Rating: 
Summary: If you like planes and PCs, buy this -
Review: I want to start off by saying that MS Flight Simulator 2004 is not just a game. It's a simulator, and it is begining to go to the level of realism of some of the software FAA authorizes for instruction. Not to say that it's very difficult to play, but it does need practice and some understanding of airplane systems. The more you know, the more you will enjoy.MS Flight Sim 2002 introduced some big steps in flight sim: live and interactive ATC. FS-2004 builds on that, and adds dynamic, live-updated weather (over the internet). It's just amazing what this program does, and the open architecture means that the aircraft, paint schemes, scenary, sounds can all be updated by independant developers. I am hooked, and if you like airplanes as much as I do, you would be to! - Neeraj
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Summary: Great Game
Review: This game runs great and I have a slow computer! Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Very high price outside the U.S.A
Review: I mean it's a great game ,but why , why do I have to buy it for 72.99€ thats about 91.3$ .
I live in Finland and the price is like over 50% more expensive.
Well thats all for the complayning the game is really not a game its a simulator really greate all the vews and the realistik plane features i am a pilot and ive been it for 4 years now and i really think its good work and very good done thats all for me.
Irecommend this game for everyone .you dont have to be a professional pilot you can just take the lessons. or like me improve your fliing to the next grade.
Rating: 
Summary: Well rounded flight simulation for everyone.
Review: If you have even a passing interest in aviation simulation, then the experience provided by MFS2004:ACOF (FS9) is one you don't want to be without. This incredibly open environment will give you literally limitless experiences. The Microsoft Flight Simulator community is extremely large and there are literally thousands of add-on's (aircraft, panels, textures, sounds) that are public domain freeware. There are also many high-quality commercial add-on's to choose from as well. How well aircraft resemble their real counterparts is dependent on how much data the developer listed in the aircraft configuration file. The simulator uses a physics engine to process the data. This data can be changed by the user by just using a text editor. The weather engine for FS9 is simply stunning. Real-time, photorealistic, weather generated dynamically from weather stations across the globe. Through third parties (free and commercial), artificial intelligence with traffic is possible to the extent of real-world commercial flights in the simulator that are based off real-world flight schedules. Have an airline ticket with American Airlines for next week? Well, in the simulator you can go to your airport, today, and set the time and date for that flight. At the departure time, you will see that aircraft with correct details of aircraft type, airline, flight number, pull up to the runway and ask for IFR departure to your intended destination city! All of this comes at a cost. The cost is hardware resources. You simply can't have enough resources for this extremely large program. This program is more of an environment than an application. The mininum specifications listed is a joke. With the exception of the CPU, multiply all that by three. Multiply the CPU by FOUR. You will want to have a video card with at least 128 MB. Even then, you should be looking at 256 MB video cards. Yes, its that dependent on raw processing power! This simulator isn't perfect, but it is the most well-rounded flight simulator that everyone can enjoy. If extreme realistic detail with flying a commercial heavy is more important to you than stunning graphics, then there are other simulators that will better serve your needs. Take a look at Aerowinx's "Precision Simulator" for this need, which is the most detailed (procedures and systems) 747 simulator that consumer money ($250+) can buy. "Precision Simulator" is designed for functionality, not pleasant graphics. In fact, it is a DOS application. I would not recommend "Precision Simulator" to anyone unless they knew exactly what they were getting with it. The learning curve is intense and in comparison it makes "Microsoft Flight Simulator" look like an arcade game. If you have just a passing interest in some of the more advanced avionics of a commercial heavy, I would recommend using PMDG's 737NG with FS2004. This third party add-on aircraft is put together very well and even has a partially functional CDU. While it doesn't have the depth of "Precision Simulator", this CDU does allow you to have the majority of the FMC capabilities -- including SID/STAR procedures. In short, if you have the system resources and want to fly around mainly in general aviation aircraft and view stunning scenery, then FS9 is for you. General windows knowledge (copy/paste files, editing files with text editors, create/delete directories, using archives) is mandatory if you want to get the full potential out of this software.
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Summary: Again The best flight Sim Yet
Review: OMG the best flight sim yet, first i would like to point out that i went from 98 to 04. It is a very good game... IFR is the SH!@ it's like awsome. Vor gives you much more room and space to do what you want and not have the ATC screaming at you.
The space and control you have in 04 is the best yet.
You can actually land on the rnwy of your choice for example it's like "MS fly straight in for rnwy 35R" you can say "Can MS get 35L?" then if it is open the ATC actually gives it to you. And with the intelligance to deny pilot landings at some IFR airports. For example once I tried landing at LAX and it said and I quote "landing denyed airport only accepting IFR clearences and landings" It is the best. And the weather system is great you can download real weather from Jeppesen and actually fly in that exact weather. Imagine your town being rainy and in flight sim it does that and when it stops almost instantly the weather adaptes to the weather in real life.
The wright flyer is almost unflyable but still flyable for like 5 min only. The glider is for experiance pilots only. The livery's for the boeings is the best yet. the lear jet has really improved over 02'.
But i must caution you that you must have a good computer to enjoy this game to the fullest.
I have an AMD Athlon XP 2100+ with an Nvidea g-force fx 5200 ultra with 256 mb ram and it runs great but on medium high and the global aircraft quality on medium low.
Get this game only if you are interested in flying and pursue a career in it.
THIS IS NOT A GAME!!! It is a Flight Sim.
But if you are interested in flying get this game.
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Summary: Realistic Assessment of MS Flight Simulator
Review: MS Flight Simulator is a very advanced "game" which requires advanced knowledge and skill on the the part of the user, and a very high performing computer gaming system to present at its best.
While the "game" will play on a pedestrian system, power computer system performance makes that difference between "game" and virtual reality. Following on from that, the effort to learn the skills of flying will add greatly to the reward of flying in the low fuel consumption MS Flight Simulator.
Take it from someone who has managed, maintained and flown advanced flight simulators since the mid 60's, this system is as incredible as your computer system and your skills.
This software is fabulous provided that you have the computer system and the personal dedication to get the most from it.
Rating:
Summary: Really great game
Review: This game is really fun. The planes you get to fly are awesome. The graphics are OK but the gameplay is great.
Rating:
Summary: Early days yet
Review: There is so much more to this version compared with 2002, that I shall need to spend a great deal of time studying the aircraft controls, the somewhat different scenery textures and the extensive Help files. Naturally, the general outline of this educational game follows the basic system established in the earlier versions, but there are many improvements. I have flown in a number of jet liners over the years and the cloud formations are pretty close to what you see in real flight. The terrain features are better too. I have not had the opportunity to see real jet liner cockpit controls at first hand, but have no reason to believe that the simulations are very different to what real pilots have in front of them. To accord with sitting in front of a computer screen, there must be some differences, of course, and the experience must be very close I am sure.
All in all, I believe MS have,with this version, achieved an extraordinarily lifelike representation of the real thing. If you are looking for the excitement coneyed by playing a game as such, then there is provision for that too.
Rating:
Summary: other people lie
Review: This game is awesome. It is realistic. The guy who said he couldnt crash didnt look at the realism settings. Everyone who complained about the requirements is right. I had 500 mhz and 128 ram and 8mb graphics card. It worked terribly untill i got a new computer. 2.66ghz,512ram, and 128 graphics card. It works great. A better computer wouldnt do much better. Triple the minimum requirements and if your computer doesnt make it dont buy fs2004. With this simulator, not a game, you can downdload other planes off simviation.com. You better have a joystick if you are going to play this game. It just need to have a throtle. The new aircrafts are annoyings but this game is still great.
Rating:
Summary: Not for everybody.
Review: This is not a game. It is a SIMULATOR used mostly by pilots and student pilots. If you are looking for a game of great adventure or excitment get combat flight simulator. But if you are a pilot, student pilot, or looking for a challange this the thing for you.
This does not have the best graphics but this is more about the handling of the aircraft rather than the looks, but it does have very good graphics just not the best. Thank you for your time. vp134
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