Best Flight Simulator Checklist

Best Flight Simulator Checklist

What exactly are the most common factors that make a 'good' flight Sim into the Best Flight Simulator?

If you've ever endulged yourself and gotten suck straight into the wonderful world of flight simulators then you'll no doubt already have a really good idea in your own head of what, for you at least, is the difference between an 'okay' flight simulator and the best flight simulator that you've ever had the pleasure of installing on your PC.

From my own experiences, I've always put an enormous amount of importance on the graphics of the simulator because, after all, if all of the cockpits and environments resemble cardboard boxes then you're not really going to be able to immerse yourself into believing you're the one piloting a genuine, real-life aircraft, are you? I feel that, with each generation that passes, flight simulator graphics - and graphics in all video games come to think of it - should evolve and while some games have really missed the mark in recent memory, there have been a handful of games that have got it 100% right in my opinion. The game I've been playing for months now - the one that I still to this day still believe is the best flight simulator - have magnificent environments - from the cockpit all the way to the airport runways and that makes the experience oh so much more enjoyable.

Friends of mine see things a little different, however, and swear that controls are the be-all and end-all when it comes to the perfect crafting of a flight simulator video game on PC. They claim that having the right feelings beneath your fingertips - especially when utilizing a specialized, customised joystick - can make or break their pilot experiences. 

A few also claim that the best PC flight simulator begins and ends with the selection of aircraft available to pilot. They are under the impression that no matter how good graphics and gameplay are, if you don't have a vast variety of planes to pilot then no flight simulator can ever fight for the title of, 'the best.'

On my hunt for the best flight simulator for PC I'll no doubt have to take all of these factors into consideration! I'd also love to know what else you guys think - what apart from gameplay, controls and aircraft do you think is vital to a flight simulators make up? What should I be adding to my criteria checklist on my search?

If you're yet to actually play a flight sim and want to know what I'm currently playing - the game that is leading my 'best flight simulator' search at the moment, check out the snappy video below!

Best PC Flight Simulator - What Makes them Great?

Best PC Flight Simulator Hunt

What Am I Looking For, Exactly?

I've been a mad flight simulator fan since the early nineties when I first discovered the awesome rush that comes from conquering a challenge within a video game that you initially thought was near-impossible. If you've ever played a game - even if you're not a 'gamer'- I'm certain that you know the feeling I'm attempting to describe. 

It's that unrivalled surge of adrenaline when you feel that the success which has alluded you for so long is within your grasp. Despite trying and failing repeated in the past, glory is finally achievable and in your sights. You've learned from your mistakes, honed your craft and put in countless hours of practice. Then, finally, you reach that virtual finish line, you grab hold of that elusive goal and the experience is almost surreal.

Sound familiar? Well, that's the feeling I first experience when I was around 14 years old and I landed my first domestic plane, successfully and safely on one of the best pc flight simulator games of the era.

Needless to say, I've savoured that experience and it's with those memories in mind that I get so frustrated watching the current gaming generation blindly handing over their money to developers whom are trotting out title after title which are not only laughably simple but take a maximum of 5 or 6 hours to complete!

A great game should have replay value through the roof. You shouldn't want to put it down. You shouldn't want to go to school or work or to meet your girlfriend's parents. Naturally, as functioning members of society these little obligations must be met, yet my overall point is that a sensationally designed game needs to grab you with all its force and not let you go. This level of immersion is created through difficulty, through challenge and it's sorely lacking in today's gaming landscape.

This frustration at cookie-cooker, simple games has prompted me to create this blog and, I hope, that it may also inspire you to look beyond the stock-standard shooters that are on the shelf of your local gaming store or on the front page of Steam. 

After years of less-than-desirable flight simulation games being released, I've come across a title which I have been playing for around 4 months straight now. It has one of the most realistic engines I've ever come across, enough aircraft to keep me busy and in the air - literally for years - and was cheaper to buy than 2 console games I was also considering at the time. I've begun a mission to bring flight simulation games back to the forefront of gaming, to introduce the genre to a generation who otherwise would know no better and to uncover THE best flight simulator for PC.

Thank you for coming aboard my blog. Please fasten your seatbelt and I hope you enjoy the ride!