Test machine specs: MSI X670E, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, AMD Radeon RX 7900XTX, 48gb RAM
MSFS add-ons: FSLTL, GSX Pro, REX AccuSeason (which may misrepresent some colours in certain light conditions)
FS2024 add-ons: none
The timing of this review is for two reasons: a) the airport is currently available in the Orbx March Madness sale, at 40% off, and b) it has just received a significant update, chiefly to add more detail and FS2024 compatibility (unfortunately Orbx don’t go to great lengths to publicise their updates).
DETAIL
This is my fifth package by Marcus Nyberg (the others being ESSA, ESSB, LSGG and the Scandinavian Airports Triple Pack) so I knew more of less what to expect — although ESGG is one of his earliest projects and has been oft criticised for its lack of landside detail. Part of the reason for this purchase (40% off notwithstanding!) was the promise of a much improved landside, as per the changelog, so Marcus was clearly aware of and willing to address the scenery’s flaws.
Typically for an airport by Marcus, the airside does not disappoint. His ‘gritty’ photoreal textures might not hold up under intense close-up scrutiny but by most standards they look incredible (right up there with Flightbeam, also renowned for their texture realism). The level of detail on the ramp is simply stunning: great ground textures and markings (the latter could perhaps be a tad sharper but remember, this is fundamentally an old scenery) and the quality of the apron clutter (much of it custom animated) is first-class. What I really like about Marcus’ airports is the focus on the finer detail, with every single fixed apron protrusion (be in a tiny taxiway sign or a huge lighting gantry) modelled with extreme care and precision. His airsides are probably the most authentic in the sim — making taxiing (in particular) an incredibly immersive experience. to further enhance immersion in winter, expect to see dynamic snow berms and seasonal snow-clearing equipment.
The terminal building (along with every other structure in the scenery) is intricately detailed and features a fairly decent interior. That interior’s not going to win any awards but it looks good, especially at night. Marcus has modelled the two types of jetway present at the real ESGG, with the newer, more versatile examples being confined to the new portion of the building. VSDG is included in the install, and you have the option to turn off the static aircraft (occupying the bizjet apron only) and animated airside vehicles.
Moving landside — the areas of Marcus’ airports that are typically weakest — I’m happy to report that things definitely seem much improved. I didn’t own the original v2 (nor the very early v1) but it’s easy to deduce from screenshots that this latest update brings significant enhancements. That’s not, however, to say it’s on the same level as landsides by the likes of Pyreegue and Drzewiecki; but there’s certainly enough here to make it worth having a look around. There are some decent custom assets on display (signposts, barriers, advertising billboards, etc.) but the vehicle models, despite being unique, are quite boxy and low-res. The custom coaches and taxis do look pretty decent, though — just not anywhere near the quality you’ll see airside. My only criticisms are no people outside the terminal entrance, and all trees have been left to default. But given Marcus’ continued dedication to improving his older airports, these are very minor complaints. I’d perhaps like to see the airport roads and their surroundings looking a bit sharper but they are at least custom-modelled.
Where night-lighting is concerned, I normally only mention whether I think it’s good or not, but I think the quality of Marcus’ night-lighting needs a little more praise than just a single sentence (hence my presentation of an unusually large number of night images below). It’s some of the best I’ve seen, with every part of the scenery looking quite stunning after sunset. All the animated vehicles have their own lighting, and the new custom runway/taxiway lights are fully emissive. The terminal interior, as already mentioned, looks great from the flightdeck of a parked airliner, and each apron floodlight (sturdy Scandinavian gantry-style, to support heavy snowfall) is topped with a red hazard beacon. Although night-lighting is subjective, there seems little middle ground in the sim, with a scenery either getting it spot-on or totally wrong. Moving around those in the former category is always a pleasure, while those in the latter category offer a boring and uninteresting taxiing experience. Needless to say, Marcus gets it exactly right.
PERFORMANCE
Another publicised improvement in the changelog is a reduction of the package side by one gigabyte. Again, I’ve no experience with earlier versions but performance is excellent, even with dense FSLTL traffic (as dense as it gets at ESGG, anyway). I can’t imagine previous versions were resource hogs but it’s good that this more refined update runs very smoothly on my system.
VERDICT
Those familiar with Marcus’ work will know what they’re letting themselves in for but it’s encouraging that the weakest areas of his airports are slowly but surely being addressed (Malmo is next, incidentally). Many likely weren’t bothered about the previously rudimentary landside areas — after all, you rarely see them from the cockpit — but a more polished product is of course beneficial for everyone. However, even post-update, the landside isn’t as good as some out there — but it should now become less of a talking point with this particular scenery,
Orbx’s ESGG is now the well-rounded package it was always destined to be. Being in the southern portion of Sweden, it’s only a short hop from many European capitals, and offers a few regional flights into the more remote Scandinavian backwaters. Those interested in long-haul flying should probably have stopped reading ages ago (sorry — though there are long-haul ‘bucket and spade’ routes operated by Sunclass A330s); but if you’re looking to add a highly-detailed regional airport in central Scandinavia, at an excellent price, look no further. The airside environment is second-to-none, at any hour. I guarantee, you won’t enjoy a superior night-time experience in any other dev’s scenery.
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