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Microsoft Flight Simulator X

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6.6 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 28 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 26 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: ACES Studio

Genre(s): Flight Simulation

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: October 17, 2006

Summary

From award winning game developer ACES comes Flight Simulator X. The latest installment will include the usual genre leading realism that continues to awe real pilots and will serve as the graphical benchmark for games on Windows Vista. Additionally, Flight Simulator X will deliver for the first time structured game play with more than 55 missions to choose from which will test the skills of players of all levels. [Microsoft]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Times Online

Fasten your seatbelt, and prepare for an awesome flight. [Deluxe Edition]

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100

AceGamez

The night lighting effects have been so vastly improved in FSX that it bears no resemblance to FS2004 whatsoever.

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Gaming Nexus

New levels of interactivity and performance feedback from the newly enhanced mission model will appeal to the offline flyer, and enhanced multiplayer capabilities will benefit the virtual airline crowd. This one is worth the upgrade price.

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Boomtown

The real bonus for this version of the sim comes from pilot immersion. The focus on high quality 3D cockpits instead of 2D panels combined with some excellent new default aircraft with convincing flight dynamics makes for a wonderfully engaging experience. [Deluxe Edition]

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Yahoo! Games

In a market that's crowded with guns, over-the-top graphical effects and heart-pounding action, FSX serves more to educate and amuse than arouse and enrage, and it does so in real style. It's a stunning achievement.

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Gamezilla!

The MS Flight Simulator X is resource-intensive, so even though there are low settings for all graphics and activity options, to get the most out of this latest version of the state-of-the-art civilian flying software you'll want to run it on the fastest hardware you can get your hands on.

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Next Level Gaming

If you enjoy flight sims (remember, no combat), then I have little doubt that you will enjoy the breadth of options, landscape, airports and aircraft that this game will provide for you.

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Pelit (Finland)

New missions, flying lessons and articles make FSX a huge, immersive and fun package. Graphics settings that work everywhere are hard to find. [Dec 2006]

Worth Playing

If you have any interest in flying or you are already a pilot and want to cater to your hobby on day when flying just isn't advisable, then I highly recommend this title.

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PC Zone UK

The biggest advancement the series has seen since polygons. [Christmas 2006, p.73]

PC Gamer UK

All in all, it's the finest selection of planes ever to ship with a commercial non-combat flight sim. [Dec 2006, p.86]

GamerNode

Microsoft's Flight Simulator franchise has been in the running for over 25 years, and the latest game, Flight Simulator X, improves on several concepts, and also unveils the most glorious visuals in a flight simulator ever, earning the title "The Biggest Game I Ever Had to Install."

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eToychest

Its attention to detail and realism inevitably means that it will appeal to a smaller niche, but that simply means that it only sets out do one thing, and it does its job well.

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GameSpot

Microsoft's Flight Simulator X provides a mind-boggling level of depth and breadth--if you don't mind some less than stellar frame rates.

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GameZone

This is, bar none, the best consumer available flight simulation to date. Notice the word “simulation.” Flight Simulator has game-like elements, missions, online play, etc., but at the end of the day it’s a hardcore simulator that the average “gamer” probably won’t enjoy.

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PC Gamer

A CPU- and GPU-draining masterpiece that's about a year ahead of its time. [Holiday 2006, p.110]

GamingTrend

There is a very detailed simulation in here, with many flight hours of fun and missions for people to complete. Add on the multiplayer options, and this sim has legs.

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PC Gameworld

FSX is a simulator that can be appreciated fully only with tomorrow’s technology.

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Games Radar (in-house)

Flight Simulator X looks to have touched down six-to-twelve months too early for much of its target audience but, as its score reflects, it's an extraordinarily well-crafted piece of software and one of the most significant releases in flight simming history.

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G4 TV

Overwhelming is probably the best way to describe this one. It’s a title that requires some level of commitment from you the virtual pilot, but with that commitment comes nearly endless rewards, rewards that may assist you in getting your real pilot’s license if you so desire.

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PC Format

Big on detail in theory, but slow and heavy in practice. [Deluxe Edition; Christmas 2006, p.98]

Gaming Age

Unfortunately, due to the hardware requirements of the title it might not be an option to some of those out there with an interest in playing it.

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VGPub

For the true flight simulator addicts, they’ll definitely want to get the deluxe edition of the game as it is probably about the only thing that would be able to sate their hunger for more unique flight experiences.

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Eurogamer

FSX is the finest non-combat flight-sim money can buy assuming you've got the sort of cutting-edge system that can do it justice.

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IGN

Perhaps when Windows Vista arrives next year with the software enhancements (e.g. new DirectX) Flight Simulator X might be worth picking up at that point. Until then make your flight plans go direct to "Flight Simulator 9."

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1UP

No, it's not the significant leap 2004's Century of Flight was, and performance -- usually unworthy of mention -- is the big sinker here. Otherwise, Flight Sim X is a solid, if not quite spectacular, tenth iteration.

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Game Almighty

If you already own FS2004 and have a moderate computer, my suggestion is to put the $70 towards some addons to extend the life of FS2004, and wait to see how the DirectX 10 patch fares.

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Computer Games Magazine

It's designed for people to whom the prospect of merely taking off from LaGuardia and landing at O'Hare is exciting. [Jan. 2007, p.66]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 26 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Natie R. gave it a2:
This may be an amazing program but the minimum system requirements are a joke...i am running a 2 mghz processor, 1.5 gb Ram and a 256 mb video card and can't even really use this with all graphics set to worst quality...terrible marketing..at least they should be somewhat honest about the supercomputer required to run this....i threw it away and went back to flight sim 2004...you suck microsoft!

Tomas S. gave it a9:
Excellent flight simulator.

Willam M. gave it a9:
This game is great for people interested in aircraft and huge airliners. It may require huge specs but the simulation is the main point of it. You can get some great add-ons that are even more realistic than the aircraft in the game. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes aviation.

Terry S. gave it a6:
A very good simulator in general and a good improvement on previous versions. Found the resource intensiveness a hinderance to the simulation. You need a very high spec graphics and CPU to run this game effectively. Microsoft could do with placing a recommended specification on their website for people interested in the game - won't stop me playing though - just going to upgrade my machine.

Hugh N. gave it an8:
Quite ambitious, lots of options and insentives to keep you going, but VERY steep requirements to play properly, even on minimal settings. Make sure your powerhouse PC is good enough for it. I have a GeForce 9750 GX2-1GB video card and 1GB DDR2 Ram working with an Intel D 3.2 MgHz CPU and encounter slowdown in some areas and graphics options are not all the way up

Mark E. gave it a4:
After owning every Flt Sims made to date, this one requires state of the art, high dollar hardware. Your system better be hot in order to push this program. It does have some new, good stuff to go along with some bugs. 1- VOR control operates in reverse. 2 - The gps code input for WPs is too sensitive and double up key strokes. Good Luck!

Stephen G. gave it an8:
This games' graphics is awesome, it's capabilities are well beyond FS2004 but beware a very high spec computer is required for best graphics (eg. 4.2ghez cpu or 2ghez dual,1gb of video ram and 2gb of drr ram

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Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Game Info

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