Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Jul 5, 2022

  First off it pains me a little that you have to give a thumbs up or down. I´d rather give this one a "side thumb" , cuz while I can´t wholeheartedly recommend this sim as is, it might still be something for you. Here´s why: This game is to be honest just a facelift of Aerofly FS2 with a few additional features (like better aircraft lighting and air traffic) with a few additional aircraft (extra charge) and "challenges", which are just flight pattern or airline A to B flights. No briefing or intro or ATC. Kind of a lackluster presentation tbh. The VR performance like in FS2 is great and way better compared to other flight sims, but it comes at a price - the graphics look somewhat dated and unspectacular. It´s ok for instrument flying, but if you´re looking for a stunning outside visual experience or VFR (low) flying - look elsewhere. There are a few bugs that I have noticed like apron lights going on and off when you´re overflying an airport or the home menu moving along slightly with your head-movement (Reverb G2/Steam VR). Plus the jet engine sounds are still sounding horrendous like in FS2. Yuck. I guess I´m a little bit miffed about paying serious cash for this sim as is - even though it was discounted during Steam´s summer sale. Like I said: To me it just feels like a facelift of FS2, and not like a truly new and improved title. Maybe some patches in the future will help mitigate this. If you own Aerofly FS2 there are really just a few good reasons to upgrade, like the improved lighting, but other things like for instance the A320 cockpit haven´t been improved at all - they are the exact same as in FS2 . All in all if you´re looking for the smoothest flight sim VR experience available right now - this is it. Look no further. If you´re looking for high sophistication and stunning textures and visuals - you´re probably better off with FS 2020 and your favorite aircraft add-on. If you´re wondering if you should get FS2 or FS4 : Get FS4. It is a step up, but unfortunately not much of a step. PROs: - silky smooth VR (even with lower spec GPUs after some tweaking) - Quick repositioning on final or takeoff possible (perfect for training) - Quick loading times on SSD or M.2 - Aircraft handling feels spot-on - Aircraft exterior lights finally implemented and working - Finally some European scenery CONs: - still quite a few bugs in VR (Hp G2: flickering, head movement shaky, etc.) might be better with other HMD - graphics look dated, scenery "smudgy" and low res (Europe) - but way better than a FFS visual. - Aircraft sounds not very sophisticated (especially jets), sound kinda artificial or "arcady" - Very basic weather settings - Turbulence simulation is really just trim wheel going haywire - FMS functions have no high level of sophistication, lots of features not implemented - No missed approach data in FMS - no ATC
• gamedeal user

  Jul 5, 2022

  Resolution of the map bad . buildings bad. Airports good. Gameplay Good.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 5, 2022

  So bummed :( Was so so excited, I just fired up FS4 around the bay area then FS2 and there is NO difference except FS4 runs horribly in VR. I really want to support this developer, the best VR implementation of a flight sim on the market. Microsoft FS VR is dismal. Refund it is, not sure what they were thinking. Same graphics and textures, was really hoping for better ground detail. Sorry folks, will support your next try...
• gamedeal user

  Jul 5, 2022

  Feels very similar to AFS 2, many new menus including a Career and Challenges menus. I have hundreds of hours in the previous version and just completed a flight in the A320 in AFS 4. Flight went as expected had an issue with the auto thrust not going into managed mode but overall it was a fantastic flight, surreal and I can't wait to try the VR. B777 included as well! w00t! Definitely recommend for all levels of simmers.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 6, 2022

  Especially USA looks great at many places. Never been able to run such a crazy amount of objects on my rig in any simulator. And all this smooth and stutter free. The new cultivation algorithm works really well. A lot of trees and buildings everywere I have so far visited. Just visited Zurich (LSZH). The airport, city and surroundings look simply amazing. The terrain orthos, tree coverage and crazy amount of buildings (basically all buildings there are) look very realistic. I am impressed!
• gamedeal user

  Jul 9, 2022

  As a flight simmer with more than a decade of messing around with various flight sims and all the related hardware, I will recommend this title to someone who is focused on what matters for good flying: -Excellent performance -Nice scenery but well optimized for good framerates -Fantastic flight modelling In these areas, aerofly has MSFS beat dead to rights. MSFS may have more frills, but it does not run well and look good at the same time. If you are looking for the 60 FPS experience with an average gaming computer, and want to be able to fly without stutters and chopping, this is the way to go. This new version of Aerofly includes a ton more scenery that would have been paid DLC in the previous, plus some all new scenery. The scenery looks good enough to enjoy close up. If you are a helicopter simmer like I am, you need the good scenery balanced with good frames. This is the only title that does it. Plus, you get both of the very good helicopters included in the base game. Between this title and DCS, I have my needs met for realistic flight models and and overall positive sim experience. What you are giving up in exchange for the good scenery and good frames are the bonuses, like super detailed weather, water, traffic, etc. that hogs processor and GPU resources. I don't mind doing without those things, in MSFS they are nice, but you can never use those features unless you have a behemoth computer. If you are a helicopter pilot, again MSFS does not care about you, you can get a third party mod but no helicopters are included, and the flight model doesn't natively support rotary aircraft. If you want to fly the R22 and the EC135, you can do a lot of scenic flying, especially along coastlines. There are lots of helipads available, and some parts of the map are ideal practice grounds for helicopter takeoff and landing. It would be nice to have many more helicopters someday in the future, I hope that heli simmers will spread the word about this game and perhaps that may happen. It is the only nonmilitary flight sim to show love for the rotorhead pilot. A lot of people are going to complain that Aerofly doesn't have this and it doesn't have that, but IMO, it's the absence of the extra frills that makes this a good option. MSFS has been a pain in the butt to deal with since forever, and I am happy to have a modern alternative that's this good.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 9, 2022

  Like many others, I was impatiently waiting for the release of the new Aerofly FS 4. Before buying it, I decided to read the reviews. To be honest, I was surprised by the reaction of the audience to the game. I must say right away that I do not agree with most of the reviews. Much people here say that the new part is almost no different from the previous one and is not worth it, what in my opinion is not really true. Work has been done on performance, the game is now even more stable. Performance always was the main feature of the Aerofly FS series. VR owners won't be disappointed either. Work was done on aircrafts, lighting and many small details. Realistic traffic, career mode, missions and achievements have been added. There are many changes, together they form a new game. Much people simply do not notice it or do not want to notice it, but this does not mean that there are no changes. As for me, even all of the above is not the main thing in the new part. The main innovation are new sceneries. The whole Europe has been added. With a large number of airports worked out and all for free. Aerofly fs 4 does not ask you for huge money in exchange for just a shell, where you have to buy hundreds of sceneries with airports for a lot of money, like other simulators do. It is also worth understanding that despite the official release, in fact the game is still only in early access. I'm sure there will be big updates in the future. For a studio like IPACS that doesn't have as many resources as other developers, this is definitely a breakthrough. I do not regret the money spent on the game.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 10, 2022

  Good flight sim with perfect performance. I just wish there was water and roads, as currently I just see dirt paths. I have all dlcs downloaded however they still look like dirt paths more then roads.. Please try to make the scenery between flights look a lot better and this could be a great sim
• gamedeal user

  Jul 11, 2022

  First impression: There are improvements to the visual quality and scenery density. Not stunning, but quite noticeable. There is air traffic as well. They added some activities and some aircraft and scenery. These are nice, but for me, flight simulators are judged by the flight dynamics. FS 2 was so good in this respect, at least with the aerobatic aircraft, that I was hopeful that they wouldn't mess up the flight dynamics with FS 4. Normally I hope the flight dynamics are improved with the new release of a sim, but with FS 2-4, I just hoped they didn't mess with near-perfection. I use this "tool", for that's what it is to me (not a game), to maintain proficiency with aerobatics, and even sometimes to practice landings. There is nothing better on home PC for that purpose (with VR). Judging by a short introduction to FS-4, IPACS did not mess things up. In fact they may even have improved the stick-and-rudder handling of the Jungmeister and Pitts slightly. (those are the only aircraft I have flown so far, and pretty much the only ones I'm interested in in the sim). Disclosure: I'm a real world full-time professional pilot, and I fly aerobatics (and normal flying too) in my leisure time in an experimental airplane that I built. There is no better sim for VFR flying. And yes I have XP11 and MSFS2020. Haven't tried IFR yet. I may update this review as I use the sim more.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 12, 2022

  By reading the reviews, I thought it's gonna be a disappointment, turns out I was wrong. we all can't deny how good AFS4 is, the new regions and sceneries are awesome, lightning aswell, improved aerodynamics are truly magnificent, high quality new planes and improvements to older planes, new traffic, missions, and other stuff, however there are some stuff I want to point out to help the devs. -we need pushback and gate services, current mobile flight simulators have these -ATC isn't a must but would make the experience better -this game lacks when it comes to sounds, cockpit switches sound so unrealistic, take the 777 as an example, the GE90 startup isn't very GE90, GE90 spools aswell are very unrealistic esp outside, compared to any yt video, a380 needs tweaks -there are missing sounds for certain switches and few stuff aswell, for example, there's no APU startup sound??? or TCAS?? -We need to be able to adjust weight -wind and turbelance simulation needs improvement, also bigger numbers than just 20 knots and these are a list of things I'd love to see -regions in Africa, like Egypt (Cairo and other airports) -Egypt (specifically Cairo) would be really cool because you're gonna have pyramids and other tourist attractions like Cairos Tower that'll make the region stunning, also the city of Cairo is huge so night lightning would be awesome -regions in Asia, like Saudi, Dubai, Doha -Planes, which currently have traffic models (MD11, A330-300, B737-800), A220 would be cool too Overall I think the games worth it and I have faith in IPACS that things are going to get even better