Overall, I'm pretty happy with it...yes, it's a little buggy and needs some patches, but so does every other sim that's come out.
We could definitely use more AI traffic...even some static ships tied up to the piers in a harbor would dress it up a lot.
But as far as gameplay goes, the trip through the Antarctic really had me going....talk about tense situations! Nearly no visibility, heavy snow fall, fog, chunks of ice floating around with big jagged teeth on them and you try to get through the mess unscathed....it was the best part of the sim so far....the work on the sounds is excellent. I sideswiped an iceberg, and I hear a heavy thud and screaming steel as the ice slides by....talk about realism! Scared me to death when that happened. I loved every minute of it....it was really draining to get through the maze, and when I finally popped out at the entrance of NY harbor, I was genuinely relieved.
That part of the sim gets a solid 10 from me, the need for AI traffic and some patches....I'll give it a 6 or so. Overall...not too bad for a first release. I nearly gave up on Flight Sim, and the Truck sims were just awful when they first came out...so, don't loose sight of the end of the line....look at all the goodies we have for SS08...they didn't happen overnight, so let's give this one some time.
Jim