VR Mission is an adorable stealth game for iOS. Borrowing liberally (and it knows it) from the Metal Gear Solid franchise, it follows a tough-as-nails spy (or mercenary, the game has no real plot) as he infiltrates 15 levels of what appears to be a super secret complex. Complete with video cameras, dangerous lasers, and creepy looking guards, VR Mission is an action stealth hybrid from Sphinx Entertainment that’s quite a delight.
The game is controlled via a virtual thumbstick on the left, and one button for stab or shoot (depending on what item you have selected) on the right. The game is played by essentially attempting to make it from one end of the map to the other while fulfilling several other optional goals, like downloading software from a computer, not triggering any alarms, and not killing any enemies. In between stages you have the option to purchase guns and ammo, including a silencer for your pistol, and a variety of other goodies for cash earned in-game from the side objectives mentioned above. The control is largely tight and after getting used to thumb stick, the game can be played relatively hassle free. It helps that the game is on a sort of grid, so the need to make complex movements rarely comes up, due to it’s puzzle like nature. Aiming your gun is handled via a helpful auto-target that insures every shot counts.
VR Mission reminds me of my favorite game of my youth, Yoda Stories. Yoda Stories was a PC game that had Yoda giving Luke Skywalker randomized missions that took place in a variety of different locales, all from the top down perspective, and all no longer that 5-8 minutes a piece. The style and presentation of VR Mission almost screams out to be adapted for the Metal Gear Solid Franchise in that very same sort of environment.
This game shows great promise, however, it’s only 15 levels long, and I breezed through it in an afternoon. Level 16 has a flashing “Coming Soon” on it, and I can’t wait for the next hopefully free content update. It’s a game loaded with charm and great gameplay, and the missions actually do a pretty great job of immersing you. Plus, in some cases, there’s a level of tension similar to what you *would* get in an MGS title, just on a smaller scale. The stealth genre is one that requires precision and patience, and you’d think neither of those things would be well executed on an IOS device, but they are.
For 2.99 VR Mission feels a little light on the content, and web searching didn’t really give me any update on when to expect more missions. That said, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to play VR Mission, have a great time and beat it, then, like any great spy, wait patiently in the dark for something interesting to happen.
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