Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

43%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,153 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • optimization
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Game Cover
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 fulfills the promise of being the most true-to-life and detailed game of its kind.
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"Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024" is a realistic flight simulation game that allows players to launch their aviation career and gain experience in various activities such as Medevac, cargo ops, firefighting, and search & rescue missions. The game features unlimited missions across the globe, competitive modes, and the opportunity to be a world photographer by capturing stunning images of famous landmarks and natural vistas. With its vast array of features, players can enjoy a truly immersive and authentic flight experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

43%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,153 reviews
story50 positive mentions
optimization84 negative mentions
  • Stunning graphics and improved visuals compared to MSFS 2020.
  • Career mode adds depth and purpose to flights, making it engaging for players.
  • Flight physics and dynamics have seen significant improvements, enhancing the realism of flying.
  • The game is plagued with bugs, especially in career mode, leading to frustrating experiences.
  • Long loading times and reliance on cloud streaming can hinder gameplay, especially for those with slower internet connections.
  • Many features and aircraft promised at launch are either missing or not functioning properly.
  • story756 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with many users noting that the career mode feels unfinished and riddled with bugs. Players report numerous issues with mission functionality, including repetitive tasks, broken objectives, and frustrating penalties for actions that are often out of their control. Overall, while the introduction of a career mode and various mission types is seen as a positive step, the execution is marred by technical problems and a lack of engaging narrative elements.

    • “The introduction of a career mode with varied missions, company building, and pilot certification adds a lot more gameplay to what was already a great sim.”
    • “From breathtaking visuals powered by cutting-edge cloud streaming technology to career paths like aerial firefighting and search-and-rescue missions, the game aims to redefine the simulation genre.”
    • “The sense of freedom, exploration, and accomplishment you get from mastering an aircraft and completing challenging missions is unmatched.”
    • “The career mode is literally half-baked as there's no way to customize your company, there's no way to gain passive income regularly, only 25% of the planes are available, you spawn in water sometimes which can bankrupt your company, and all missions spawn like clockwork each day in the same spot.”
    • “The missions are full and I mean full of bugs and penalties that don't exist.”
    • “Career mode simply has too many bugs to have been released in its current state, every mission after aerial advertising runs into some bug or issue, ranging from UI bugs, to radio bugs, to aircraft behaving strangely in certain conditions.”
  • graphics592 mentions

    The graphics in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and improved detail compared to its predecessor, MSFS 2020. However, some users report issues with graphical glitches, slow loading times, and performance drops, particularly when using lower-end hardware or during peak server times. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered a significant upgrade, they are marred by technical issues that detract from the experience.

    • “The graphics are breathtaking, the world map is huge and the flight physics are realistic.”
    • “The graphics in MSFS 2024 are absolutely breathtaking.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, but the career mode is really buggy.”
    • “The graphics are a downgrade from FS2020.”
    • “The graphics are embarrassing: textures barely load, even on low/medium settings, leaving you flying over blurry landscapes where a single pixel feels like it’s a square mile.”
    • “The graphics in this new version are often breathtaking, and with my 4090, everything runs smoothly on ultra settings.”
  • optimization385 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including lag, stuttering, and crashes, particularly during long flights. While some users report improvements over the previous version, MSFS 2020, others find the game poorly optimized, especially in VR and during high-demand scenarios. Overall, while there are notable enhancements in graphics and performance, many players feel that the game still requires substantial optimization and bug fixes to reach its full potential.

    • “This sim is also insanely well optimized and will probably run on a potato.”
    • “Performance is better than 2020 as are the visuals.”
    • “The graphics and optimization of 2024 is much improved and the game runs really well on my PC.”
    • “The game is clearly not optimized yet, but the career mode sets a great precedent for the future of the game.”
    • “Performance is far worse than msfs 2020, even on decent systems.”
    • “Performance in the menus and pre-flight sequence is absolutely terrible - laggy and with constant judder and hitching - despite having hardware above the recommended specs for the game.”
  • stability385 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay, particularly in the career mode. Many players describe the experience as frustratingly unstable, with issues ranging from freezing and crashing to mission failures due to faulty mechanics. While some acknowledge the game's potential, the overwhelming consensus is that it feels unfinished and requires substantial optimization before it can be recommended.

    • “I usually play in VR and while not bug free, it is perfectly usable.”
    • “The game itself runs great and is barely utilizing my system's power.”
    • “Almost a week later and it runs great for me.”
    • “Career mode (which is the main change from FS2020) is a buggy mess.”
    • “The career mode is a step in the right direction, but the game is extremely buggy and unstable in its current state.”
    • “It's a buggy mess, and some of the features are lacking.”
  • gameplay155 mentions

    The gameplay of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting significant bugs and performance issues that detract from the experience. While the introduction of a career mode and enhanced realism are praised, players report frustrating mechanics, inconsistent flight physics, and a lack of optimization that hampers enjoyment. Overall, despite its potential and beautiful graphics, the game is seen as needing substantial updates to address core gameplay flaws.

    • “Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS 2024) takes the torch from its predecessor with enhanced realism, depth of gameplay, and visual fidelity.”
    • “The introduction of a career mode with varied missions, company building, and pilot certification adds a lot more gameplay to what was already a great sim.”
    • “The gameplay has also taken a big leap forward compared to its predecessor.”
    • “There are still a large number of bugs that need to be worked out and mechanics that either don't work and/or are not explained.”
    • “Half of the mechanics don't work at all.”
    • “After spending around 40 hours... it's not playable... bug after bug, after stupid bug... it's hard for me to believe that there was proper amount of testing done to the gameplay.”
  • grinding38 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many players finding the career mode excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring hundreds of hours to unlock desired missions and aircraft. While some appreciate the realism it adds, the overall sentiment is that the grind detracts from the enjoyment of flying, compounded by bugs and a frustrating user interface. Players express a need for substantial improvements to balance the grind and enhance the overall experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Career mode may be too grindy or shallow.”
    • “To access that, you need to waste hundreds if not thousands of hours grinding subpar planes in the so-called career before you can do the actual missions we were hyped for.”
    • “First of all, the grinding part is not fun at all; the fact that you have to spend so much time flying just to receive barely enough money is frustrating.”
  • humor34 mentions

    The humor in the game is often derived from its numerous bugs and glitches, which can be both amusing and frustrating for players. While some find the comedic elements of the game's physics and AI voice acting entertaining, others feel that the overall experience is marred by the game's unfinished state and poor launch. Many reviews highlight a mix of laughter and disappointment, as players navigate through a plethora of hilarious yet game-breaking issues.

    • “I actually found it funny that my character's head clipped through the hull and it looked like he had his head out the sunroof.”
    • “It's funny to me how people expected a worldwide launch of a cloud-based game to go smoothly from the first minute.”
    • “And trust me, few things compare to the satisfaction of pulling off a textbook touchdown...or laughing as you nosedive into the ocean because you forgot to lower the landing gear.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat and feels forced, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
    • “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
    • “The attempts at humor are so poorly executed that they detract from the overall experience.”
  • monetization25 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" by Microsoft, citing a lack of substantial new content and numerous bugs at launch. Players express frustration over the absence of promised in-game purchases and the feeling that the game was released prematurely to capitalize on hype, rather than delivering a polished experience. Overall, the sentiment reflects disappointment in the monetization strategy, which seems to prioritize profit over quality and player satisfaction.

    • “The monetization strategy feels fair and doesn't pressure players into spending money to enjoy the game.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without making them necessary for progression.”
    • “The in-game store has a variety of cosmetic items that enhance the experience without affecting gameplay balance.”
    • “Just a quick cash grab by Microsoft.”
    • “Msfs2024 in this state is nothing more than a cash grab.”
    • “I will never fall for the hype and advertisement again; not worth the money they are asking for this game, way overpriced.”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as catchy and nostalgic, particularly enjoying the loading screen music. However, many users expressed frustration over the inability to customize or mute the music during loading and menu screens, describing it as obnoxious and distracting. Overall, while the music has its fans, it also detracts from the experience for others due to its volume and lack of options for control.

    • “The visuals are incredible and the music is so soothing.”
    • “Love the music.”
    • “The music in the loading screen alone made the purchase worthwhile!”
    • “I was hoping this would be awesome... I'm likely going back to MSFS2020 because, oh I don't know, I want to actually play a game... not listen to your god awful music for 20 minutes while nothing happens.”
    • “We once again, just like in MSFS2020, have one of the worst launchers ever created, playing loud music immediately without even giving you a chance to go into an options menu or so much as a volume slider in the install/loading screen.”
    • “It's a bloody joke, the launcher with its obnoxiously loud music is terrible and if you eventually, after many hours, get into the game, you get to customize your character.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional response to the game's frustrating mechanics and performance issues, describing their experiences as an "emotional roller-coaster." Many feel misled by the game's incomplete state and are disheartened by the lack of polish, leading to a desire to avoid the game until significant improvements are made. Despite the potential for a complex simulation, the overwhelming challenges and technical problems have left users feeling disappointed and disillusioned.

    • “There is an amazing looking, complex simulation for those with patience, maturity, and emotional control.”
    • “Additionally, they really nailed tutorials, made me feel like I was back in flight school, kinda surprised they didn't do stall recovery at any point.”
    • “Tldr: emotional roller-coaster trying to get it to launch, have patience (unlike I did).”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere in MSFS 2024 is widely praised for its impressive attention to detail, featuring enhanced lighting, dynamic weather, and a vibrant virtual world filled with wildlife and realistic cloud formations. Users note that the overall atmospheric effects contribute to a more immersive flying experience, although some criticize the occasional overexposed bloom on sunny days. Overall, the improvements create a more lifelike and engaging environment for flight simulation enthusiasts.

    • “The virtual world feels more alive than ever, with diverse wildlife, detailed cloud formations, and dynamic weather that replicates real-world atmospheric conditions.”
    • “The attention to detail in the landscapes, weather effects, and overall atmosphere is truly impressive—it's like a work of art.”
    • “Atmospherics and lighting are nicer, loading is faster.”
    • “Ctrl+E should not be encouraged in a training, career, or student pilot atmosphere.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Users highlight that the game's career mode significantly enhances replayability, especially after recent updates that improved its playability. Many players appreciate the quick fixes and the variety of aircraft available, suggesting that the game offers extensive hours of replay value, particularly once initial bugs are resolved. Overall, the game is seen as a substantial improvement over its predecessor, providing even more engaging content for flight simulation enthusiasts.

    • “Great game, better than 2020. The career mode brings so much replayability for me.”
    • “So many hours of replay value... looks amazing!”
    • “My best advice would be to get this when most of the bugs are ironed out at a later date, or when on sale like I did with MSFS 2020 when it was much more playable some months after launch.”
    • “It gives more variety and replayability (as if flight simming the world needed more replayability).”
    • “After a few major updates, the career side of the game will hopefully be much more playable.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the character development aspect is notably lacking, with users criticizing the character design as one of the worst in recent gaming history.

    • “Managed to get past the customize identity screen tonight and was met with one of the absolute worst character designers in modern memory.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
    • “I expected a rich backstory for my character, but instead, I got a generic template with no depth.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

Buy Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Play time

9hMedian play time
62hAverage play time
5-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 143 analyzed playthroughs

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