War Thunder<\/h2>\n

War Thunder now boasts tanks and naval battles, but it started out as one of the best free-flying games around, and its flight physics, huge range of authentic aircraft, and realistic ballistics modeling are the proof.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the seven years since War Thunder launched, developer Gaijin has continued to rework, update, and expand its roster of planes so it now includes aircraft from eight different nations and across six classes. You\u2019ll need to use real dogfight tactics and maneuvers to survive these multiplayer skirmishes, so master your Split S to get the drop on any novices. In fact, War Thunder is so good at vehicular warfare that it\u2019s also made our list of the best tank games on PC.<\/span><\/p>\n

Play War Thunder for free.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020<\/h2>\n

Microsoft\u2019s long, long, long-anticipated flight simulator follow-up\u00a0landed in 2020 and went on to receive some outstanding reviews. Our very own Microsoft Flight Simulator review\u00a0notes that despite the rough loading times and plentiful crashes present in the review build, \u201cnone of it has dulled the game\u2019s splendor or chipped away at the awe induced by the things I\u2019ve planned, done, and seen in-between them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeing as the last game stuck around for well over a decade, we\u2019ll take our time before concluding whether or not Microsoft\u2019s latest effort deserves to take its place on this list. If you want to try it for free yourself, it\u2019s on Game Pass.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re a fan of WW2 games then IL-2 Sturmovik is the touchstone for plane games set in the era. While it plays like a solid flight sim, IL-2 Sturmovik is also refreshingly accessible to beginners and its latest iteration does a tremendous job of drawing you in with its realistic graphics and damage modeling.<\/p>\n

Small details like water streaming over the canopy when flying through clouds or AI enemy flying towards the sun to make you lose track of them go a long way toward making you feel like you\u2019re really in the cockpit of a WW2 fighter. It also boasts a dedicated multiplayer community of dogfighters, so you won\u2019t struggle to find a match.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Arma 3<\/h2>\n

While most combat plane games focus on dogfighting, in Arma 3 you can jump in the cockpit of a jet fighter and help out on the battlefield by strafing heavy tanks and performing airstrikes. The flight physics and depth of mechanics don\u2019t compare to some of the hardcore flying games on this list, but there\u2019s still plenty of scope for mastery.<\/p>\n

Air-to-air combat is mostly about managing your position and using a variety of missiles to take down targets from high above the battlefield. There is also a significant role for air-to-ground aircraft, with modern tech like laser-guided missiles and anti-armor cannons making good pilots essential on the battlefield. There are even plenty of helicopters should you tire of airplanes.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown<\/h2>\n

While it certainly looks authentic, the gameplay and story of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is anything but. The story is baffling unless you\u2019ve stuck with the series since its inception, so it\u2019s handy that Ace Combat 7\u2019s best assets are its slick visuals and breakneck dogfights.<\/p>\n

Bandai Namco has done everything in its power to make the campaign missions as dramatic and overwrought as possible, leading to canyon dogfights, daring raids under cover of lightning storms, and the odd flyby between collapsing buildings. If you\u2019re looking for some arcadey plane games and are willing to fully submit yourself to some stupidity then you can\u2019t go too far wrong with\u00a0Skies Unknown \u2013 check out our Ace Combat 7 review for more information.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

X-Plane 11<\/h2>\n

X-Plane 11 is a more modern take on FSX, with much-improved graphics, cockpit models, and a menu system that won\u2019t leave you slamming your head on the desk before your first take-off.<\/p>\n

In fact, there\u2019s plenty more to enjoy about X-Plane 11 before actually flying \u2013 just sitting in the airport and watching the cavalcade of catering trucks, tugs, refueling tanks, and cargo trolleys moving about is endlessly engrossing. But it\u2019s in the air where X-Plane 11 is at its most convincing, especially in light aircraft where you can really feel every bump and quirk of the plane\u2019s flight characteristics.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Superflight<\/h2>\n

While there are no planes in Superflight, we\u2019re adding it to the list for one reason: flying around in it feels phenomenal. Superflight is one of the most relaxing games around, which is impressive as it\u2019s all about flying down a deathly hazardous mountain in a wingsuit and racking up as many points as possible on the way by flying close to rock formations.<\/p>\n

Every level is procedurally generated ensuring there\u2019s a constant sense of discovery, and if you find a seed you particularly like you can save it and challenge friends to beat your score.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sky Rogue<\/h2>\n

Few plane games abandon realism with as much reckless abandon as Sky Rogue, a neon-lit arcade fighter jet game that\u2019s deceptively simple at first but hides some serious depth. Ahead of each procedurally generated mission you\u2019ll pick your jet, customize the weapons system, and slap on a livery that brings out your inner Tom Cruise, then it\u2019s a case of barreling around the level and blowing everything to kingdom come.<\/p>\n

With 12 jets and over 30 weapons to choose from, it\u2019ll be some time before you get bored of shredding enemy aces, battleships, and tanks.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bomber Crew<\/h2>\n

Bomber Crew puts you in charge of selecting and managing the crew for a WW2 bomber, going out on bombing raids, and getting back to England with as few casualties as possible. During every mission, you\u2019ll need to manage the positions of each crew member, battle with enemy fighter planes, and ensure you\u2019re flying in the right direction and height \u2013 too high and your crew will freeze to death, too low and you\u2019ll be shot out the sky.<\/p>\n

While Bomber Crew looks light and friendly, the smallest mistakes in this strategy plane game will very quickly lead to crew deaths.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Star Wars: Squadrons<\/h2>\n

Star Wars: Squadrons is an arcade-style flying game with intense dogfighting at its core, epic space battles, and charm to spare. Gracefully taking down your foes and managing your power distribution feels fantastic, and while it\u2019s easy to get into, Squadrons offers a relatively high skill ceiling.<\/p>\n

The short but sweet campaign is enjoyable from start to finish, but it\u2019s the multiplayer action that will keep you playing for months to come. It\u2019s just a shame that EA\u2019s post-launch plans don\u2019t currently extend beyond simple cosmetics.\u00a0Our Star Wars Squadrons review goes into detail about how it\u2019s\u00a0one of the best Star Wars games in years and a damn fine flying game to boot.<\/p>\n

There you have it. Our list of some of the best plane games and flying games on PC. Hopefully, we\u2019ve helped narrow things down for you a bit so you can install the right flight game for you without encountering any turbulence. If it\u2019s the military aspect of these games that appeals to you most, you should read our guide on the best war games for more recommendations.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What are\u00a0the best plane games on PC? It\u2019s a pretty broad topic, so if you\u2019re looking for a list of\u00a0top airplane sims you may struggle to pick any single\u00a0one out. The airplane\u00a0games genre encompasses everything from complex flight simulators and meticulously detailed military facsimiles to arcade jet fighter games and relaxing wingsuit sims. To help […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":75252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.pcgamesn.com\/wp-content\/sites\/pcgamesn\/2019\/09\/best-plane-games-ace-combat-7-skies-unknown.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pc"],"yoast_head":"\n