I think the negative reviews for this game are from people who aren't aware that the only reason to purchase this game is for the .exe file needed for the Benchmark Sims modification which is essentially a brand new game. If you want this game to not suck you need to download BMS 4.33, and then enjoy one of the most comprehensive study sims available today. It is *NOT* for casual or arcade style players. This game requires lots of study, and lots of disappointment until you understand the jet but once you do, it's so worth it. Check out the BMS forums before jumping in, lots of helpful people there. Thanks to the Benchmark Sim guys for all they do.

TL;DR: Buy this, update to BMS 4.33, enjoy an awesome flight sim.

NOTE: Do not buy this unless you plan on installing Falcon BMS 4.33 mod after install.

TL;DR: Don't buy Falcon 4.0 to play Falcon 4.0. Buy it to get BMS.

Not very good on it's own but amazing with BMS. Get BMS for free here: https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?29-Releases-amp-Updates
Requires Falcon 4.0 to be installed.

BMS runs smoothy and offers stable framerates, even on lower end PCs for the price of slightly outdated graphics. Setting it up for the first time is rather tedious, but only needs to be done once. The simulation is very accurate, and it offers not only the F-16 in multiple variants but also other fighters such as the F-15E Strike Eagle, the F-18 Hornet, the AV-8 Harrier and many others to fly with an advanced flight model and clickable, 3D cockpits.

Not only do you get BMS with it's very good simulation and dynamic campaign system, you can also download additional maps like israel or balkans completely for free.
It offers server based multiplayer with an option to easily set up your own for your friends, if you do some simple port forwarding.

As all serious flight sims do, you require a decent joystick and throttle with plenty of buttons, switches and hats, as all modern jets use HOTAS (Hands on Throttle and Stick), which basically means that you control your aircraft systems without taking your hands off your controls most of the time. Unfortunately unlike DCS it does not allow for modifiers on your stick and throttle.

It offers a serious alternative to the declining state of DCS, especially if you are like me frustrated with low performance and constant application crashes, even if it looks marginally better visually. Especially for the price it is just all around good.

Beware though, this is not an arcade game. You will be required to familiarize yourself with systems, avionics, checklists and manuals. It is a combat simulation after all. But once felt, you will never forget the racing heart when in a dogfight, the excitement of flying into the enemy air defences to push a way for your strike package, the tense moments when you hear that missile launch warning and know you must rely on your skills to evade death and the sight of the mayhem you can cause with a modern, 4th generation multipurpose aircraft, such as the F-16.

However, I find it rather frustatrating that they are still milking money out of this, even knowing full well that people mostly buy it simply to install BMS. They are getting paid for the work of the community, the work of other people who do this for free, because they enjoy to fly in a good sim. Especially consiering that BMS is at a stage where it is easily standalone, not merely a mod anymore.

"At the heart of Falcon 4.0 is the real-time campaign engine........"

After 26 years, still no competitor in this category;))[www.falcon-bms.com]

Still nothing........:)

- Buy Falcon 4.0 on Steam
- Download and install the Falcon BMS mod from falcon-bms.com
- ???
- Profit.

DCS wants 74€ for you to fly an F-16. With Falcon BMS, you can do it for 6.99€ (at full price; I only paid 3,49€ during a sale) -- and I know which sim has the better menu theme. This ♥♥♥♥ slaps.

I bought this back in 98. And it came with a 630 page manual, it was a three ringed binder with gloss pages (if my memory serves). Anyhow, it would be cool if they released the PDF version of it! I finally threw the Manual out back in the early 2000's. Wish I had kept it.

I can't seem to find or recall how to drop bombs or remap the bombs / missles to my joystick. Sure is fun to boot into this after all these years!

i took off, shot down some planes and crashed. Then i went home to play falcon

classic! very rare,
Extremely detailed flight simulator and very hard.

I would suggest this game to everyone. Have fun ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ

Falcom BMS make Falcon 4.0 to new life

Download it Falcom BMS !!!!!

The reason you want to buy this is for Falcon BMS which requires a valid copy of Falcon 4.0. Basically, with Falcon BMS you have an amazing simulation of the F-16, along with Falcon 4.0's legendary dynamic campaign. Now, next question: Why this vs something like DCS? Honestly, DCS is great. It's got sexy graphics and the detail of the planes is next level. The two aren't really competitors though. DCS is like ArmA. It's a sandbox. You can build your own scenarios, or just enjoy flying your plane in a very pretty setting.

Falcon BMS is more for when you want to truly apply your skills to a living theater. You might have some knowledge of what's out there through intelligence and recon, but the battlefield is alive and ever changing. It's not pretty, but there's literally nothing else on the market that compares.

The best way I've heard it described is: "When I want to feel like I'm going out to fly my own personal F-16? I fly DCS. When I want to feel like I'm a fighter pilot? I fly Falcon BMS."