PC Critic Reviews

I can’t think of a more perfect product to celebrate 100 years of aviation or 20 years of simulating flight on the PC. There is so much to learn and so much to do, and you’ll have weeks, months, and even year’s worth of fun doing it.

Without peer in Flight Simulators. If you only have one flight sim, this is the one!

The real highlight however is the improvement to the graphics engine. The scenery is improved along with general detail enhancements but the weather system is quite remarkable.

After investing hard-earned cash in add-ons for FS 2000 and FS 2002, is this new title really worth buying? The answer is “yes.”

With enough features to fill a 747 flight manual, MSFS2004 provides a level of flying simulation on the PC that was unimaginable even a few years ago. [Oct 2003, p.116]

The weather, graphics, and little details really do make this a giant leap over FS 2002. But I'm disappointed that Microsoft didn't include more modern aircraft.

The challenge and entertainment comes from learning about flying, recreating historic flights, and plain old barnstorming. [Nov 2003, p.90]

Weather effects have been vastly upgraded, with much more varied and convicing cloud layers, snow, and lightning, and even improved rain effects. [Oct 2003, p.120]

Easily the best and most important flight simulator available. FS2004 fulfils the expectations of even the most curmudgeonly sim fanatic. For 20 years, we've been waiting for hardware that can deliver a flight simulator this good. Now Microsoft has given us the software.

Does a very good job of reliving the origins and early years of powered flight, and is also a good primer for budding fixed-wing aviators and hobbyists everywhere.