Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Traffic X transforms your Microsoft Flight Simulator X experience by breathing life into every airport and airway. With over 1,700 unique aircraft variants spanning more than 80 distinct models, you’ll see everything from heavy commercial airliners to agile general aviation planes and even military jets. This sheer volume and diversity keep every session fresh as your skies fill with realistic AI traffic patterns, making each takeoff and landing feel part of a living, breathing world.

The core of Traffic X’s gameplay lies in its advanced AI behavior, customizable through the Traffic ControlCentre interface. Pilots can fine-tune density, aircraft types, and spawn points, creating scenarios that range from bustling international hubs at peak hour to quiet regional fields. ChronoTraffic further enhances immersion by aligning flights to specific years—so whether you want the 1990s golden age of aviation or today’s modern fleet, you’re in control of history.

Interaction goes beyond simply watching planes fly by. Traffic X’s Traffic Radar lets you monitor vertical speed, altitude, bearing, distance, true airspeed, and transponder IDs of AI traffic, providing genuine ATC-style situational awareness. For a hands-on approach, you can even guide AI aircraft to parking positions at terminals and ramps. These tools make Traffic X more than an add-on—it’s a dynamic traffic management simulator within FSX.

Graphics

Graphically, Traffic X delivers detailed, high-fidelity 3D models for each aircraft variant. From the gleam of a freshly painted livery to the weathered textures on an older turboprop, you’ll appreciate the attention to detail as each AI airplane taxis, takes off, and lands. The expansive model library covers dozens of major manufacturers, ensuring that your virtual skies feature accurate replicas of real-world aircraft.

Complementing the visuals are custom sound sets that bring AI traffic to life. Each category—jets, turboprops, helicopters, and military aircraft—has its own authentic engine roar, wind noise, and cockpit warnings. These audio cues enhance immersion, especially when you’re lining up behind a powered-up airliner on final approach or listening to helicopter rotors whir overhead.

Even static elements benefit from Traffic X’s polish. Airport ground markings, gate signage, and vehicle animations blend seamlessly with your scenery add-ons, making ramps and taxiways feel bustling with accurate ground traffic. Whether flying through a low-resolution freeware airport or a photorealistic payware hub, the AI traffic graphics adapt elegantly, avoiding visual clashes and maintaining performance.

Story

Since its debut in 1999, the Traffic series has sought to fill the skies of flight simulators with realistic AI airplanes—and Traffic X continues that legacy in grand style. As the latest expansion, it broadens the narrative of simulated air travel by introducing multi-national military aircraft alongside the traditional commercial, regional, and general aviation fleets. This blend tells a richer story of global aviation, where civilian and military operations coexist at shared airports.

ChronoTraffic’s year-specific flight schedules allow you to relive distinct eras of aviation history. Want to recreate the heyday of the Concorde or experience today’s surge in narrow-body operations? Simply select the target year, and Traffic X populates your simulator with appropriate liveries, routes, and airline partnerships. This chronological layering adds depth and context, taking you on a journey through decades of airline evolution.

Beyond chronological accuracy, the expansion’s printed 40-page Spotter’s Guide (available in the retail DVD-ROM version) deepens the backstory by showcasing liveries, call signs, and airline codes. Spotter and simulator enthusiast alike can flip through pages of high-resolution photos and data tables, enriching the connection between the virtual skies and real-world aviation culture.

Overall Experience

Traffic X elevates Microsoft Flight Simulator X by transforming empty skies into bustling corridors of commercial, regional, and military operations. Its seamless integration ensures that AI traffic feels like part of the core sim, not an afterthought. Whether you’re a casual flyer seeking lively airports or a virtual airline pilot craving realism, this expansion delivers on every front.

The intuitive Traffic ControlCentre and comprehensive Traffic Radar tools give you a pilot’s-eye view of AI traffic, making each session engaging—even if your only task is observing. Combined with customizable density settings and era-specific flights, Traffic X caters to every style of virtual pilot, from the skies-above crowd to the air traffic management enthusiast.

For simmers upgrading from Traffic 2005, the discounted version offers exceptional value—especially given the expansive list of new models and features. Between the realistic aircraft behaviors, high-quality graphical models, and deep customization options, Traffic X stands out as an indispensable add-on. If you’ve ever felt that MSFSX’s skies were too quiet, this expansion is your definitive remedy.