Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight. Publisher: Microsoft. Format: PC CD-ROM. Price: £49.99

MICROSOFT'S Flight Simulator seems to have been around for almost as long as powered flight itself. In fact, it's been around for 20 years - making this game the longest running flight sim of all time.

This latest incarnation celebrates the 100th anniversary of Wilbur and Orville Wright's successful attempt to join the birds in the sky with a raft of improvements all designed to push the boundaries of what is possible on the PC.

Several features formerly only available to buyers of the 2002 Professional Edition (yes, Microsoft is the only company to sell different versions of the same game) have been incorporated along with new aircraft to fly and better visual effects.

In keeping with the historical theme, armchair fliers can take to the air in several historical craft, including the venerable Wright brothers' flier itself. There's also the Ryan NYP better known as Charles Lindbergh's "The Spirit of St Louis", a Comet (the first commercial jet aircraft), a Douglas DC-3 and a Piper Cub.

The roster of modern aircraft has also been improved and takes in, among others, the Boeing 737, 747 and even the 777 as well as several helicopters.

I'm no flight enthusiast so this lot probably didn't have me frothing at the mouth as it no doubt will for anyone who fancies themselves as a pilot.

It's a fact that this game is just about as accurate as it gets. It's never been proven but some claim that the men who flew the aircraft into the twin towers on September 11 practised their "skills" with an earlier edition of the Flight Simulator. Certainly some game stores pulled copies of the title immediately after the tragedy.

The secret to this game's success lies in its eye for fine detail.

Everything looks right even down to the dynamic weather effects that are modelled on true three dimensional clouds. Even more impressive, if you're connected to the web the game will update its weather information in real-time so you can experience exactly the same conditions as genuine pilots.

The cockpits are fully interactive; you can tune the radio or fiddle away to your heart's content just by clicking the mouse.

No other game offers so much. For instance, the list of airports has grown to a scarcely believeabl;e 24,000. I didn't even know so many existed!

And for those air heads who have invested so heavily in add-ons for earlier MS Flight Sim editions this latest is backwards compatible - at least as far as the 2000 version.

If you really want to learn how a plane flies - as opposed to aerial dogfights or computer-assisted training - and you have a PC good enough (the box specs of a P450 and 64MB RAM are an absolute minimum) then there really is nohting to touch the mighty Microsoft Flight Sim.

Fifty quid is a lot of money to lash out on just one game but it's probably an accurate reflection of the work that goes into creating such an impressive piece of software.

RISE OF NATIONS. Publisher: Microsoft. Format: PC CD ROM. Price: £34.99.

LOVE them or lothe them, no one can deny Microsoft's determination to succeed.

Take the real-time strategy game. Five years ago the market was awash with poor clones of Command & Conquer. The RTS genre had well and truly run its course.

Since then the fickle market has moved on. Nowadays the flavour of the month is first person perspective shoot 'em ups. Devotees of the RTS have been left behind.

Only two companies feed the need for strategy action - Electronic Arts, publisher of the C & C series, and, yep that's right, Microsoft with its rival Age of Empires titles.

Now we have Rise of Nations, a RTS title with a superb pedigree (it has been created by Brian Reynolds, the man who designed the much lauded, and copied, Civilisation 2) and the big bucks backing of Microsoft.

As you'd expect of a man who worked on Civ 2, Rise of Nations is far more ambitious than Command & Conquer.

Gamers are offered more than one route to victory. Overwhelming use of force is the one most RTS fans will be familiar with but the more cerebral fans will appreciate the option to use diplomacy over war. You can even achieve dominance by researching new technologies and creating a dominant economy. This cross genre pollination gives the game a unique edge over its predecessors.

The scope of Rise is also unprecedented. It moves through centuries of history and takes you through the great empires from the Aztecs to the Mongols to the British.

Single players also get the chance to pit their wits against the greatest armies ever seen. Their aim: to conquer the world.

If all this sounds rather complex then don't worry. The beauty of Rise lies in its pick up 'n playability.

This is one title that's just as rewarding in a 60 minute blast as it is if you spend hours agonising over your strategies.

There's an interactive tutorial and extensive in-game help. The tutorials even cater for complete beginners or RTS fans familiar with the basic modes of play.

It all looks terrific, although a trip across the web to your video board manufacturer may be in order because this title demands the very latest drivers for a wide range of graphics cards.

Published: 13/06/2003