Microsoft Flight Simulator X

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 26,886 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • optimization
Microsoft Flight Simulator X Game Cover
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"Microsoft Flight Simulator X is a realistic simulation game with both single-player and multi-player options. It offers a free flight mode to fly anywhere in the world and interactive missions for a unique gaming experience. The game is suitable for players of all ages and skill levels."

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 26,886 reviews
graphics816 positive mentions
stability332 negative mentions
  • graphics2,694 mentions

    The graphics of Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2006 release, with many users noting that they fall short of modern standards. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and decent performance on lower-end systems, others criticize the visuals as poor, especially without the use of extensive mods and add-ons to enhance the experience. Overall, the game is seen as functional and enjoyable for flight simulation enthusiasts, but those seeking high-quality graphics may find it lacking compared to newer titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

    • “Graphically, FSX showcases a vast and detailed world that includes realistic landscapes, cities, and airports.”
    • “Realistic graphics: FSX offers stunning visuals and detailed scenery, making the virtual flying experience more immersive.”
    • “Despite the dated graphics, I believe that the gameplay more than makes up for it.”
    • “Buggy flight model (especially likes to make your plane topple over after landing), savegames disappear, atrocious graphics even on max settings and considering the time of release.”
    • “The graphics are ps2 quality, much worse than the impression given by the advertised footage.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and the gameplay is extremely boring.”
  • story1,070 mentions

    The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on a variety of flight missions that serve as tutorials and challenges for players. While some missions are well-crafted and engaging, offering a mix of educational and entertaining experiences, the overall story aspect is minimal, with many players noting the absence of a gripping plot or immersive atmosphere. The missions themselves, however, are often praised for their variety and replayability, making them a central feature of the gameplay experience.

    • “The game offers an incredible variety of missions, ranging from simple sightseeing flights to challenging rescue operations and aerial combat scenarios.”
    • “Each mission is well-crafted and offers a unique experience, making the game highly replayable.”
    • “My favorite part about the missions is that whenever the writers needed a guiding voice for the player, they carefully wrote a believable character into the mission who helps you with your task, rather than having a voice from above tell you what to do in every mission.”
    • “There isn't any story for the game, just missions where you are trained up on how to fly and then participate in various missions learning how to fly IFR, flying passenger missions, cargo, and participating in aircraft races and tricks.”
    • “The game is itself good, but gets boring fast; there are missions which you can do (like emergency landing, engine failures, and engine start-up).”
    • “The default missions have a clear objective, but there is a lack of interaction between the pilot and the mission guides.”
  • optimization646 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements in performance, especially in the Steam edition, which allows for better settings management and smoother gameplay on modern hardware. However, many users still report persistent performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates, particularly when using high-detail add-ons or on lower-end systems. Overall, while there are optimizations that enhance playability, the game remains challenging to run smoothly without extensive tweaking and may not fully utilize the capabilities of newer hardware.

    • “Players can adjust their settings to optimize performance or enhance visual fidelity, accommodating a range of hardware specifications.”
    • “I know this flight sim is old but definitely not the worst one, optimized really well on my old laptop and clocking over 1,000 hours!”
    • “The game is much better optimized and runs a ton smoother and no longer hogs all the available RAM and CPU cores in a system.”
    • “Horrible game that is badly optimized.”
    • “Like so many other Microsoft products, this game is poorly optimized and not intuitive at all.”
    • “It's buggy, horribly optimized, crashes a lot.”
  • stability384 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and bugs, particularly on modern systems and Windows 10/11. Users often spend significant time troubleshooting issues, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players find it runs well on lower-end hardware, the general consensus is that the game is plagued by instability and requires patience to enjoy.

    • “It runs great on my old laptop and is just all around amazing.”
    • “This game has no bugs or flaws; it runs great on my PC.”
    • “Runs great on Windows 8.1 and so far very stable FPS have been good as well.”
    • “This game is an ancient, broken and buggy piece of garbage.”
    • “Game freezes and shuts down continuously and Steam will not refund you for the non-functioning program even though the request was placed the same day as the purchase.”
    • “This game is full of bugs and errors and it just plain freezes up, locks up and quits running and closes down on its own without any warning or reason!!!!!!”
  • gameplay328 mentions

    The gameplay of the flight simulator is characterized by its realistic flight mechanics and extensive simulation features, appealing to both casual players and serious aviation enthusiasts. While many users appreciate the depth and authenticity of the experience, they recommend using a joystick for optimal control, as keyboard play can be challenging. However, the game suffers from dated graphics and occasional bugs, leading to mixed reviews regarding its overall enjoyment and performance.

    • “The game’s primary appeal lies in its realistic flight mechanics and extensive flight simulation features.”
    • “With its realistic physics and immersive gameplay, it provides an authentic and rewarding experience for aviation enthusiasts.”
    • “Realistic gameplay that makes you feel like you're in a real-life simulator, takes time to learn but is an enjoyable way for aviation enthusiasts to pass the time.”
    • “Gameplay itself in FSX is, by and large, still as competent now as it was at release.”
    • “The game itself is not bad, but constant crashes (terrain.dll) after 0.5-1 hours of gameplay prevent anything better than practicing takeoffs.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and the gameplay is extremely boring.”
  • humor84 mentions

    The humor in this flight simulator is widely praised, with players finding joy in the game's absurd scenarios, funny multiplayer interactions, and unexpected glitches. Many users highlight the comedic potential of the missions and the community, often sharing laughs over mistakes and bizarre moments during gameplay. Overall, the game is seen as a lighthearted and entertaining experience, appealing to both aviation enthusiasts and casual players looking for a good laugh.

    • “Haha, little funny plane go commit many acts of war crimes :>”
    • “Amazing! Just needs a little physics tweaking. Like once I was trying to take off in an IL-62 and it said I crashed into an object when there was clearly nothing there on the runway. Funny moment, to be honest.”
    • “I love this game! Everything you'll ever need to learn how to fly a wide range of aircraft and have a lot of multiplayer fun while you do it. There's no better feeling than you and a friend learning how to fly from one airport to another on multiplayer, spending hours laughing at stupid mistakes as you go.”
  • music68 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the main menu's theme as adventurous and enjoyable, while others criticize it for being repetitive or annoying. Some players appreciate the option to import third-party music for a more personalized experience, but technical issues have led to frustrations, including crashes and stuttering audio. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, many users recommend supplementing it with their own music for a better experience.

    • “The menu music is just amazing.”
    • “Listening to music and flying over Budapest with a Cessna airplane is the best!”
    • “The soundtrack is only present on the menus but the main theme has a very adventurous feel, the second is dramatic, the third is a slow peaceful theme while the rest are varying techno songs, each can be selected or if desired, third-party music can be imported to play on the main menu.”
    • “Crash after selecting free flight, black screen and music, nothing more.”
    • “Music defaults to twice the core system level and has no volume slider; I did eventually locate a checkbox to turn all music off.”
    • “The music sucks, even for a Vista-era flight simulator.”
  • grinding38 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly indicate that grinding in the game is a significant time commitment, often described as requiring "a second life" to fully engage with. While some players appreciate the depth and realism of the simulator experience, others find the repetitive tasks and lengthy missions tedious. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, appealing to dedicated fans of simulation games but potentially off-putting for those seeking more dynamic gameplay.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Like the challenge of flying, but getting to know the controllers is quite tedious.”
    • “The missions can become a bit tedious, but the free flights are great.”
  • monetization38 mentions

    The monetization of the game has been heavily criticized, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" due to the extensive and expensive DLC options, which can total over £3,000. While some players appreciate the amount of content available without additional purchases, the overwhelming presence of microtransactions and the game's failure to deliver on its advertising promises have left many feeling disappointed and frustrated. Overall, the monetization strategy appears to detract significantly from the gaming experience.

    • “The amount of aircraft and options you can pick without making any in-game purchases is a great amount.”
    • “It has global scenery, some planes, and no ads!”
    • “Fun game if you enjoy simulators, but the microtransactions can be overwhelming.”
    • “This game is a cash grab hunk of shit; can't even have a dual monitor setup without it taking control of both monitors, making one all black.”
    • “As well as this, there is £3,379.56 worth of DLC as of 01/03/2018, which makes it feel like a lackluster cash grab, although a few freeware planes can easily fix this.”
    • “The fact they didn't update a darn thing for accuracy and the game still has so many bugs is a big slap to the face of the customers, and it is clear this is another poorly done Steam port as a cash grab.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its well-crafted missions, continuous content discovery, and the ability to improve flying skills. Players appreciate the extensive support for custom mods and servers, which keep the experience fresh, although some tweaking and third-party products are necessary for optimal visual performance. Overall, it remains a timeless simulation with a strong replay value, rated 10/10 by users.

    • “Each mission is well-crafted and offers a unique experience, making the game highly replayable.”
    • “Plenty of servers and custom mods keep the game fresh and replayable.”
    • “I also installed several dozen extra planes from the internet in an effort to increase the variety and replayability of my disc copy.”
    • “This engagement contributes significantly to the game’s replayability, as players can continuously discover new content and improve their flying skills.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The atmosphere is described as reminiscent of an empty terminal, lacking engagement and excitement, akin to studying a safety card. While there are some positive notes about atmospheric disturbances and realistic controls that enhance immersion, the overall experience is marred by a lack of a compelling story and outdated graphics, leading to a disappointing atmosphere for players seeking a more dynamic environment.

    • “Atmospheric disturbances based on terrain were an unexpected plus.”
    • “Graphics may not be the best, but the atmosphere and realistic controls will put you in that cockpit and you will enjoy the view.”
    • “I can recommend REX3, REX4 for the weather and atmosphere.”
    • “No gripping story, the atmosphere is as captivating as studying the safety card in the seat in front of you.”
    • “If you want a fighter/bomber atmosphere, it's not.”
    • “The atmosphere of an empty terminal.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly when facing the heartbreak of crashing after investing significant time in flights. The experience evokes feelings of empowerment and nostalgia, akin to the character portrayed in the trailer, highlighting the game's ability to immerse players in intense, emotional scenarios.

    • “It really is heartbreaking when you put hours into your flight only to crash.”
    • “This game made me feel exactly like the old lady in the trailer.”
    • “It made me feel like a badass pilot handling a dire situation.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

34hMedian play time
166hAverage play time
5-340hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 98 analyzed playthroughs

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