Microsoft Flight Simulator's new trailer is a fun reminder just how far games have come

As someone with no previous interest in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series, but who's ridiculously excited about its newest release - partly because I've recently discovered the laidback thrills of a simulated video game transportation (thanks American Truck Simulator) and partly because, well, I mean, just look at it - its latest trailer is quite the eye-opener.

I mean, sure, I'm old enough to remember when the sprite was king and a polygon was a rarity seldom beheld, but it's still rather awe-inspiring to be reminded so succinctly just how far video game technology has come since my days with Atic Atac and Kokotoni Wilf.

Microsoft's latest trailer, you see, offers a whistle-stop tour of every Flight Simulator iteration released over the last four decades, starting with 1982's version 1.0 - a quaint black and white abstraction by today's standards - right up to this year's game. The latter, you probably don't need reminding, is a breathtaking showcase of next-gen visuals. Digital Foundry said so!

It seems the appeal isn't just surface either; Flight Simulator's 2020 outing is shaping up to be just as dazzling in the cockpit as it is out in its expansive, gorgeously recreated version of Earth, if the effusive praise of Eurogamer's Martin Robinson is anything to go by. He's been gushing about his time in the sky - and his adventures storm chasing in the digital world - for weeks now.

Thankfully, I won't need to take Martin's word for it much longer; Microsoft Flight Simulator, and its abundance of cloud porn, comes to PC next week, on 18th August.