Alright, so imagine this: you’re sneaking past guards in this trippy, endless digital space, then boom, you’re suddenly armed and facing a bunch of floating bombs. You gotta take ‘em out ASAP. Once you’re done, you’re thrown into a different map, now with actual human targets to eliminate. It becomes muscle memory: aim, shoot, punch, kick, strangle, hide, run, crawl. Repeat. A robotic voice congratulates you after each challenge. It’s a bit creepy but kinda cool.
Back in ‘99, Konami dropped an expanded version of Hideo Kojima’s epic stealth game, Metal Gear Solid. It was called Metal Gear Solid: Integral in Japan and had this extra disc with 300 “VR Missions” that basically turned the main game’s sneaky, shooty vibes into a hardcore training grind.
Fast-forward to today, and revisiting VR Missions in 2024 is a trip. It’s like a standalone beast, still holding up pretty well but with some old-school quirks. It’s in the Master Collection for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC now, but yeah, it’s got some tech issues.
Why MGS is Stealth Royalty
The OG Metal Gear dropped in ‘87 on the MSX console, setting the stage for decades of stealth action. Kojima, the genius behind it, was inspired by flicks like The Great Escape. He wanted to recreate that tension of sneaking and escaping. VR Missions, 12 years later, strips down the narrative to focus solely on stealth and combat challenges.
What’s VR Missions All About?
VR Missions is all about testing and refining your stealth skills across various modes:
- Sneaking Mode: No weapons or with a Socom.
- Weapon Mode: From C4 to Stinger missiles, every weapon gets its time.
- Advanced Mode: Even harder versions of weapon challenges.
- Special Modes: Like 1-minute battles, puzzles, and even a few missions as the cyber-ninja Gray Fox.
You gotta play each mission twice (practice and timed) to hit 100% completion. Some challenges are straight from MGS, like sneaking without leaving footprints in the snow or hiding in a cardboard box.
Gameplay Vibes
VR Missions plays almost the same as MGS. The mechanics are spot on, but sometimes guards act a bit different to fit the challenges. You’ll be using grenades, Nikita missiles, and sniper rifles way more than in the main game. It’s all about mastering these tools and tricks, like unequipping weapons to move faster or setting off chain reactions with C4.
Saving Your Progress
Heads up, VR Missions requires manual saving. Forget to save, and you could lose hours of progress. Total bummer, right?
The Stealth Mastery
The game is all about mastering MGS’s core gameplay. It’s challenging and pushes you to become a stealth pro. You learn tricks that MGS doesn’t even hint at. By the end, you’re a well-oiled, digital killing machine.
Canon or Not?
VR Missions might be canon in the MGS universe. It’s like training Snake undergoes, or maybe what Raiden mentions in MGS2. Completing it even reveals blueprints for a later Metal Gear model.
The Missed Potential
While VR Missions has some cool modes like “Mystery Mode”, where you solve crimes, it feels like there could’ve been more creative challenges. Playing as Gray Fox is awesome but super limited, which is a letdown after grinding through so many missions.
A Game of Its Time
VR Missions is a relic from a time when games weren’t all about making bank with microtransactions and battle passes. It’s a pure, focused experience that you don’t see much anymore. It’s a perfect addition to the Master Collection, especially if you’re down for some hardcore stealth action.
So, if you wanna dive deep into the stealth mechanics of Metal Gear Solid and flex those skills, VR Missions is where it’s at.
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