Pack-In-Video’s 1987 adaptation of Rambo: First Blood Part II is a fascinating departure from the mindless run-and-gun action one might expect from the license. Instead of a linear shooter, the game adopts a side-scrolling action-RPG framework heavily inspired by Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Players navigate sprawling maps, engage in dialogue with non-playable characters to progress the plot, and manage an experience point system that increases Rambo’s maximum health. While the inclusion of a knife, bow, and various explosives provides tactical variety, the gameplay is frequently bogged down by cryptic objectives and a frustrating reliance on talking to specific NPCs to trigger world events.
Visually, the game captures the 8-bit jungle aesthetic with varying degrees of success, though the character sprites are somewhat stiff and the background tiles become repetitive quickly. The audio department is a highlight, featuring a surprisingly competent chiptune rendition of Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic theme that lends a sense of cinematic weight to the adventure. However, the enemy variety is bizarre; Rambo spends more time fighting giant spiders, tigers, and birds than he does actual soldiers. This tonal inconsistency, combined with a password system that is unnecessarily long, makes the experience feel more like a grind than a high-stakes rescue mission.
Despite its mechanical flaws and occasionally punishing difficulty, Rambo remains a cult curiosity for its ambition to be more than a simple licensed cash-in. It challenges players to explore and backtrack rather than simply moving to the right, rewarding patience and map-making in an era before in-game mini-maps were standard. It certainly lacks the fluid combat of Contra or the polish of Bionic Commando, but its unique structure ensures it stands out in the NES library. For those who can look past the clunky jumping and strange creature encounters, there is a surprisingly deep, if unpolished, adventure buried beneath the red headband.
