I agree. I've had sim training from Flight Safety instructors, and from company check airmen, and without exception the check airmen were much stricter, and obviously knew our SOPs and methods of doing things. The FS guys were good, but they had never flown offshore, and their primary interest was in getting us back, not in showing us up, and we would certainly never fail a ride with them. The company check airmen, OTOH, would fail a crew in a heartbeat.
Sims are wonderful tools, and should be used regularly. They are becoming much more commonly used, and I think that will continue.