Flight Simulator 2002

"A toast to the best simulation game in the world!"

Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2002 is a game that will take your breath away. Games like this show that the PC is still the best gaming platform you can ever get, rather than the PS2 or Microsoft’s own Xbox. Games like Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2), Gran Turismo 3: A Spec (PS2) doesn’t ever come near FS 2002 when challenged for eye-popping graphics or simply, sheer gaming depth. Many factors influenced my decision of proclaiming FS 2002 as the best simulation game ever and possibly one of the most phenomenal games money can buy. I will now explain each and every facet of the game, one by one (Don’t worry, there are no spoilers in this review).

Presentation: 10/10

This game is beautifully presented. Honestly, it has everything a gamer could ever want. Spectacular visuals, mind-boggling audio, engrossing gameplay, you name it, FS 2002 has got it. And if you have an extra $20 to spend, you can buy Flight Simulator 2002: Professional Edition. Potential players with an extra $20 burning a hole in their pockets may want to opt for the additional goodies found in the Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition. Here, you can fly four additional aircraft, including two that are completely new to the franchise (the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan and Raytheon BE58) and a pair of veteran performers (the Raytheon/Beech King 350 and Mooney Bravo). You also permitted to take on the role of teacher or student in the multiplayer ''instructor's station,'' where you will partner with another player to either issue or attempt a sequence of fully customizable assignment parameters. The Professional Edition includes several other perks that only a true fanatic could love, including the high-end, highly detailed 3D modeling tool gMax, through which aspiring world builders can design, construct, and assign dynamic attributes to virtually any Flight Simulator-supported object. And certainly anyone who wishes to import Combat Flight Simulator and earlier Flight Simulator airplanes should give the Pro Edition some deliberation, as it seriously simplifies what is otherwise a difficult process.

Version updates: 6/10

The concept of the game is not that different from this game’s predecessor, Flight Simulator 2000. You have to fly numerous different civilian planes, exploring the entire globe. But for FS 20002, Microsoft has added many new mind-numbing features. Over 1000 more airports have been added to the already staggering roster of FS 2000’s 20,000 airports. Thus, if my mathematics is correct, FS 2002 includes 21,0000 airports. It has also increased the number of flyable aircrafts from 10 to 12, including the gigantic Boeing 747 jet and the amphibian (planes that can land on water and land) Caravan. Also, if you have the Professional edition of FS 2002, you can fly four additional aircraft. If not, you can still amuse yourselves with choppers, airliners, stunt planes, etc. Another plus point for this game is that players can import aircrafts some the previous versions of Flight simulator, like FS 2000 and Combat Flight Simulator.

Visual: 10/10

The visuals as I have described before, are simply eye-popping. You won’t believe it, unless you see it for yourselves. Actual satellite photos have been merged with excellent computer graphics to make this game’s visual scenarios a notch above any other games. FS 2000’s slow frame rate has been improved considerably, and now the screen doesn’t get stuck while the plane is approaching a major city.

The landscapes in this game are gorgeous breathtaking. Many gamers complained that the landscapes of the previous games were too drab and monotonous. But that problem is a problem no more. The landscape is now not just a sea of green, featureless surface seeming to go on forever. And speaking of seas, they are stunningly featured as well. The water moves, reflects light and behaves exactly like the real thing. Metropolitan cities like New York, Hong Kong, etc., are so photo-realistic that you won’t know the difference between them and the real thing. And even the inconspicuous towns no longer look like a patch of green with some wobbly looking structures strewn about. Instead, they are superbly detailed with different types of building, including suburban houses and some tall buildings.

Other special effects such as weather conditions also lend an aura of realism to the game. The different colored clouds, the reflection of the sun on water, the raindrops splattering against the windshield, etc., can be deemed nothing short of spectacular.
Thus in nutshell, the visual part of FS 2002 can be termed worthy for competing against the best visuals in the world.

Audio: 9/10

The audio is also excellent in this game. The in-flight music, though not the most prominent feature in the audio, is enjoyable and has a nice beat into it. The specialty in FS 2002 is that each airplane has a different sound. Each airplane has its own engine drone and its own mechanical sounds. The different weather effects are also accompanied with corresponding sound effects. The splatter of rain on the windshield, the rumble of thunder in the distance, the howling of the wind, etc., adds a lot to the total experience.

Gameplay: 10/10

Be prepared to invest a good chunk of your life in this game. Even though the learning curve of FS 2002 is about 2-4 hours, you won’t regret a moment of it. With all its countless options, you can completely customize the gameplay of this game. You can make it ridiculously easy, or unbelievably tough, according to your taste by changing the options. You can either choose to fly the game’s 50 or so pre planned missions, or you can create your own flight plan.

FS 2002’s optional Air Traffic Control system adds another dimension to the gameplay. With this feature, you can no longer fly at your discretion, as you have to adhere to the rules of the ATC. Thankfully, the quality of the ATC is very high and it behaves very intelligently and in a reasonable manner. If you have any problem, it tries to solve it in a very systematic way.

Furthermore, to polish the already superb game is the truly enjoyable tutorials. New pilots can take a look at the getting started videos. Others can go through the 27 beautifully created training sessions, which are completely narrated and interactive. There’s loads of information to wade through, and thankfully they are all very interesting.

Sadly, as no games can be 100% great (it just can’t) FS 2002 has some minor problems. The main one is about the disk space. This game needs 1.5 GIGABYTES of space and the Professional Edition requires 1.7 gigabytes. The other problem is all the programs you must have to run FS 2002 like Direct X 8.0, Acrobat Reader and the latest version of Windows Media Player. But as all these are included in the discs, it’s just a matter of time and disk space. Another problem is the frustratingly long loading times and the minimum requirements of the game are 800mhz and a 8MB video card. But as the merits and demerits are in the ratio 1:100000000 in favor of the merits, it really not such a problem.

Replay Value: 10/10

Well, with all the reasons I’ve given above, what do you think? And having the ability to create your own flights, you can play this game forever without once feeling bored.

Overall: 55/60

Flight Simulator 2002 is a must buy game and considering all its merits and the immense depth of the game, it’s a bargain at any cost. So I end with a toast to the best simulation game of any kind in the world, FS 2002 !!!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/24/01, Updated 11/24/01