Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 For PS5, Is It Worth It?

On the anniversary of the release of its last flight simulator, Microsoft decided it was finally time for its Flight Simulator to land on PlayStation. Although we live in a time when platform exclusives increasingly show up in the neighbor’s backyard, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 belonged to that category of titles I was certain would never appear on Sony’s console.

Precisely because of that, I couldn’t resist and hurried to get to work. Even though I’m an absolute beginner, I can say that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is quite a high-quality title and definitely claims the title of the best flight simulation on consoles.

Still, a good portion of the problems that have followed the game since day one are still present, and I get the impression that the unique features of the DualSense controller should have been used far more, because it’s a real shame that a Ratchet & Clank offers such a significantly more robust return of feeling, not to say feedback!

Interested in another flight simulator-ish game? Check out our Kirby Air Raiders review!

Why Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Still Feels Like a PC-First Title

Even on paper, flying from your couch seems incredible, and although Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 mostly succeeds in turning your living room into a cockpit, it’s not exactly a smooth ride, and it’s very evident that this is a PC-designed title. For starters, from a larger distance, it’s almost impossible to read all the tiny but extremely important information on your control panel.

There is a user interface in the game where some important elements are more clearly marked, but in order to preserve a high sense of realism, the interface is minimal and contains only basic information. As if I weren’t already a total amateur, I also can’t see at what altitude I’m flying or under what engine pressure, which is, of course, the ideal recipe for a catastrophic “This is your captain speaking” moment.

Speaking of the interface, it’s no secret that fans of the series have been criticizing its dysfunctionality, excessive confusion, and nonexistent speed for years, and my experience was pretty much the same, reinforced by the absence of a keyboard and mouse. Hand on heart, this is not the type of title designed for controllers, so some things simply cannot be as precise as they should be, similar to many console strategy games.

DualSense in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Brilliant Audio, Weak Feedback

Navigating various menus is quite sluggish, imprecise, and slow, especially when you need to switch quickly from one menu to another and back again. There were situations where accessing a specific interface felt more stressful than the takeoff itself. What irritated me the most was the speed of the cursor I aim with, because its sluggishness is great when you need to select one of the many tiny buttons inside the aircraft, but for heaven’s sake, why is it so slow when I transition into a different menu outside of gameplay?!

The feeling of flying with the DualSense controller isn’t perfect and definitely has room for improvement, but some aspects are quite interesting. For example, I really liked how the 3D audio of your co-pilot or radio voices was executed, blurred just enough to feel like you’re listening to a real voice through a microphone from your own speaker. Besides the sound, it’s quite fun to control the aircraft by tilting the controller, if for nothing else then because it raises the already high feeling of simulating real flight. And you won’t get that on Xbox.

I really didn’t like the significantly smaller emphasis on various vibrations and trigger resistance during flight. When landing on the runway or moving across grass or gravel, you’ll get some feedback, just as when suddenly moving the control stick during turbulence. But I still think it’s not enough. I simply don’t understand why the entire controller doesn’t shake during every takeoff of a giant like a Boeing, because those are exactly the moments in real life when you feel the greatest resistance due to gravity.

When Photorealism Meets Texture Chaos

Even birds on the branches know this, but I still have to say that the graphics in MFS 2024 are almost photorealistic and look incredibly good when they work as intended. Seriously, iconic buildings or famous natural landscapes are so detailed that you feel like you’re actually there!

Iconic buildings or famous natural landscapes are so detailed that you feel like you’re actually there!

Unfortunately, the serious problem with texture loading is still present, especially with less important textures, because of which I had to significantly cut short my idyllic stay in Paris, since every object except the Orsay or the Tower itself looked like it fell out of the first PlayStation.

Given that MFS requires you to be constantly connected to the internet, I expected long loading times, but it often happened that I would be staring at a loading screen for a good minute or two, which is entirely atypical for PlayStation 5, and immediately took me back to some earlier times. Loadings, however, are easier to endure when I know that once I decide to play, I have a ton of different content in which I can enjoy for hundreds of hours.

How Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Turns Patience Into Progress

Depending on the version of the game you own, you can have access to over ninety photorealistic airports and runways, over a hundred different flying vehicles ranging from helicopters, water gliders, balloons, and small tourist planes all the way to military jets or massive commercial giants. 

You can plan free flights, go on photo-safaris, solve difficult challenges, race with stunt airplanes, extinguish wildfires, explore Earth, or choose a career mode where you embark on an adventure of collecting various licenses and advancing by maintaining your pilot reputation.

The amount of content is best illustrated by the fact that the initial tutorials took me a good two hours to complete, partly due to their complexity and partly because even with the best intentions, I couldn’t absorb and master all the fine details the game throws at you with open arms. Of course, that’s not the point either, because Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is not a game where it pays to rush. 

It is a beautiful and very interactive but serious simulator that rewards patience and persistence. The learning curve is such that during the first few hours, I thought this was a pretty but extremely boring game in which I would never spread my wings, but with each new day and each mastered challenge, my excitement grew.

In Conclusion

I believe that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has successfully landed on the PlayStation 5 despite the strong turbulence caused by long loading times and awful interfaces. If you’re interested in aviation and, for some reason, aren’t inclined to fly on a PC, I think you definitely won’t go wrong with this, and it is totally worth it, especially if you don’t have it on a PC.

Despite that, if we’re being completely honest, I would always prefer to play this kind of title on a computer, primarily due to faster loading, much better interface visibility, and easier navigation through menus, but I must also say that MFS has thoroughly hooked me on virtual flying on a console.

Game Rating

8.4/10: It earns a strong score for its incredible realism, massive content, and technical ambition, losing points only for slow loading, rough menus, and underused DualSense features.

Recommended Age & Why

I would recommend this game for ages 12+ because it is non-violent, educational, and deeply immersive, but its complex controls, detailed simulation systems, and demanding tutorials require patience, maturity, and good reading comprehension.

Gemini-Style Summary:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 arrives on PS5 with stunning photorealistic visuals, immense content variety, and the most realistic flight experience available on consoles. While menu navigation and loading times lag behind PC performance, and DualSense features feel underused, the core flying experience remains deeply immersive and rewarding. 

With hundreds of aircraft, detailed airports, and a challenging learning curve, the game shines as a technical showcase and a long-term hobbyist simulator. Ideal for patient players who love aviation and want a true-to-life cockpit experience from the couch.