I never used to be particularly outdoorsy, but the passing of years seems to have graced me with an irrepressible itch for a sweeping vista and a curiosity for distant climes. No surprise then that Flight Simulator has been my safety valve in 2020, offering a welcome escape from the waning thrills and increasingly claustrophobic over-familiarity of my immediate locale.
The joy and genius of Flight Simulator 2020 is in its wonderful accessibility, meaning it’s not just a game for aviation lovers, it’s a game for those that love travel and discovery too. And its breathtaking digital Earth hasn’t just sated my niggling wanderlust this year, it’s stirred my curiosity, encouraging hours of blissful revery among the clouds, seeking out fresh geographical wonders, and giving me a whole new appreciation for the majesty of our world.
Looking back, travel to exotic climes has been a bit of an unconscious theme for my video game favourites in 2020, starting with my wholly unexpected obsession with American Truck Simulator back in March. It’s not a new game of course, but developer SCS continues to enrich its sprawling rendition of the US with each new expansions, several having arrived this year.