Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 76 | 110 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 59% | 60 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 52 | 85 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 76% | 71 | 435 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 14, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 435 total reviews in window · weighted 176 up / 55.9 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (78)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a realistic flight experience that does not try to simplify reality for you, but rather tries to transport you to it. It is a technical, artistic, and educational game at the same time that combines the splendor of flying and the depth of simulation. It may be heavy on devices and difficult for the beginner, but for those who love flying, it is the best they might play.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Compared to the previous MFS 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 brings revolutionary changes and offers many exciting new features. Perhaps the biggest one is the extensive career mode, where you can try out most well-known activities and professions, as well as the fantastic photo mode, which lets you explore the world’s greatest landmarks. I also appreciate the ability to step out of the aircraft and the implementation of pre-flight checks. Unfortunately, there are a few snags. The main issue is the transition to a cloud-based environment, which didn’t go entirely smoothly and also limits options for those without access to a fast internet connection, even if they have a powerful PC. If you loved the previous installment and want to try out these new features, feel free to invest those 80 euros in the game. In my opinion, there are enough innovations to justify Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s price tag. However, if you’re not that interested in a career mode and just want to fly freely, there’s no need to rush into buying it. Eight and a half out of ten.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is an unique feat of engineering with elements of a game. We get another graphical revolution that, as revolutions tend to do, is quite bumpy. But at the same time it allows you to feel like a professional pilot or simply have fun by flying directly over your house.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With plenty of modes, both intricate for experts and approachable to newcomers, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a highly ambitious experience easy to recommend.”
read full review ↗ - 35
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a detailed flight simulator with grand ambitions, dragged down to earth by technical issues that ruin the overall experience.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“Conquering the skies is a difficult task, but Asobo Studio, for the most part, seems to have gotten the message right. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the most ambitious version of a simulator that has stood the test of time and rapid changes in technology, especially in the gaming industry.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a solid simulator with rough edges that disrupt the flow of learning and experiencing modern flying. Those new to the world of flight simulation will be overwhelmed and frustrated. But for those well-versed in the world of aviation, you will find appreciation for what is available here, even on the PS5 version of the game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is without a doubt the most ambitious and polished sim on the PS5, but it's not without its faults. Slow loading, visual inconsistencies, an underwhelming sound mix, and plenty of bugs pull this otherwise exceptional experience back down to earth.But if you can accept its shortcomings and you're open to learning about aviation, this an obscenely impressive package, with a seemingly never-ending array of activities to engage with. Digital tourists will adore its attention to detail, while aviation obsessives will simply get a kick out of sitting in the cockpits of their favourite aircraft.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a simulator that unfortunately loses all its charm with its existential flaws and pales in comparison to its 2020 predecessor.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a diamond in the rough, still waiting to be fully discovered. Despite launch issues and some questionable technical decisions, the game offers a great concept that can be enjoyed by both veteran simulation enthusiasts and newcomers to this type of experience. Straddling the line between video game and simulator, its greatest strength is also its main flaw, given the proximity of its previous game, whose shadow still looms over this ambitious bid for a bright future.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“We are now four full years away from the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and, although its release was one of the clearest examples of the current generation, Asobo Studio is ready to release its sequel with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“We have been playing Flight Simulator for about thirty years and watched the game undergo a tremendous evolution. The pixels of yesteryear became more and more realistic, and we spent many hours in the virtual cockpit. But now... sigh. Let's start with the beginning: after the huge download, it took us a good hour to get past the loading screen. The times after that were slightly faster, but in the meantime you can quietly do the dishes. That you need a powerful PC, we understand: the more realistic, the more computing power. But in addition, you need a fast Internet connection, because the game world is downloaded live. Our connection is on the moderate side, and so is our gaming enjoyment. So until an update comes along that fixes this, we are in a no-fly zone. ”
read full review ↗
Eternal Games
Gaming Professors
GRYOnline.pl
Seasoned Gaming
The Nerd Stash
Pizza Fria
Too Much Gaming
Push Square
Atarita
SomosXbox
Enternity.gr…and 66 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- August 13th, 2026 MSFS Weekly BriefingAug 14, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- World Update 22: United States National ParksJul 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Sim Update 5.1 Release Notes [1.7.35.0] - Available NowJun 29, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- World Update 21: AustraliaMay 5, 2026
- April 30th, 2026 MSFS Weekly BriefingApr 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- April 9th, 2026 MSFS Weekly BriefingApr 9, 2026
- February 2nd, 2026 MSFS Weekly BriefingFeb 5, 2026
- December 11th, 2025 MSFS Weekly BriefingDec 12, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- November 27th, 2025 Development UpdateNov 28, 2025
- November 20th, 2025 Development UpdateNov 21, 2025
- November 6th, 2025 Development UpdateNov 7, 2025
- October 30th, 2025 Development UpdateOct 30, 2025
- October 23rd, 2025 Development UpdateOct 23, 2025
- October 16th, 2025 Development UpdateOct 16, 2025
- October 9th, 2025 Development UpdateOct 9, 2025
- October 2nd, 2025 Development UpdateOct 2, 2025
- September 25th, 2025 Development UpdateSep 25, 2025
- September 18th, 2025 Development UpdateSep 18, 2025
- September 11th, 2025 Development UpdateSep 11, 2025
- Sim Update 4 Beta Now Available to JoinSep 8, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- September 4th, 2025 Development UpdateSep 4, 2025
- August 28th, 2025 Development UpdateAug 28, 2025
- August 21st, 2025 Development UpdateAug 21, 2025
- Sim Update 3 Release Notes [1.5.27.0] - Available NowAug 20, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- August 14th, 2025 Development UpdateAug 14, 2025
- August 7th, 2025 Development UpdateAug 7, 2025
- July 31st, 2025 Development UpdateAug 1, 2025
- July 24th, 2025 Development UpdateJul 25, 2025
- July 17th, 2025 Development UpdateJul 17, 2025
- July 10th, 2025 Development UpdateJul 10, 2025
- July 3rd, 2025 Development UpdateJul 3, 2025
- June 26th, 2025 Development UpdateJun 27, 2025
- June 19th, 2025 Development UpdateJun 20, 2025
- June 12th, 2025 Development UpdateJun 12, 2025
…and 21 earlier patch announcements.