How is it really weird? You only didn't like the lack of headshots and D&D style injuries and such, I find that to be a really cool combat system in a world full of being shot in the face and waiting for the blood to jump off of your face.
For one thing, in non-vats combat you had to use a TON of ammo to kill anything more powerful than a raider. Super mutants take forever and a lot of ammo to kill, Enclave soldiers, etc. This wouldn't be a problem if you had access to an abundance of ammo, but this isn't the case. In VATS you never did enough damage on any of the stronger stuff to make it worth using, that is, of course, unless to take the "run up to a super mutant with a combat shotgun and aim for the head" approach, but at that point you're really using VATS as a semi-cheat.