universe of aircraft, from small airplanes to helicopters and commercial carriers. To thrillseekers’ satisfaction, there are several military jets on offer as well. Precisely maneuvering through canyons at low altitude, a la Top Gun: Maverick, sounds as exhilarating as it is challenging to play.
Spoiled For Choice
On one hand, the Career Mode does offer a tried and true amount of missions to practice over and over again to become the best pilot there ever was. On the other, there is quick access to the Flight Training mode inside the activities menu. This mode allows potential pilots to learn the ropes from an experienced instructor. Looking from the first-person perspective at the authentically recreated thousand buttons of the cockpit of a Boeing 737 is nothing short of mind-blowing. The game does an impressive job of gently easing you in with clear instructions, making you look at your surroundings from the precise handling of the yoke and the thrust levers to the service phone, wipers, and elevation screen. You name it, you’re doing it.
Maintaining the altitude through mountainous areas as turbulence kicks in is a rocky experience. The updrafts created by the wind current flowing through the peaks and valleys end up lifting small aircraft if flown over correctly. These and many other small tricks can be learned in the bush pilot training, for understanding how different flying a commercial plane feels flying in a remote area at a low height.
Personally, one of the most complex lessons for me was controlling the helicopter. Hovering over a parking lot, any simple move could end up resulting in a dangerous swerve. So, picking up the cues on how to use each machine safely is, while not strictly required, very much recommended before embarking on a flight unprepared.
Around The World
The “World’s Most Famous Monuments” mode portrays exactly what it says it does. Taking you through Earth’s most stunning vistas, both natural and manmade, the mode offers a unique sense of excitement that is also effortless to show to family and friends. Who wouldn’t want to see the Taj Mahal, Beijing, or Christ the Redeemer from the comfort of their homes? Featuring a main objective to photograph the crown jewels of each wonder of the world, there’s also a bonus condition to add a bit of a challenge for seasoned pilots.
There is much to learn about the world while playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. In the Discovery activity, for example, a rich variety of iconic landmarks, such as the Cliffs of Moher, Mount Fuji, and, of course, the pyramids of Giza, can be flown over with predetermined aircraft. As the landscape is recreated in real-time, there are paragraphs of historical information to pass the time while it loads. Daredevils can change the tune from informational to exciting in the Red Bull races that challenge players to go through narrow obstacles against wind, time, and a leaderboard.
More Than A Port
To talk for a moment about the PlayStation-exclusive features, Microsoft once again has outdone itself, making use of every possible advantage the system has to offer. As briefly mentioned earlier in the review, the built-in speaker is used for when the co-pilot or instructor is talking through the radio. But that’s not all, as the other DualSense features, such as the Adaptive Triggers to maneuver the flaps left or right or the Haptic Feedback to make the controller rumble according to an abrupt or soft landing, are on point. The gyroscope worked well, and so did the little touches on the lightpad reacting to your situation when taking flight.
Considering that the loading times were not as extensive, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 being played on a PlayStation 5 Pro felt like it was making full use of the hardware. Taking the small but passionate VR community by surprise, a PSVR2 version has been confirmed to be in the works, but this will tentatively arrive in 2026, and I did not have access to it at the time of writing. This space will be amended once I do.
Triumph In The Skies
With a plethora of activities to choose from, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring moments to help you fall in love with aviation. A comprehensive tutorial gives all the tools aspiring flyers need to operate every aircraft on offer. Difficulty options range from novice to lifelike; it is a smart choice to let players also select how much they wish to engage with the realistic simulation as well. Some will want to sit back and relax while flying next to the London Eye, while others might prefer to swerve over the Appalachians at high speed on a big jet plane. Whatever the case, there is something that will surely please everyone.
There is no video game that can take you, to this day, to every corner of the world like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 does. This is not only for the flight aficionados, even though they will find plenty to love, too. The interest in airplanes is sure to take hold in even a casual player who picks up this game, who will find their love for the engineering marvel that is aircraft exacerbated. With plenty of modes, both intricate for experts and welcoming to newcomers, this is a highly ambitious experience that is easy to recommend. Leaning into the wonders of flying beyond the technical aspects it was initially pitched as, the feeling of soaring through the clouds next to your favorite worldwide landmarks is second to none.
Thank you to Xbox for providing review access to the PS5 version of Flight Simulator 2024. You can find our full review policy here.