Rambo: The Video Game, often shortened to Rambo, is a 2014 single-player arcade-style rail shooter video game. Teyon developed Rambo: The Video Game and Reef Entertainment Ltd published it for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The 2014 game is based on the Rambo film franchise. It features sections from all three films in the original trilogy: First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), and Rambo III (1988). Rambo: The Video Game is the newest Rambo video game on the market, but it’s not the only one out there.
The Rambo video game series features several games that all have similar gameplay, names, and inspiration. Rambo: The Video Game shouldn’t be confused with 1985’s Rambo, a video game based on Rambo: First Blood Part II. Another game called Rambo: First Blood Part II, came out in 1986, which is also based on the movie but is different from Rambo (1985). Unfortunately, despite Rambo: The Video Game being the most recent in the series, it’s difficult to find. Steam still has a page for it, but it’s no longer for sale. The PlayStation store and the Microsoft Xbox store no longer have listings for the game. To play it now, players will need to buy a physical copy through a reseller. Eneba.com has a few purchase options.
Overall, Rambo: The Video Game wasn’t received well by critics or fans. Metacritic describes the game as having “generally unfavorable” reviews. PC has the highest score of the three platforms it was released on. PC’s critics and reviews only gave Rambo: The Video Game a 34%, though. IMDb rates the game a 3.2 out of 10 and a low 42% of Google users claimed to like it. The game did sell enough copies to warrant a DLC, though. In 2016, the developers released a free DLC called Baker Team. After the Baker Team release, the game didn’t receive much more in the way of updates.
Rambo: The Video Game Premise
Rambo: The Video Game aims to capture the magic of the original Rambo trilogy. Players play as John Rambo through scenes from First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), and Rambo III (1988). To advance through the game, players use a rail shooter engine to move from one environment to the next. Players have to master stealth, using cover, and various types of combat including setting explosives, knife fighting, bows, and various types of guns. The game includes assault rifles, machine guns, pistols, shotguns, and submachine guns for the player to choose from. Players can also collect power-up perks that increase Rambo’s endurance, weapon handling, and wrath.
The game follows the major plot points of the first three movies. It’s told from the point of view of a speaker at Rambo’s funeral in 1988. He recounts the story of Rambo’s life, starting with Rambo’s time as an elite Green Beret. In 1971, Rambo’s team was captured and held prisoner in a remote North Vietnamese POW camp. Each member of the team was tortured and starved by the Vietnamese soldiers holding them hostage. Eventually, they all died off except for Rambo and Staff Sergeant Delmar Barry. Together, they manage to steal some weapons and supplies and escape certain doom in the POW camp. The pair managed to fend off the POW camp’s reinforcements until American soldiers came to save them. Although Rambo survived the ordeal, he developed PTSD from the torture he endured.
The story then jumps to 1978. Rambo has been discharged from the Army and he’s struggling to readjust to civilian life. He travels to Hope, Washington in search of his friend, Barry, hoping that reconnecting with him might help. During his trip, Rambo discovers that Barry died from cancer that he developed due to his exposure to Agent Orange. Sheriff Will Teasle intervenes in Rambo’s travels and orders him to leave the town. When Rambo refuses, the sheriff has him arrested, where he once again faces beatings and other abuse from the officers. Reminded of his time as a POW, Rambo snaps, fends off the cops, and makes a run for it. As Rambo disappears into the woods, things escalate quickly, which even results in the National Guard trying to hunt him down.
The final segment of the story covers Rambo’s former commanding officer, Colonel Sam Trautman’s offer. Trautman tells Rambo that if he returns to the POW camp he was held in, he’ll be pardoned for his crimes. His goal is to collect evidence that American prisoners of war are still being held there. Rambo agrees and his investigation leads to him helping POWs escape the camp he was once held in. The funeral concludes, but several major plot twists unfold as a continuation of the trilogy’s story.
Rambo: The Video Game Main Characters
Unlike some of the classic Rambo-inspired video games, Rambo: The Video Game features a decently large cast of characters. This should come as no surprise since the game is based on the original Rambo trilogy. The story features many minor characters that act as enemies, like some of the officers under Sheriff Will Teasle. There are a few major characters to take a look at, though. Fans of the franchise should recognize most of these names.
- John Rambo: John Rambo is the main protagonist of the Rambo franchise and the main playable character of Rambo: The Video Game. Players control Rambo through significant portions of his life. The game starts with his time as a Green Beret. Rambo is taken prisoner during the Vietnam War. Out of his entire team, Rambo and Staff Sergeant Delmar Barry are the only ones to survive. Despite living, Rambo didn’t leave unscathed. After severe torture in the POW camp and the loss of most of his team, Rambo suffers from severe PTSD. The Rambo character’s first appearance dates back to the 1972 novel First Blood. David Morrell wrote First Blood, which inspired the film franchise. Morrell also wrote novelizations of some of the movie sequels. When Rambo became mainstream enough, his name was used to describe the “I work alone” character archetype. These characters disobey orders, resort to violence often, and are usually overtly masculine.
- Staff Sergeant Delmar Barry: Staff Sergeant Delmar Barry is a member of Rambo’s Green Beret team and he was held captive as a prisoner of war alongside Rambo. After the rest of the team died of torture and starvation, Barry and Rambo managed to steal enough weaponry to break out of the Vietnamese POW camp. Together, they fought off the Vietnamese soldiers long enough for American soldiers to come and rescue them. Sometime after leaving the Army, Barry developed cancer because of his exposure to Agent Orange during the war. By the time Rambo tries to find Barry in Hope, Washington in 1978, he already passed away.
- Colonel Sam Trautman: Colonel Sam Trautman is Rambo’s former commanding officer. After Rambo evades Sheriff Teasle’s arrest, Trautman is the only person who can stop him. Trautman manages to convince Rambo to surrender, which he does. Three years later, Trautman approaches Rambo with a job. He offers to pardon Rambo’s crimes if he’ll return to Vietnam and revisit the camp where he’d been held prisoner. Rambo’s objective is to obtain evidence that the camp is still being used to hold American prisoners of war. Sometime after he infiltrates the prison, Rambo saves Trautman’s life as well.
- Sheriff Will Teasle: Sheriff Will Teasle is the sheriff who tries to apprehend Rambo in Hope, Washington. Teasle first tells Rambo to leave the town, but when Rambo refuses, Teasle arrests him. Teasle’s men show no restraint in how they treat Rambo and their physical abuse triggers his PTSD. This causes him to fight back and flee.
- The Funeral Speaker: The speaker at Rambo’s funeral is the narrator of the game. He begins by talking about how he met Rambo and then proceeds to tell all the highlights of Rambo’s life. Each portion of the story comes from one of the three movies. Although the funeral speaker isn’t named, without him, there would be no story to play. He keeps the plot going and leads players to believe that Rambo is, in fact, dead.
Rambo: The Video Game Titles in the Series
The Rambo franchise has been going strong since the early 1980s when the first film, First Blood (also known as Rambo: First Blood) hit theaters. The first film was based on David Morrell’s 1972 novel. Due to Rambo’s popularity in the ’80s, Rambo has been in all sorts of media, from video games to movies to comic books.
Video Games
- Rambo (1985) – Based on the Rambo: First Blood Part II film
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1986) – Another video game based on Rambo: First Blood Part II
- Rambo (1987) – A third video game based on Rambo: First Blood Part II
- Rambo III (1988) – Based on the Rambo III film
- Rambo (2008) – Based on both the Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III films
- Rambo: The Video Game (2014) – Based on all three classic films: First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III
Films & Television
- First Blood (1982) – Also called Rambo: First Blood
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- Rambo: The Force of Freedom (1986) – An animated series based on the Rambo franchise
- Rambo III (1988)
- Rambo (2008)
- Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Literature
- First Blood (1972) – A novel written by David Morrell and the inspiration for the film franchise
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) – A novelization of the Rambo: First Blood Part II film by David Morrell
- Rambo III (1988) – A novelization of the Rambo III film by David Morrell
- Rambo (1989) – A Blackthorne Publishing comic book series based on the franchise
Rambo: The Video Game Cheats, Trophies, & Achievements
Unfortunately, Rambo: The Video Game doesn’t have many cheats or exploits to take advantage of. The closest players will get is using trainers and cheat tables. There are still a few floating around, but due to the game’s age and lack of availability, these PC-only methods may not work anymore. Fearless Revolution has a Rambo: The Video Game cheat table and Cheatbook also has a few options. Please keep in mind that due to the circumstances of the game’s playability, these are likely outdated and may or may not work.
Since the game doesn’t have many cheats or exploits to go over, this guide will cover its trophies and achievements. The PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam trophies and achievements are more or less the same, but this guide will cover each platform individually.
PlayStation Trophies
PlayStation has a total of 35 trophies (28 for the base game and 7 for the DLC).
Base Game Trophies:
- Mission Accomplished: All Trophies Unlocked
- Prologue: 2 stars on Prologue
- Jailbreak: 2 stars on Jailbreak
- Forest Hunt: 2 stars on Forest Hunt
- The Demolition Of Hope: 2 stars on The Demolition Of Hope
- First Blood Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 1 Levels
- POW Camp: 2 stars on POW Camp
- River Run: 2 stars on River Run
- Interrogation Escape: 2 stars on Interrogation Escape
- Deep Jungle: 2 stars on Deep Jungle
- Village Vanguard: 2 stars on Village Vanguard
- The Waterfall: 2 stars on The Waterfall
- POW Evac: 2 stars on POW Evac
- First Blood Part II Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 2 Levels
- Afghan Camp: 2 stars on Afghan Camp
- The Fort: 2 stars on The Fort
- The Fort – Second Stab: 2 stars on The Fort – Second Stab
- Cave Encounter: 2 stars on Cave Encounter
- The Final Showdown: 2 stars on The Final Showdown
- Rambo III Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 3 Levels
- War you won’t believe: 15x Score Multiplier on any level
- Become War to Survive a War: 20 kills per minute ratio on any level
- Your worst nightmare: 10-chain kill combo on any level
- I’m the last one, Sir: 3000 kills in total
- Good supply of body bags: 2000 headshots in total
- God, didn’t make Rambo. I made him: Reach Rank 20
- God would have mercy: Reload Combo of 100 on any level
- My War is Over: Complete story mode on Green Beret Difficulty
Team Baker DLC Trophies:
- Medal of Honor: Complete all BAKER TEAM missions
- Hornets Nest: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 1
- Ambush: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 2
- Left Behind: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 3
- I know this story well: 3 stars on each BAKER TEAM mission
- I am Rambo: Complete the game and DLC on John Rambo Difficulty
- Weapon Specialist: Use at least once every weapon available in-game
Xbox Achievements
Xbox has a total of 34 achievements (27 for the base game and 7 for the DLC). All 34 trophies equal 1,250 points.
Base Game Achievements:
- Prologue: 2 stars on Prologue
- Jail Escape: 2 stars on Jail Escape
- Forrest Hunt: 2 stars on Forrest Hunt
- Hope Demolition: 2 stars on Hope Demolition
- First Blood Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 1 Levels
- POW Camp: 2 stars on POW Camp
- River Run: 2 stars on River Run
- Escape from Interrogation: 2 stars on Escape from Interrogation
- Deep Jungle: 2 stars on Deep Jungle
- Village Encounter: 2 stars on Village Encounter
- The Waterfall: 2 stars on The Waterfall
- P.O.W. Evacuation: 2 stars on P.O.W. Evacuation
- First Blood Part II Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 2 Levels
- Afghan Camp: 2 stars on Afghan Camp
- The Fort: 2 stars on The Fort
- The Fort 2nd attempt: 2 stars on The Fort 2nd attempt
- Cave Encounter: 2 stars on Cave Encounter
- Final Battle: 2 stars on The Final Battle
- Rambo III Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 3 Levels
- War you won’t believe: 15x Score Multiplier on any level
- Become War to Survive a War: 20 kills per minute ratio on any level
- Your worst nightmare: 10-chain kill combo on any level
- I’m the last one, Sir: 3000 kills in total
- Good supply of body bags: 2000 headshots in total
- God didn’t make Rambo: Reach Rank 20
- God would have mercy: Reload Combo of 100 on any level
- My War is Over: Complete story mode on Green Beret difficulty
Team Baker DLC Achievements:
- Medal of Honor: Complete all BAKER TEAM missions
- Hornets Nest: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 1
- Ambush: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 2
- Left Behind: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 3
- I know this story well: 3 stars on each BAKER TEAM mission
- I am Rambo: Complete the game and DLC on John Rambo Difficulty
- Weapon Specialist: Use at least once every weapon available in-game
Steam Achievements
Steam has a total of 34 achievements (27 for the base game and 7 for the DLC).
Base Game Achievements:
- War you won’t believe: 15x Score Multiplier on any level
- Your worst nightmare: 10-chain kill combo on any level
- Become War to Survive a War: 20 kills per minute ratio on any level
- Jailbreak: 2 stars on Jailbreak
- God would have mercy: Reload Combo of 100 on any level
- I’m the last one, Sir: 3000 kills in total
- Prologue: 2 stars on Prologue
- Forrest Hunt: 2 stars on Forrest Hunt
- POW Evac: 2 stars on POW Evac
- The Waterfall: 2 stars on The Waterfall
- God, didn’t make Rambo. I made him: Reach Rank 20
- POW Camp: 2 stars on POW Camp
- Cave Encounter: 2 stars on Cave Encounter
- Good supply of body bags: 2000 headshots in total
- Deep Jungle: 2 stars on Deep Jungle
- Interrogation Escape: 2 stars on Interrogation Escape
- The Demolition Of Hope: 2 stars on The Demolition Of Hope
- My War is Over: Complete story mode on Green Beret difficulty
- The Fort: 2 stars on The Fort
- River Run: 2 stars on River Run
- The Fort – Second Stab: 2 stars on The Fort – Second Stab
- Afghan Camp: 2 stars on Afghan Camp
- Village Vanguard: 2 stars on Village Vanguard
- The Final Showdown: 2 stars on The Final Showdown
- First Blood Part II Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 2 Levels
- First Blood Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 1 Levels
- Rambo III Complete: 3 stars on all CHAPTER 3 Levels
Team Baker DLC Achievements:
- Medal of Honor: Complete all BAKER TEAM missions
- Hornets Nest: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 1
- Ambush: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 2
- I am Rambo: Complete the game and DLC on John Rambo Difficulty
- Left Behind: 2 stars on BAKER TEAM PART 3
- Weapon Specialist: Use at least once every weapon available in-game
- I know this story well: 3 stars on each BAKER TEAM mission
Rambo: The Video Game Cheats FAQ
If players Google “Rambo: The Video Game cheats” a few FAQ results pop up, but none of them are relevant to the game. Most of the questions ask generic cheat questions such as “What is the famous cheat code?” and “Are video game cheats illegal?” Nothing directly relates to Rambo: The Video Game. Just Googling “Rambo: The Video Game” doesn’t come up with many more relevant results. There is one FAQ worth looking at, though.
How long is Rambo: The Video Game?
According to HowLongToBeat.com, players can finish the main story in four hours. Main and side quests will take about five hours. A completionist run will take around eight hours. The game isn’t long, which is probably why most of the trophies/achievements come from the challenge of replaying for higher kill counts and better scores.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©GameSpot / Teyon / Reef Entertainment Ltd.