I think it's a bit relative, BoP/WoP are games compared to CloD but after flying A2A planes, CloD seems more like a game. It's all about underlying aircraft systems and how or even
if they are connected and how they respond to your input and the effects of outside factors such as weather, wear, temperature and air pressure. Clod is a relatively good combat flight game, I don't expect it to have the same high fidelity as a 50€ payware aircraft. It gives you a good sense of flying and have pretty good physics (well not the alien A.I) and it does combat at the same time. It has to take many other aspects in to consideration to be playable on even higher-end machines. Ballistics, advanced A.I (well not so yet), damage modeling etc. Compare the CloD Spitfire to the A2A Spitfire without taking anything but the aircraft systems and performance in to consideration, then yes, CloD is only a game. I mean, how often do you have to prime an engine in CloD to get it started? is it even possible to prime your engine in CloD? Does your spark plugs foul sometimes? How about the battery? does it ever drain? Do you have to turn on the carb heater when you are in very cold air at high altitude?
P.S To be honest, anything that can be installed and played on a regular PC within minutes is by definition a game, real simulators are for the military, airline companies and plane manufacturers. We just like to call them sims because it sounds more mature then games. I don't care, I call them all games because that's what they are, I know because I've played games since I was 4 years old.
