The major issue with VR Missions is that it isn't as accessible as its parent game; only the hardcore need apply.
While the introductory movie may paint a picture of a good time to be had, and one brimming with sweet rewards, this is a half-truth at best. Yes, you face off against a giant flying saucer with Stinger missiles. Yes, you also face off against a giant Johnny Sasaki... with Stinger missiles. Why, you even fight several giant Johnny Sasakis with, well, you know. Best of all, Gray Fox, Metal Gear Solid's cyborg ninja, is available as a playable character. Now, this may sound too good to be true. So don't worry, it is.
In order to unlock the best missions in the game, you're forced to play through countless others that range from absolute cakewalks to maddeningly sadistic and demanding acts of torture courtesy of the designers. And when you finally get around to the fun stuff, chances are you'll feel shortchanged since there's so little of it. Imagine playing through more than 85 percent of the game's many missions to unlock Gray Fox, then being overwhelmed with disappointment since he's only playable in three of them.
The game is at its best in modes such as VR Mission (a sort of mini MGS, but without a story or boss fights) and Mystery, where you're allowed more freedom to play as you want and think on your feet. Once more, these only add up to a small percentage of the game, and it's back to routine sneaking and weapons missions when you've finished them.
Some may argue that the game isn't supposed to be enjoyable all the time. They would be correct. VR Missions doesn't overindulge; you WORK for what you get. But that's a huge obstacle for the gamers who aren't godly (or dedicated) enough to achieve Big Boss rank in the full-fledged Metal Gear Solid games. The major issue with VR Missions is that it isn't as accessible as its parent game, but that doesn't make it bad. Some classic tunes are carried over from the MSX Metal Gear games, and the mechanics are as solid (pun intended) as one should expect. VR Missions is good because Metal Gear Solid is good, and it would take a lot of work to botch that. But you have to understand MGS inside and out to get anywhere, so only the hardcore need apply.