Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Scenery Collection: Set B seamlessly integrates with all original SubLOGIC flight simulations, transforming the familiar skies of Flight Simulator versions 1–4, Sublogic Jet, and Flight Assignment: ATP into richer, more detailed environments. The expanded regions around Chicago, St. Louis, and Cincinnati (Scenery Disk #9) invite pilots to explore bustling urban corridors, hop between smaller regional airports, and challenge themselves with varied wind patterns over the Great Lakes. Likewise, the enhanced New York, Montreal, and Halifax landscapes (Scenery Disk #12) deliver a multi-city tour de force, allowing virtual aviators to plan cross-border VFR flights with plenty of scenic checkpoints.

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Hawaiian Odyssey stands out as a unique gameplay twist. Beyond the expected volcanic craters and coastal runways, you’ll embark on a treasure hunt that peppers the islands with hidden waypoints, secret landing strips, and experimental scenery features. This playful element transforms each flight into an adventure, prompting you to plot efficient search-and-rescue patterns or leisurely island-hopping missions in search of digital treasure. It’s an engaging diversion from standard point-to-point navigation and adds a lighthearted quest dimension to your simulation hours.

Installation and compatibility are straightforward: load the disks into your 5¼-inch drive, follow the on-screen prompts, and select the region in your scenery menu. For veteran flight simmers, the quick setup means you can jump into the thick of the action without fussing over complex configuration. From small prop planes to jets in Flight Assignment: ATP, each aircraft benefits equally from the added terrain detail, making every takeoff, approach, and landing feel fresh.

Whether you’re practicing instrument approaches into O’Hare International, tracing the St. Lawrence River to Quebec, or conducting aerial photography missions over Diamond Head, Set B’s gameplay enhancements keep each flight session dynamic. The variety of regions and the optional treasure-hunt mechanics in Hawaiian Odyssey ensure that you never tire of new challenges or familiar landmarks.

Graphics

SubLOGIC’s original Flight Simulator graphics were groundbreaking for their time, but Scenery Collection: Set B raises the bar even higher. City skylines now feature recognizable silhouettes: Chicago’s Sears Tower looms convincingly over Lake Michigan, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium dome emerges one minute before touchdown, and Halifax’s Citadel stands guard atop its hill. The landfill polygons and landmark bitmaps are rudimentary by modern standards, yet they convey surprising realism and bring each locale to life in vivid blocky detail.

Terrain shading and elevation data receive a notable upgrade. Rolling hills around Cincinnati feel more organic, and the verdant forests of New York’s upstate region display varying shades of green that help you gauge altitude during VFR flights. In the Hawaiian Odyssey segment, experimental scenery textures showcase gentle lava flows, coral reefs visible beneath turquoise waters, and subtle island topography that influence wind patterns and thermal lift—ideal for glider enthusiasts exploring Molokai’s cliffs.

Weather effects remain the same stock engine from versions 1–4, but the detailed ground scenery accentuates cloud shadows and runway wetness better than before. You’ll notice runway lighting at dusk more acutely as it reflects off the expanded pavement areas of St. Louis Lambert Field or the extended taxiways of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International. It’s a dramatic enhancement that underscores the immersive potential of pixel-level artistry.

While polygon counts are modest, the thoughtful placement of objects—church steeples, water towers, small farmhouses—creates an actionable world under your wings. This meticulous attention to graphical fidelity elevates the suspension of disbelief, even on a monochrome monitor or early VGA display. For enthusiasts of retro flight sims, Set B’s visuals are a nostalgic treasure trove.

Story

At first glance, a scenery add-on might seem devoid of narrative. However, Hawaiian Odyssey injects the first genuine “story” into SubLOGIC’s flight sim universe. You become a modern-day explorer, following cryptic coordinates that lead from lush valleys to volcanic calderas in search of a hidden artifact. Each waypoint discovered triggers a text snippet, weaving a light but engaging storyline of island legends and lost treasure.

The real-world backdrop of Set B brings its own narrative potency. Flying along the St. Lawrence Seaway narrative arc, you witness centuries of trade routes from an aerial vantage. Ski resorts near Montreal tell stories of winter sports, while the old river bridges at St. Louis hint at America’s westward expansion. This historical subtext might not be spelled out in mission briefings, but it’s palpable each time you bank over a landmark.

Even without the treasure hunt, you’re an airborne storyteller, charting your own flight logs and journaling the triumphs and near misses. The inclusion of freight hubs like Cincinnati allows you to simulate cargo runs, imagining the life of a bush pilot or airline captain. Your personal logbook becomes the canvas for these emergent tales, giving Set B an unexpected narrative depth.

For those who relish a game-within-a-game, the experimental scenery locations in Hawaiian Odyssey offer “Easter eggs” to find and document. These secret airstrips and beachside runways reward curiosity and fuel an exploratory spirit that doubles as both gameplay and story progression.

Overall Experience

Scenery Collection: Set B is more than a simple expansion—it’s a time capsule that transports modern players back to the pioneering days of PC flight simulation. Unboxing the set, you’ll find identical artwork across all SubLOGIC scenery collections, differentiated only by the gleaming gold sticker on the upper-left corner. It’s a nice retro flourish that flashes a hint of collector’s pride and makes the product instantly recognizable.

Compatibility across multiple SubLOGIC titles means that Set B boasts exceptional longevity. Whether you’re revisiting an old favorite or introducing a newcomer to Flight Simulator 2, the new landscapes breathe fresh life into familiar flight plans. Add in the whimsical treasure hunt of Hawaiian Odyssey, and you gain hours of replayability that outstrips many modern DLC offerings.

Installation is hassle-free, documentation is succinct yet informative, and the product sturdily resides on vintage floppies—an authentic piece of gaming history. Fans of flight sims and digital preservationists alike will appreciate the blend of utility, nostalgia, and creativity that Set B provides.

In summary, Scenery Collection: Set B stands as a landmark release in the lineage of flight simulation. It deepens your immersion, diversifies your missions, and delivers a scenic tour of North America’s iconic cities and tropical paradises. For anyone looking to expand their horizons—literally—Set B is a highly recommended journey.

Retro Replay Score

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