X-Plane 7.0
Score: 80% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Tri Synergy Developer: Laminar Research Media: CD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: If you are looking for an extremely realistic flight simulator but aren't satisfied with the less-than-realistic products that are out there, then X-Plane 7.0 is what you have been waiting for. The cockpit controls, scenery and weather particles are done well and with great attention to detail. It is obvious that the 3D designers took great care to make the landscapes and instrument panels as exact and accurate as possible. One of the best parts of this program is that you can download new models to use in X-Plane and because of that there is nearly infinite content available for this system. There isn't any music to speak of in this program, but the sounds of the instruments and engines seem to be right on. Mostly these noises tend to blend together and become white noise -- but white noise that's specific to that craft. With this wide range of sounds you tend to get the feeling like you are really in the cockpit of an aircraft (even if that craft is on Mars).
Gameplay: The first thing that needs to be said is that X-Plane 7.0 is not a game, it is a flight simulation system. So you aren't going on missions and fighting the bad guy. Most of X-Plane focuses on realistic weather conditions and flight systems that you can control. For example, you can simulate any one of the many possible problems that a pilot might encounter while in the air (short of a hijacking, that is). This allows you to test your skills at regaining control over the aircraft. Also available at your fingertips is the ability to pilot a space shuttle and some fully designed craft intended for use on Mars. This, plus the ability to alter the basic properties of the planet you are flying on - everything from gravity to the temperature at sea level), makes the X-Plane program a major and complete flight simulation. One of the amazing things about X-Plane 7.0 is how modifiable it is. There are instructions at X-Plane's website (click here) on how to change everything from the textures to the instrument panels to the sounds. With this freedom at your fingertips, you can make your X-Plane experience unique or share it with your friends.
Difficulty: X-Plane 7.0 is not an easy system to use. From what I can see, there doesn't appear to be any kind of training built into the program. It seems to me that you have to know what you are doing in order to get anything done in this system -- no wonder hours logged into X-Plane can count for FAA time.
Game Mechanics: The control scheme in X-Plane 7.0 is complicated -- of course, you are taking control of everything from large passenger planes to jet fighters. On top of that though, there is the overly and unnecessarily complex menu system that doesn't seem to follow anything that resembles a standard or logic. When I first brought up this program, I was hoping for some sort of training scenario to start up -- or at least be easily available. When one didn't, I went hunting around the menus and found a plethora of information, locations and features. Of course, I don't know if I will be able to find that same information when I need it -- plus I never found the training scenario. So basically, besides the program assuming you already know how to fly and the menu system being too hard to use, I didn't find that much wrong with the X-Plane system. If you are a hardcore flight simulation fan, then this is a program that is definitely worth getting. But if you are still not convinced or if you have an older version and you might want to upgrade, then you can try out a demo here.
-J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications AKA Chris Meyer
Minimum System Requirements: Windows 98 or later; Pentium 600+; 384 MB RAM; 4GB Disk Space; CD-ROM; OpenGL compatible system; 16 MB VRAM; 1024X768+ Monitor; USB Joystick/yoke   Test System: Toshiba Satellite series laptop; Windows XP Home Ed.; 2.0 GHz Celeron; 512 MB RAM; 24X DVD/CD ROM; 32 MB 3D accelerator.
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