Former soldier turned reluctant hero John Rambo is one of the most well-known and iconic characters in American movie history, though for varying reasons. His original movie, First Blood, is considered by many to be a legitimately great movie with themes of anti-militarism, but its sequels are more known for exemplifying '80s action movie excess. After a string of modern film revivals, including 2019's Rambo: Last Blood, the character has become a video game mainstay thanks to DLC cameo appearances.
After appearances as an operator in Call of Duty: Warzone and a prominent turn as a guest fighter in Mortal Kombat 11, Rambo is now also showing up in Far Cry 6. Rambo's recent appearances in video games reflect both parts of his somewhat contradictory history, with nostalgia definitely playing a part, but why did the character become an icon in video games of all places?
Rambo in Mortal Kombat and Far Cry
Mortal Kombat 11 created a ton of buzz with a DLC theme focused on '80s action heroes, bringing Terminator, RoboCop and Rambo together in one neat package. Even more interesting was just how well Rambo fit into the game, thanks to his mix-up gameplay and a moveset build around traps. Beyond that, though, Rambo made appearances in Call of Duty and the tongue-in-cheek pixel shooter Broforce.
Far Cry 6 will have Rambo-themed DLC in a particularly tongue-in-cheek way. Instead of starring Rambo himself, the DLC involves a fan of the movie franchise who attempts to traverse the world of Far Cry 6 in a way befitting his action hero idol. This matches up with just how zany and ridiculous the series has gotten, as well as speaking to how influential the later entries in the Rambo series were. However, there's perhaps something deeper to this than merely making a gigantic joke with the series' DLC.
Why Rambo Is Suddenly In Video Games
Part of the equation could be linked back to the still quite prominent movement of '80s nostalgia. Rambo was at his biggest back in the '80s, and he was in many ways the prototype for the several generic, oily and musclebound action heroes of the era. This '80s connection may also be why '80s nostalgia-inspired Stranger Things is also showing up in Far Cry 6 for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox consoles and other platforms.
The over-the-top, blood and guts nature of the Mortal Kombat series makes the more violent and bloodthirsty Rambo of the sequel films right at home. These movies turned Rambo into a borderline superhuman who could accomplish ridiculous steroid-fueled feats in his quest to kill as many people as possible. These movies were noted for their excessive kill count, with the most recent film, Last Blood, even ending with a Fatality-esque heart extraction.
The Far Cry series, on the other hand, exhibits both the later movies in the Rambo series as well as Rambo's quieter moments. The first movie was all about realistic survival, and that in many ways is what Far Cry is at its best. Though these games have also taken on a more extravagant nature, their best moments involve simply making it out alive in a somewhat rural environment. This could be a domestic American location, like in First Blood or Far Cry 5, or a foreign, war-torn island like in Rambo II and Far Cry 6.
All of this, combined with gamers' penchant for gun-toting action and violence, making Rambo the perfect vehicle for these digital inhibitions. Hopefully, more games begin to involve the Stallone character in some way, whether they involve stealth and survival or merely killing as many people as possible in the most violent ways imaginable.