I like it so far, visually at least it is quite stunning for both winter and summer maps.
A stick is a necessary expense you will have to deal with, you really cannot play these games without, sorry, that is how it is.
I do actually need a new one, mine is like me old and decrepit and slowly falling apart.
The aircraft models are superb which is something you would expect from what is now probably going to be a benchmark game as it develops further and for what they are charging you cannot complain about price especially if you do pre-order or sale.
We have become so used to free stuff in the Il 2 community that we forget just how expensive and time consuming it is for a company to take on these niche projects but if cost is a issue for users they regularly do these sales to attract those who have to be very cost concious in the modern world.
As Mike points out the career mode is not really as immersive as you would find in our old and much loved game but that and other things took something like twelve years or more to get where it is and is still improving, there are some members making campaigns in mission format that gets us away from the company made things but as yet real user made campaigns have still to develop as does much of the current game.
We will always have complaints as users with whatever way the game moves but it is early days yet and for me and others the current 1C/777 simulators are for those of us interested in WWI and WWII probably the best you will get.
I did not particularily like the click cockpits and Steam association of CLoD so the current BoS/BoM and forthcoming BoK are more to my liking, I live in hope that they will re-invent CLoD to make it available as these current new titles are but I guess I am living a delusional existense with that one, maybe on that one they can unleash Team Fusion in the same way as TD with our old game.
Go for it I say, it is the only way forward in the foreseeable future if you like the WWII genre, even if the current games are not quite what you want there is a vision going forward that might just appeal if you stick around and encourage the development team.
Wishing you all the very best, Pete.