Rambo: The Video Game

61%
Game Brain Score Based on 280 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Rambo: The Video Game Game Cover
With just a little more development time, Star Trek: The Video Game would have had a legitimate shot at being a good video game. As it stands now, though, it's just a bundle of missed opportunities
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"Rambo: The Video Game" is a rail shooter that follows the story of the Rambo film series. Players take on the role of John Rambo, using a variety of weapons to take down enemies in fast-paced combat. The game features iconic locations and scenes from the movies, as well as a survival mode for added replayability. However, criticism has been directed at the game's lack of polish and repetitive gameplay.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 280 reviews
music4 positive mentions
graphics26 negative mentions
  • Fun for fans of the Rambo franchise, offering nostalgic moments from the movies.
  • Engaging rail shooter mechanics with a variety of weapons and skill upgrades.
  • Decent replay value with challenges and scoring systems to encourage multiple playthroughs.
  • Poor graphics and sound quality, reminiscent of outdated games.
  • Frustrating gameplay with unresponsive controls and awkward quick-time events.
  • Short campaign length and lack of content, making it feel like a cash grab.
  • story87 mentions

    The game's story closely follows the plots of the first three Rambo movies, providing a condensed experience that highlights key moments from each film. While the narrative is appreciated by fans for its accuracy, the linear gameplay and reliance on quick-time events detract from the overall experience, leading to a short completion time of around 2 to 5 hours. Despite its brevity, the game offers replayability through challenges and mission rankings, allowing players to unlock weapons and improve their scores.

    • “I was pleasantly surprised that it followed very closely the storyline and atmosphere of the first three movies.”
    • “The storyline follows the movies very closely.”
    • “The game is decent enough fun and other than a couple crashes it moves along well until the last mission where I had to switch the difficulty from medium to easy because they decided to make the level impossible.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very linear and lackluster; the guns all feel the same and the story is a heavily abridged version of the three movies with audio ripped straight from the movie. The game can be completed in 2 hours tops, and I would not recommend playing it more than once.”
    • “Had great expectations for this game, but it's more like playing through a movie scene. In other words, you don't have the freedom to do what you like in other FPS shooters; everything runs in a sequence in this game, more of a story mode thing.”
    • “Story-wise, there's not much to say really... you're John Rambo, an incredible Vietnam veteran badass, plowing through enemies with an array of firearms. Yes, there are a large quantity of missions to plow through, 16 to be exact, although most of them don't last longer than 10-15 minutes at best.”
  • graphics83 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many reviewers comparing them to outdated systems like the PS2 or early PS3, and describing them as poor or even atrocious for a 2014 release. While some players found the visuals acceptable for a nostalgic experience, the consensus is that the graphics are significantly below modern standards, often detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game. Despite the lackluster visuals, a few users noted that the gameplay and environmental destruction could still provide some fun.

    • “The graphics are good and definitely better than Cyberpunk on PS4.”
    • “The graphics are nice, not mind-blowing but very decent, and the game has a silky smooth framerate.”
    • “The games graphics are old school, the forest scenes are great, lots of vegetation, I was really surprised.”
    • “The graphics are completely horrible, especially for 2014; the year that this game came into existence.”
    • “Graphically, I already said that nobody resembles the actors in the movies and everything else is extremely outdated.”
    • “The graphics look like they were back from 2003, not 2013.”
  • gameplay59 mentions

    The gameplay of "Rambo: The Video Game" is a polarizing aspect, with some praising its complex mechanics like an active-reload system and a variety of combat features, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and linear, with repetitive enemy models and poorly executed quick time events. Many reviewers note that the on-rails shooting style can be enjoyable for fans of the genre, but the overall execution suffers from outdated mechanics and lackluster production quality, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, while some players may find fun in its nostalgic elements and fast-paced action, others deem it a disappointing experience compared to better alternatives in the genre.

    • “A complex multi-angle cover system, quick time events, and a lengthy campaign by light gun standards. The most complex active-reload mechanic I've ever seen in a game, where you can even cause your gun to jam, along with extra game modes.”
    • “Gfx are absolutely fine and the game runs at a solid 60fps. The gameplay is easily the best part of the game, challenging but fair, with a progression system that keeps you interested as Rambo becomes stronger and better.”
    • “For anyone who likes fast-paced action games that require an instinctive gameplay style (twitch reactions), this game is a must-have and deserves much more praise than it got at the time of release.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very linear and lackluster; the guns all feel the same and the story is a heavily abridged version of the three movies with audio ripped straight from the movie. The game can be completed in two hours tops, and I would not recommend playing it more than once.”
    • “Rambo: The Video Game lacks every inch of love and care for the franchise, with very poor production quality, half-assed level design, and boring, sluggish gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is made boring by repeating enemy models, lack of pre-unlocked weaponry, and bad quick time events that should've just been left out of the game to begin with.”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game, primarily featuring tracks from the original Rambo movies, is generally well-received, with players appreciating the nostalgic touch it adds to the experience. However, some users noted issues with audio quality, such as low volume levels and poor clarity in voice recordings, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the soundtrack is a highlight, the sound effects and voice audio sometimes suffer from technical shortcomings.

    • “The game is an on-rails shooter based off of the original trilogy of Rambo movies, complete with quick-time events and even music and voice audio from the films.”
    • “Sure the graphics are not modern day but it's really cool hearing the Rambo music in the background, getting a little bit of back story, hearing Rambo yell, etc.”
    • “Sound - music is great, sound effects are cool, and I'm happy having the ripped audio voices of the actual actors, rather than some cheap imitation dubbing.”
    • “Accompanied by a soundtrack composed by a sloth and guns and explosions that sound like toilet flushes.”
    • “The soundtrack is ripped from the movies, which might be the only positive aspect of the whole game.”
    • “Other parts of the game I can't hear the dialogue at all; for example, in one part Rambo is in a patrol car, and the music and car engine are so loud that it covers up the dialogue.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through challenges, mission rankings, and a scoring system that encourages players to replay missions for higher scores and unlockable weapons. While the main campaign is relatively short, fans of rail shooters will find ample motivation to return for achievements and skill progression. Overall, the ease of play and intuitive controls enhance the replay value, making it appealing for dedicated players.

    • “There are challenges and mission rankings in this game to help add to the replayability.”
    • “Great replayability, the high score hunt is very motivating, easy to play through, hard to get a reward.”
    • “Its also very short - it can be beaten in under 4 hours, but it has some pretty high replay value because it's an arcade-style game.”
    • “There is a small amount of replayability thanks to achievements, if that's your thing, since you will need to complete all of the extra challenges to unlock different weapons and also blast the heads off of a few more enemies to meet the 2000 and 3000 kill quotas.”
    • “At $40, it does seem pretty steep for a 2-3 hour experience, but if you're a fan of rail shooters, you'll get plenty of your money's worth with the scoring system and replayability.”
    • “Replayable if you really like rail-shooters.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, including random crashes and visual issues. While some players note that these problems don't completely ruin the experience, the overall impression is that the game is clunky and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience.

    • “Aside from it looking and playing terribly, there's an endless parade of bugs and glitches, and the difficulty seems to almost spike at random.”
    • “This game should be like 5 bucks and even if it would be this cheap you would be disappointed, it is buggy, ugly and a clunky thing that is definitely not worth playing.”
    • “There are multiple bugs and glitches that cause the game to randomly crash and stop game progression.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its comedic moments, particularly in character interactions and cutscenes, where poor textures and modeling inadvertently create funny situations. While some bugs add to the humor, their novelty tends to diminish quickly, leading to mixed feelings about the overall comedic value.

    • “I called him back and said 'look at this' and he called mall security and we ran out of the arcade laughing so hard we thought we were gonna die.”
    • “The environments aren't overly awful, but when it comes to characters and cutscenes, the textures and modeling are so bad it's downright funny.”
    • “The game is also riddled with bugs and some of them are hilarious, but the joke wears out very fast.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game includes ads, which some users view as a cash grab, leading to mixed feelings about its value. While there is support for the developers' intentions, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding the game's monetization approach.

    • “Just do yourself a favor and please don't buy this shady cash grab of a game.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Reviews highlight a disconnect between the game's emotional impact and its execution, suggesting that a survival RPG approach could have diluted the story's intensity. Nostalgia for the 80s is evident, but players express disappointment with the graphics, which detract from their overall experience and emotional engagement.

    • “This game made me feel like someone who just starts working with computers.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, particularly noting that the final mission necessitates extensive level grinding due to challenging enemies. Additionally, the experience is marred by tedious shooting mechanics and a cover system that often fails to function properly.

    • “The last mission almost requires level grinding with how tough the enemies are.”
    • “The worst of all is the tedious shooting, with the cover system at times failing to do what it's supposed to do.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its strong adherence to the storyline and ambiance established in the first three movies, creating a familiar and immersive experience for fans.

    • “I was pleasantly surprised that it closely followed the storyline and atmosphere of the first three movies.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has received negative feedback, with players expressing disappointment in its performance despite initially low expectations.

    • “My expectations were low for this game, but I was still disappointed by its performance.”
    • “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
    • “Frequent frame drops and long loading times really hinder the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

43% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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