Microsoft Flight For Now Available For Windows Download For Free

March 2, 2012 by: Haseeb Maan 18

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Here’s a tidbit of news that’s been lurking behind the shadows of today’s Windows eight client Preview, Windows Server eight, and Visual Studio eleven announcements: Microsoft has simply created Microsoft Flight accessible for download.

The latest installment in Microsoft’s long-running and well-liked Flight Simulator series, it’s fully free to download and play. Also interesting is that “simulator” has been dropped from its name; though this looks justified, because it would seem that Microsoft have added a more “casual”, arcade-like gameplay to this game. It’s definitely more targeted towards those that simply would like to fly around, who don’t wish some of the more correct and lifelike components of Flight Simulator X that create it well, a simulator.

For example, there’s an XP system in Flight that essentially acts as currency; XP is rewarded by finishing certain challenges, with the quantity administered being determined by how well you achieved the mission. You can use this XP to buy stuff like paint schemes for aircraft, however new planes would still have to be purchased with real cash (as an add-on). If you’re into getting XP, however, you can through fun in-game pilot jobs, however it’s unfortunate that you just won’t be ready to purchase new planes with the XP. So yes, the overall feel to the game is very arcade-y and casual.

But, the a lot of casual component in Flight isn’t a bad factor. It’s a free game after all, and again, several casual players will likely get pleasure from one thing that’s a lot of easy and arcade-like; Flight looks to be a free installment of the series that’s targeted towards a unique audience. Something else that Flight lacks is that the large community behind Flight Simulator X that has created a plethora of extensions to the game. Based mostly on the casual nature of Flight, it appears like a lot of of this diehard community won’t be abandoning FS:X anytime soon. I believe that, perhaps in time, Flight will eventually grow a community of casual players. Or it’ll serve as an introductory stepping-stone that lures individuals into buying Flight Simulator X.

But surely, if Microsoft adopts this new direction within the series and doesn’t still produce correct Flight Simulator titles, there’ll be a very pissed niche community. They did recently close the team that was behind the original Flight Simulator series, therefore we’ll simply have to wait and see what they’re intention with the title as an entire is.

Originally announced in August of 2010, Flight began accepting invites to a a lot of open beta program in December of 2011. Following this, it shortly when created an look at CES 2012 in January before being released yesterday.

Simply head over to this link and get started with Flight.