Hi TF.
When I was going through my PPL training I flew every one of my cross countries in the sim, multiple times, before doing it in real life. I was able to practice focusing on control (even though it was a bit different) while managing navigation, radios and my flight plan. It was also helpful in practicing those rote procedures that you need to run a hundred times to drill into your brain.
What you describe was available in the Radio Shack and Vic 20 computers 40 years ago. You can also do most of it in G Earth, with much better ground reference views, for free.
I expect a simulator to do a lot more nowdays, like Spins, Steep turns that behave like the real acft, L8, ability to demo Ground reference maneuvers... demonstrate proper views of the acft from inside the cockpit, like in a real acft, and outside which XP does fine in, ability to demonstrate Xwind technique, taxi with maximum demonstrated Xwind capability, even some of the finer behaviors like adverse yaw, ability to control the acft using rudder, proper behavior when behind the power curve....
I am not disputing, and I always was a proponent to everyone including the FAA, of the flight simulators, what I am trying to point out is that what is shown, and everyone is going Ga Ga, about is very superficial and not even close to what makes / is a Flight simulators.
As to your IFR rating, that can be useful assuming you get the proper set up configured, and get an acft that simulates/ looks like what you use in real life. For IFR there is a lot of very fine / subtle maneuvers / touches, distance and size between instruments, that, if you want to practice correctly and develop a proper scan, must be dressed and I would suggest that you have your CFI help you and tell you what you should, or should not, practice. Negative knowledge / learning transfer can be very difficult to correct.
Getting into one of these Heavies, and pretending that I am some hot shot super stick, pushing buttons, does nothing for me, or most pilots for that matter of fact.
