I am an Air Traffic Controller 4

About

"I am an Air Traffic Controller 4" is a simulation game that puts you in the role of an air traffic controller. Issue instructions to aircraft for safe and effective flight, with the goal of clearing stages. The game offers various stages with different challenges, as well as an extra stage for additional excitement. Your judgment and precision will be tested as you manage changing situations and resume from game replays.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

I am an Air Traffic Controller 4 screenshot

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 496 reviews

graphics26 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game offers a deep and immersive experience for aviation enthusiasts, with realistic scenarios and challenges.
Graphics and design are visually appealing, providing a good level of detail for an ATC simulator.
The gameplay is engaging and challenging, requiring players to think critically and manage multiple aircraft effectively.

The game frequently crashes, leading to frustration and loss of progress, especially during busy gameplay.
Limited control over aircraft routing and commands can make the game feel restrictive and less realistic.
The high price point is not justified by the amount of content available, with only one airport included in the base game.

graphics
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that they are serviceable but not cutting-edge, often reminiscent of older flight simulators. While there are improvements in detail and realism, particularly in aircraft design and environmental effects, many feel the graphics do not match the standards of contemporary AAA titles. Overall, the visuals are considered good enough to enhance immersion, but there is a consensus that further development and updates are needed to elevate the graphical quality.
- “The graphics are much improved with lots happening in and around the airport (I'd go as far as to say this is easily the best-looking ATC game available today), there is weather this time - like cloudy days and rain effects.”
- “Graphics are great and gameplay is engaging.”
- “While the format returns to ATC3's international release of Tokyo Big-Wing with airlines based on color names, it's actually been done in a much better way because all the planes have good artwork as if commercially branded (they look authentic), and there are many more colors this time.”
- “If you are looking at getting this sim, it is indeed pricey, and the graphics are not as evolved as other simulators out there.”
- “I thought the graphics were kinda dated, like maybe Flight Simulator 98 caliber, so good but not high end.”
- “The speed of the game does not allow you to fully appreciate the fine details, graphics, and overall game experience - it is actually detrimental to the gameplay.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
76%
7%
Gameplay in this simulator is a mixed bag; while it offers an addictive experience for those who enjoy multitasking and problem-solving, it is hampered by frustrating mechanics, limited freedom, and a lack of variety in challenges. Players often find the game mechanics cumbersome, with issues like locked options and crashes after extended play, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its solid foundation and potential for improvement, the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks immersion due to its focus on timing and command sequencing.
- “Graphics are semi-ok, but the gameplay is very nice and addictive.”
- “Having said that, once you figure out the game mechanics, this game is absolute bliss for people who like juggling various multiple tasks at once while finding optimal solutions.”
- “And the fact that this game has effectively been in ongoing development for 20 plus years may well be negative for the graphics, but the gameplay itself is really solid.”
- “Handling 60 aircraft per hour (30 departures and 30 arrivals) would be a miracle, regardless of the number of runways, due to the game mechanics.”
- “There are some frustrating mechanics like you can't vector airplanes at will, you can't change their speed on approach at will, and a near miss game over occurs within 5 nautical miles of separation.”
- “However, there is no variation in gameplay; it's always the exact same routine for each challenge, which sometimes is set up intentionally to create issues with your gameplay.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
82%
9%
The game lacks a traditional narrative but offers a variety of missions, each with unique objectives that gradually increase in difficulty, such as managing incoming traffic and changing wind direction. Players can engage in timed missions or create custom scenarios, although the repetitive nature of the missions may detract from long-term enjoyment. While the gameplay compensates for the absence of a cohesive story, it can become chaotic, especially when juggling multiple tasks that may not reflect real-life air traffic control challenges.
- “Every level has a unique purpose and its own story to unfold.”
- “The ATC3/4 series has always been about specific missions that graduate in difficulty, not a random collection of traffic that other ATC games offer.”
- “Story mode included some daily tasks that let you know the operation of the airport.”
- “There’s obviously no such thing as a story mode or any narrative thread to an in-depth simulation like ATC 4.”
- “Like any veritable simulator, the gameplay has to compensate for the missing storyline.”
- “You can do one of the 19 missions or you can create your own from a day in 2017; however, it's always the same, so once you have done it, you're done, unless you pay £30 for the DLC.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
42%
29%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the variety and quality, while others find it repetitive and even torturous, leading them to mute it in favor of their own playlists. Despite decent graphics and occasional standout tracks, many users express frustration over the inability to turn off the music in most areas. Overall, the soundtrack seems to be a divisive aspect, with opinions ranging from praise to disappointment.
- “The game has amazing music and voice acting, as well as one of my favorite airports in the world!”
- “The game offers good visuals and music, with a variety of interesting scenarios, such as runway changes, bird strikes, and aircraft getting stuck on a taxiway.”
- “+ decent graphics & soundtrack.”
- “Occasional, discreet musical tracks which get boring really fast and you end up muting them and listening to whatever genre might relax you instead.”
- “It's like a very, very, very expensive flash game or something, with dialog in Japanglish and no way to turn off the terrible music in like 80% of the places it plays.”
- “Music - borders on torture.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance even on entry-level hardware, while others report significant issues, such as low frame rates and underutilization of high-end systems. Overall, the game's performance can be described as inconsistent, with some praising the detailed modeling of airports and aircraft, while others find the optimization lacking.
- “The performance was also quite smooth; I doubt you couldn’t run this even on an entry-level laptop.”
- “There's quite a bit of detail in the modeling of the airport and aircraft, and the game runs smoothly.”
- “Only negative thing I can think of is the optimization is a bit so-so, and the airlines in the non-Japanese version are fake.”
- “Abysmal performance: the game is running at 20fps while my 9900k and 3090 are barely being used.”
- “Absolutely terrible performance and graphics, but really fun and challenging!”
- “The only negative thing I can think of is that the optimization is a bit so-so, and the airlines in the non-Japanese version are fake.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, frequently freezing and force closing, particularly on the Steam Deck, which disrupts gameplay and requires players to restart. Despite its promising premise, these technical problems have led to frustration among users.
- “Right when I find a rhythm, the game freezes up and then closes, causing me to have to start all over again.”
- “The game has a great premise; however, buyers beware: this game force closes and freezes frequently when played on Steam Deck.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has limited replayability, as players feel there is little incentive to revisit completed puzzles after achieving perfect scores. However, there is some optimism for future updates that may introduce new airports, potentially enhancing replay value.
- “Since there is no replay value (once you've completed each puzzle with a perfect score, there's really no reason to replay), I don't feel the game has good value.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a lack of emotional depth in the voice acting, suggesting that players may be disappointed if they were hoping for a more emotionally engaging performance.

Buy I am an Air Traffic Controller 4

I am an Air Traffic Controller 4
€49.99
See offer on Steam

8h Median play time

8h Average play time

2-18h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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