Below are user reviews of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight and on the right are links to professionally written reviews.
The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight.
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Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.
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User Reviews (131 - 141 of 250)
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Impressed - but just shy of floored.
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 06, 2003
Author: Amazon User
Overall I must say that I am impressed- but not quite floored. I orginally got into the Flight Sim thing around FSIM 1998. Back then I found the system enjoyable and relatively fun but limited in nature. I tried the 2000, skipped the 2002 version and waited for the 2004. I must say that it was worth the wait. They added much more ground school info which goes a LOT more in detail that the previous versions. The graphics and sounds are scalable and gameplay is interactive. Most importantly, at least to me, the Simulation is detailed and gets into complex flight planning and radio/VOR/IFR operations. You can do flight planning and the radio chatter is excellent and creates a great realistic effect. Gameplay is a vast improvement. The sole glitch so far is that the system tends to minimize itself virtually everytime you switch from the Ground School info to Flying Lessions or into the game play-I haven't figured out if it was a bug in the system or the programming. Although the min sys requirements tends to suggest this Program could run on a slower system, I don't think I would recommend it on anything lower than a Ghz -- with a mid to high end vid card. I have no personal knowledge of a glitch, but in my experience with gameing and sims over the years (I'm mid thirties) I believe the gameplay would be severely diminished on a slower system. The force feedback on my sidewinder 2 could be a bit more intense, but is otherwise quite enjoyable. Graphics are scalable - but at the usual expense in processing speed. With P4 2.4ghz 64mb vid card, I haven't had any other problems. Graphic renderings have improved both on the ground and in the air; although it isn't stunning they are pleasing. Ground cover is vastly improved as you approach the ground (e.g. trees, buildings, clouds, etc.) The true improvement lies in traffic situations or taxiing at airports. They have added additional "real life" sounds that you might hear in some situations - jackhammers in the background and other planes in patterns. Radio Chatter is the biggest improvement and Overall I'm impressed.
Better Performance - A Few Nice New Features
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User
This upgrade is worth the price just from a performance perspective. It seemed like Flight Sim 2000 Pro was not taking advantage fully of my hardware - this version defintely seems to. Also, while the new features are few and far between - they are pretty darn cool - like runway signs (finally) and one-click weather scenarios. My favorite as an IFR student - FOG!
A step forward...and enjoyable!!
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User
...
FS2004 to some is a game. To most if you go to some of the flight simming community websites will say ot's a simulator. I say it is both, depending on how you use it. To those who just wanna jump in take it for a spin, crash do nothing of any real pupose its a game. To me personally it is a Flight Simulator. I prepare my flight plans, calculate fuel, practice instrument flight in weather and so on.
Now to what FS2004 is worth, whatever you may call it. It is another step forward in this genre, it's look and feel is greatly improved. Bugs? There are some, but not to the extent some our intrepid reviewers would like to lead you to believe. It is an advanced piece of software. You NEED to update you video drivers, you NEED to make sure your sound drivers are working well, you NEED as any other piece of software liek this make sure your DirectX is working properly.
From the day I installed it, I have enjoyed it thoroughly, it's absolutely awesome. There are some problems here and there but you can work through them. ATC is great now, weather is better than anything before. And the information and instruction are second to none. I only gave it 4 stars due to the fact that you are required to use CD 4 in the drive. Of course there are ways around that. Hint Hint!!
If you like Flight, Simulations, I recommend highly you buy it and you'll see for yourself how good it is!!
Early days yet
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User
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.
A flight sim standard
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 3 / 5
Date: March 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User
a game for all ages to enjoy if you like planes.
I bought it as a gift
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 3 / 5
Date: March 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User
The only report i got from the friend who is very much into flying was this was a good sim and he loved it. Sorry I couldn't give more info but he did say that it plays better with a good gamer type joystick.
unsure of cause
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 5 / 12
Date: November 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User
I have F/S 2000 installed and it works beautifully. When I upgraded to F/S 2004 I noticed the smoothness of 2002 was not there. On take off the aircraft lurches down the runway insead of rolling smoothly. Turns are jerky and over controlled making it very difficlult to make approach corrections smoothly and not over correct. I don't understand why this happens other than 2004 requires the #4 disk to be in the CDrom drive all the time, where 2002 does not. It plays with the installed components only. If anyone can offer an explaination or instruction I would appreciate an email at theozman
Thanks
Pilot School
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 12
Date: March 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User
I've played Flight sims since Apple II and this is such a neat game/sim. I'm from AK originally and loved going home just to see how accurate it was. It was fair to good and great if you have an imagination! Taking off is a snap-landing without bouncing around is the hard part, let alone at an airport.
I recomend this game.
Excelente pero todavia con fallos.
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 12
Date: May 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User
Era la primera vez que usaba un simulador y realmente me ha parecido excelente. El manejo del avion parece bastante real y creo que en general el juego es bastante bueno.
El unico pero que le encuentro es que muchos lugares, al menos los de America Latina, todavian necesitan acercarse a la realidad. Por ejemplo, cuando se vuela por la ciudad de Panama, esta no parece en lo absoluto a la inmensa masa de rascacielos que en la realidad hay. Mientras Managua parece una ciudad moderna cuando en la realidad esta desde lo alto parece un pequeno pueblo. Las formas de algunos lagos y rios tambien necesitan acercarse mas a la realidad.
Ojala estos detalles mejoren en la proxima edicion.
IT'S A BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 4 / 9
Date: July 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User
This game rules!!!!! The reasons why:
1. The graphics are super and detailed
2. Since Microsoft is a very giant company and FS 2004 has its own website (www.FS2004.com), it is convienient to download or buy upgrades, especially maps and planes.
3. The realtime weather is really cool... I live in a Suburban area of Northern NJ, and I can see the snow when it is snowing, and the same thing with rain!!!
4. The planes are cool, and the cockpits are SUPER cool-cuz there are the exact same instruments U will see when U get into a real cockpit (even thou this game's cockpit is the closiest U will ever get to in a sim).
Well, that's about it for the pros even thou I can go for many pages more, and here are the cons.
1. The system requirements R high, (as in all sims) and do not think the game will work if U hav a computer right at the requirements... U need at least 1 Ghz of prossesor, 32 (64 or 128 is better) MB of video ram, 512 MB of physical RAM, and a lot of free HDD space, and a good computer overall. But DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY X-PLANE IS U HAVE A BAD COMPUTER!! IT HAS EVEN MORE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS!!
2. The real instruments take a lot of time to learn...
3. Plan to buy a yoke or joystik with this game if possible. That way, it is more real and easier.
Hmm... That's about all the things I need to say 'bout this great game. DON'T miss this masterpiece if U R a sim lover or a plane lover.
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