Simulators are one of the earliest PC game genres, and remain compelling experiences to this day, even if they’re not as popular as they used to be.
I like all kinds of combat flight sims; the MS Combat Flight Simulator from 1998 was something special, and I’ve had some similar fun in IL-2 Sturmovik. The newest civil air sims are pretty great too, I’ll pop on a podcast and make a flight. They’re particularly cool in VR.
I’ve also found the MechWarrior games to be fun, but I’ve only played 2 and 5. I got to play a bit of Steel Battalion with the full crazy controller at a con a few years back, and that’s got to be a lot of fun once you really know what you’re doing.
So what’s your favorite sim?
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I can’t believe no-one’s mentioned BeamNG.drive. The stuff that game simulates is off the charts. It’s been in ‘early access’ forever, but if you’re even remotely interested in driving simulators, it’s the gold standard for a realistic driving experience. Crashing in VR in this game is the most visceral thing ever. It’ll change you.
Here’s a clip of me driving a RHD Piccolina around one of my local roads a kindly modder added to the sim until I crash catastrophically.
KSP 1
I credit Kerbal Space Program for my ability to think in three dimensions. Without KSP, I would have been some kind of dumbass. I thought getting to orbit was just a matter of going up until I was like 18 years old
Have you ever pulled up an old save file to look at the stuff you used to design? I did that the other day and found out that I used to be good at this game. Folded space stations, massive mining rigs, Apollo Style landers, a beautiful SSTO that’s braindead easy to fly, an interplanetary module that can dock to the back of said SSTO, I made fancy shit. Nowadays I just slap boosters and docking ports on fuel tanks and call it good enough
I gotta post pictures from that save file sometime
2nding this, but also I’m looking forward to KSA, hoping it can be the true successor
Elite Dangerous and i also love old school mechwarrior 2
Elite Dangerous FTW. 🤘🏼
I haven’t played since ~planetary landings/Mamba release (pre-TurdReich, IIRC?🤮), but back then, me & my Mur-der-Lance in Black Friday skin were proudly part of the anti-griefer brigade.
(Huge underbelly particle cannon + overcharged boost for baiting said ass-clowns into a 180° top speed yaw-slip one-shot kill trap = mmm, so good <chef’s kiss>)
Even DIYed my desk chair w/ Vesa mounts to house a Warthog replica HOTAS, and ran an alt rig overhead for the Index to the battlestation (vs the default full room, standing set-up), et al.
Ahh… Those were the days. 🤩❤️🔥
p.s. Nowadays, I get close to reliving that nostalgia via my heavily-modded (250+) Starfield NG+, but am quietly & reservedly hopeful for the upcoming Osiris Reborn release… 🤞🏼😅
ahem <glares @ No Man’s Sky launch>
What kinda mods are you running for Starfield??
You want the list of 250+? 😅
I will say this much: the new Camina Drummer preset skin is perfection, and my head canon is forever changed. (The same awesome modder is also working on an Amos, but w/o the dialog to back it up, I’m not sure I’d run it)
edit: Currently, 253 on the pre-NG+ rerun:
spoiler
“DLC: ShatteredSpace” “DLC: Constellation” “Archivist of Altair v” “Blackout Grendel Skin v” “Blackout Hard Target Skin v” “Blackout Kodama Skin v” “Blackout Shotty Skin v” “Civilian Survival Suit v” “Creature Plushie Set v” “Deimog v” “Escape v” “Fleet Commander v” “High Level Armors v” “Legendary Vendors v” “Observatory v” “Shattered Space Plushie Set v” “Starborn Gravis Suit v” “Starfield Crime Overhaul v” “The Perfect Recipe v” “Trackers Alliance The Vulture v” “Useful Infirmaries v” “Useful Mess Halls v” “Vendors Sell Faction Gear” “Additional Weapon Icons v1.7” “AkiRacer v1.0” “Anti-Unity v1.22” “Better Landing Bays v1.0 (2.13.025)” “Build & Decorate Anywhere v1.0 (7.19.2024)” “Ship Builder Categories v1.1” “Captain’s Bundle v2.2” “Chromatic Cosmos v1.0” “ClamTech Weapon Enhancement v2.0” “Crimson Fleet are NOT Lawful v1.0” “Dani Garcia Enhanced! v1.0” “paradiso general goods clothing and incidentals” “ZBB - ZoNEs Beautiful Body” “Outpost Habs Expanded” “Outpost Habs Expanded - Color Variations” “Trees Rescaled” “Dream Home - Overhaul” “More NPCs Have Routines and Stores Have Schedules” “More NPCs Have Routines and Stores Have Schedules - Dazra” “Dark Universe - Takeover” “Batten’s Shipwrecks (POIs)” “Project Warfare - Hardened Edition” “Polyamory - Remove single romance limit” “Shades Vehicle Tuner” “Immersive Ship Greetings” “Better Boarding Encounters (BBE)” “The Eyes of Beauty - Replacer Installer tool” “KZ Aggregation of Scraps” “Galactic Storage Network (GSN)” “Address Library All in one - v18 (1.15.216.0)” “Baka Achievement Enabler (SFSE)” “Starfield Engine Fixes - Game version 1.15.216” “Freestar Rebels” “BD-1” “The Mandalorian” “Blastech IB-94 Blaster” “Boba Fett’s Blaster Rifle (With Sound)” “Star Wars Aliens” “Star Wars Aliens - Ship Technicians Patch” “Bossk and the Trandoshan Mercs” “Star Wars Droids” “Star Wars Droids - SW Aliens Patch” “Ship Vendor Framework” “Star Wars Gangs” “The Weapons Locker Vendor DLC_Version” “Gulhof_SHIP_CleanerHabs.zip” “Smart Inventory” “Smart Inventory - Legendary Module Recycler Patch” “Smart Inventory - Shattered Space Patch” “NPC Enhancer Gun - Main 1.0.4” “Bedlam - Dungeon Randomizer” “GRiNDTerraverse - Planet ProcGen” “GRiNDTerraverse - ProcGen - DLC Patch” “GRiNDTerraverse - Planet ProcGen Encounters - Stand-Alone Exp” “GRiNDTerraverse - SandboxPatch” “Starfield Revised - Skills” “R2-D2 Follower” “R2-D2 Stop Buzzing” “Upgraded Companions” “Upgraded Companions - Announce Restored” “Upgraded Companions - Shattered Space” “Immersive Cargo Halls” “No Stagger NPCs” “Legendary Module Recycler” “Skill Fixes” “Crew Skills and Leadership Tweaks” “Improved Crew Skills (Rank 4)” “Better Bad Skills” “Abstract Lodge Paintings” “FOG REMOVER 2 (25%)” “QY Reshade for STARFIELD” “The Gang’s All Here - Multiple Companions and Crew” “The Gang’s All Here - Shattered Space Patch” “Crew Companion Skill Overhaul” “Visible Companion Affinity” “Proper Companion Previews” “RPG’s Psycho Companions” “Companions Conversations Fix” “Better Companion Gifts” “Better Auto-Hide - Spacesuits and Companions” “Better Living - Shattered Space DLC Edition” “Transfer Spaceships Across Universes - SFSE” “Ship Crew Assignments” “Intrinity Aeroworks” “Intrinity TN’s Ship All in One Patch” “Landing Bay Cargo Access” “Shades Glowy Stuff (Glowing Highlight without Scanner - Accessibility Enhancements)” “Starfield Fleet Expansion” “Graf’s Cockpits and Bridges” “CharGenMenu v1-1-0-19” “Sarah Morgan Dialogue Enhanced” “Ship Builder Categories” “TN’s Ship Modifications All in One” “Starware Star Map Search Engine - SFSE” “Colony One - fully featured UC space colony” “New Atlantis Awaits” “The Trackers Alliance Delayed Start” “powerofthree’s Tweaks SFSE” “Baka Console EditorIDs” “Customizable Player Spacesuit Nameplate” “KZ Mantis 2.0” “Mandalorian Warriors” “Mandalorian Warriors - Remove Crafting Req” “Backpack Display Mesh Fix” “Human Damage” “El Jefe Combat AI” “Gripe Fixes” “Star Wars Alien NPCs and Minor Factions” “Companions and Crew Face Change Mod Mrk2” “Earth Dome Home” “Pathfinder Armor MEA Redux” “Lazarus Awakened” “City Interior Map Markers for Fast Travel” “Advanced Technology” “Use NPC Animations - Eating drinking and more” “Outpost Furniture Addon” “Crew Takes Contraband” “Moradin’s Backbrounds” “Small Dialogue Edits” “Cost Of Spacing” “Variable Contraband Prices - Redux” “Spacefaring Economy” “Crowd Citizens Tweaks - Age - Clothes - Hair - Body variety based on location etc” “Andreja Dialogue Enhanced” “Dark Universe - Overtime” “Va’ruun Zealots - Shattered Space DLC” “Shades Bonus Backgrounds and Traits (Immersively add multiple Backgrounds and more Traits)” “Immersive Companion Portraits” “Extended Traits and Background” “Astrophysics Reworked - Discover More Traits” “More Traits” “Shattered Space Immersive Start” “Themed Starting Kits” “SKK Fast Start New Game (Starfield)” “HopeTown Expanded” “Starfarer’s Hairstyles” “Crimson Fleet Delay Start” “Luxor’s Freckles HD” “STARQUEEN 5 - Starfield Female Skin Textures” “STARQUEEN 5 - Starfield Female Skin Textures - Patch v5.3 hotfix WIP” “Star Wars Aliens - No Undersuit Patch” “Darkness Beckons - Permanent POIs” “Starfield Hair and Beards - old (RTFP)” “Starfield Hair and Beards - No RTFP Patch” “The Cheat Terminal - ugir489 Ed” “Galactic Mesh Fixes” “Missile Lock-On Range Extended” “Vehicle Hazard Protection” “Ship Builder Retexture - Dark Interiors” “Mattells Ladderless docking and loading bay hatches” “Outpost Framework - Betamax” “GRiNDTerraverse - Rocks Cleanup Stand-alone Expansion” “Star Wars Resources - NPCs and Props” “Star Wars Resources - Blasters” “Stroud Premium Edition” “Place Doors Yourself” “Tiger Shipyards Overhaul” “Tiger ShipyardsOverhaul - Ship Bldr Ctg Patch” “Tiger ShipyardsOverhaul - TA Mission Bd Patch” “Micro Modules - Equipment Mounted Engine-Grav Drive-Reactor-Fuel-Shield-Cargo” “Mattell’s Cockpits and Bridges Crew Series” “Shades Immersive Looting (strip and loot equipped armor)” “Star Wars - Tatooine” “Stroud Premium Edition - SPE x Deimog Patch” “Stroud Premium Edition - Empty Stairs and Elevators Patch” “Stroud Premium Edition - Useful Infirmaries Patch” “Stroud Premium Edition - Useful Mess Halls Patch” “Avontech Traveller” “Stroud Premium Edition x Place Doors Yourself - Patch” “Useful Brigs” “Star Wars - Mos Eisley” “HPE Better Metal Impact Effects” “Realistic Ragdolls and Force” “Parked Vehicles” “KZ Tachyonic Core Arsenal” “Enhance Companions” “Individual Ship Crew” “Believable Crime Report Radius” “Ship to Ship Transporter” “rbtUI” “States of Matter - Environment-depending States for Resources” “Buildings - A GRiNDTerraverse PPG Stand-alone Expansion” “Buildings - A GRiNDTerraverse PPG Sandbox Patch” “Buildings - A GRiNDTerraverse PPG Encounters Patch” “Realistic Scope - Blur or Black Background - Repainted Crosshair” “UC Vanguard Automata” “Extra Aneutronic Fusion for you” “SETI - Ship Exterior True Illumination” “GRiNDTerraverse - Biomes Patch” “Community Spaceship Expansion” “Community Spaceship Expansion - Buyable Ships” “Ship Vendor Rev-8 Vehicle Fix” “Captains Quarters Extended v” “Falkland Systems Ship Services v” “Lyria - A Starfield Companion v1.01” “Mini-Cutter Laser Weapon v1.61” “The Old Earth Data Drive - Quest Mod v” “Robin Locke - UC Fly Girl Companion v1.07” “Starfield Wormhole Portals v1.03” “The Dreamlands v1.0 (4.11.2025)” “The New Crew v” “Venera v1.2.1” “Zoologist Artwork v” “No More Temple Puzzles” “Let Your Coat Down for Starfield - Outfit Auto Swap and Wardrobe System” “Epic Theme Menu Replacer - 30 FPS” “Pekoe Brows 1K” “Extended Facial Sculpting - Beta - Final” “Lovely Rosie - CharGen Series” “The Expanse Inspired Tattoos by Scottyus1” “CharGenMenu Preset - Camina Drummer - The Expanse” “Permanent POIs - Rogue Science” “Auto Loot Ship Debris” “Matilija’s Aerospace” “Avontech Shipyards” “The Eye Revised v” “1-of-A-Kind Ships (Formerly WT Flexible Dockers)” “Charlotte - CharGenMenu Preset” “Monica Stuart - The Expanse - CharGenMenu Preset” “Faora-Ul Customised CharGenMenu Preset” “Better Ship Part Snaps” “Better Ship Part Flips” “Ship Builder Configurator” “Ship Builder Configurator Extension - Shattered Space Patch” “No Weapon Power or Count Limits” “No Reactor Limit” “No Engine Power Limits” “Graf’s Habs - Nova Galactic 1x1s” “Graf’s Habs - Nova 1x1s - PDY Patch” “StarUI Ship Builder” “StarUI Configurator” “SECS - Ship Exterior Camera Separation” “NG+ Mute Main Menu”
Carmageddon. It taught me everything I needed to know about the role of pedestrians while driving.
I think this is the first time I’ve EVER seen carmageddon mentioned. Great game
SWOTL.EXE
Dwarf Fortress, aka drunken dwarf simulator.
I bought that game just because I watched the Noclip documentary series on the developers. I haven’t played it yet, and I’m not sure I ever will, but goddammit I love those two men.
It’s not a simulator, it’s a parallel world.
I’m going to go with Euro truck simulator 2.
The experience of chill driving across europe and listening to podcasts is nice. The game isn’t complicated enough to affect listening experience, but also engaging enough on it’s own right that it stays interesting.
I have probably seen 80% or so of the roads and cities, bit they still feel fresh… Could be that I’m forgetting places faster than I’m getting familiar with them as well.
I do have a steering wheel and pedals, but they’re just too cumbersome to get out and my wheel stand is made for someone at least 20 shorter than I am, so the experience is hampered a bit anyway. Because I’m lazy I’ve just resulted to driving witn mouse and keyboard combo.
Edit: typos. Typing on phone is butts
It’s so good in VR. I call it a rubbernecking simulator. You’re missing most of the game without it imo. I spend most of my time looking out the windows at the views.
It’s great in VR, i just have an ancient oculus devkit 2 or so, its horrid mess of cables I don’t want to deal with
Too early adopter issues. :P
It’s a really great game and it’s really relaxing.
Yep. I have all the map and special delivery DLCs too and it’s awesome.
I don’t get it why exactly, but it’s awesome just seeing the detail they put into the game. Getting all the photo locations is really hard!
And some of the achievements take a looooong time to get.
Came here to say ETS2 as well. I want to eventually get a sim rig set up so it’s even better, but even with just a controller it’s a very relaxing experience, supports VR too.
A-10 Attack and A-10 Cuba. Still the crispiest and most enjoyable flight sims I’ve ever played.
OMG I had so much fun with A-10 Cuba on classic macOS. It’s still one of my favorite games.
A-10 Tank Killer was the bomb.
I have spent a lot of money on iRacing and Elite Dangerous. I kind of miss it but also feel that i was way too deep into it to be having fun. It was a struggle to always make things better and i was not really enjoying my self
Goat Simulator
Motor Town, Operation Harsh Doorstop, Easy Red 2, Sailwind, Hydroneer, Liftoff!, Shredders, Old Market Simulator, Cold Waters Dot Mod, Nebulous Fleet Command, From The Depths, Helicopter Gunship DEX and Out Of Ore are all great “sims”.
I also consider extremely mechanically deep rpgs with realistic systems like Cataclysm Dark Days Ahead or Unreal World to be simulators and both are superb.
I am trying out Ships At Sea but don’t have enough experience yet to give a thumbs up or down yet on it (Check out Sailwind!).
Sailwind is a “sailing simulator” as in actual sailing!
Check out eSail as well, if you like sailing.
I’ll definitely look at Sailwind, I’d love a good sailing sim. Thanks for the rec!
I have only heard of two of those so youve given me a large list of games to check out, thank you
Motor Town is amazing from such a small team. Great force feedback and VR support as well.
It isn’t marketed primarily as a racing game or a high speed driving game, but it just feels so damn good I have put SO many urgent taxi job miles in that game it isn’t even remotely funny.
I regret none of that time lol
I also love doing urgent taxi jobs and cruising in multiplayer while being around players doing radically different vibes of driving jobs.
It makes the whole driving experience so much more interesting than when everyone is just driving lamborghinis and ferraris are 200mph and the rest of the vehicles are AI. The map just ends up feeling “more alive” somehow in Motor Town, idk I love it.
Train Sim World. Yes Dovetail have their problems, yes its expensive if you want a lot of the latest DLC (why, its not multiplayer so doesn’t decrease in popularity like multiplayer game DLC), yes its not a well optimised graphical tour de force. But damn is it relaxing to play with multiple levels of difficulty that are entirely optional. Its possible to get hundreds of hours of replay from a single route if that’s what you enjoy.
Pick up Derail Valley Simulator. It’s not as pretty, or expensive, but good Lord is it satisfying to learn how to NOT blow up a steam engine.
Elite Dangerous
I’ve always been a little obsessed with Sopwith Camels because they are one of the prettiest but also most insane things to fly into battle with. ROF does an excellent job or giving me that fix :) Also ROF is free to play (and the DLC with the Sopwith right now is super cheap).
ACC is my favorite right now.
