Agree with SoundBarrier etc....
Flightsim 2004 et all are good for learning procedures but not much use for teaching you how to actually fly..
I remember during my PPL training (FS95 days!) I would practice over and over the sequence of events during circuits....500' left turn...1000' level off using APT..turn downwind....downwind checks etc etc....did this over and over so that for the next lesson I had the sequence drummed into my head and could concentrate more on the actual flying.
Also used this again for brushing up prior to my CPL course a couple of years ago. Used a VFR scenery addon and flew around doing practice position fixes using VOR/VOR crosscut, VOR/DME etc and again for other procedural stuff.
Again was good to blow the cobwebs off and refresh the technique but nothing like having to actually do it whilst flying around under the hood and being bounced about in the Florida turbulence.
Fortunately I had a very understanding examiner for the test.....hello there Keygrip!
Basically if used correctly home sims can help to drum in some of the procedural stuff while your on the ground allowing you to make better use of your time in the air. Certainly never going to be even close to the real thing though! Best game I've ever played for actual 'handling/feel' however was Flight Unlimited 3....getting rather old now but always felt far more realistic than anything Microsoft have ever produced........
Just my tuppence worth anyway....!!