I recently finished watching Rambo: First Blood and I can't get over how good a game made around the license could be. I know there's a new Rambo game apparently heading to arcades soon and the home consoles of the eighties were swamped with tie-ins for the sequels but as far as I know there isn't a game based around First Blood and it's crying out for one.
Set in a quiet mountain town in the Washington area, the film centres on Vietnam veteran John Rambo and his new found vendetta for the intolerant local police force and he subsequently wages a one-man guerilla war against them.
The location reminds me a lot of Alan Wake and whereas previous games have got detrimentally fixated on the "hey look, Guns!!!" aspect of the films, a game made in this more mature gaming climate could centre on survival, exploration and stealth. Using the densely wooded area to avoid detection and evade capture; creating traps, makeshift weapons and disguises from scavenged items; keeping actual weapons and ammunition to a minimum to create more tense and tactical firefights.
Utilizing a 'wanted' system similar to that found in the Grand Theft Auto series - escalating from a small and easily shakable police presence right up to a hugely aggressive and relentless national guard - would fit perfectly with the plot of the movie. In fact, having an open-ended, sandbox environment (a-la GTA) would suit the game fine - allowing the player to decide how and when he approached each mission. Should he wait for the cover of darkness or simply stock up on ammunition for an all-out, guns-blazing assault?
A sandbox world would also allow the player to maintain and fortify a forest-based hideout. Although this wasn't featured in the film it would be a useful addition as the game would likely last more than the day-or-so assault in the film. The player would also be able to steal vehicles, as in the film. Possibly modifying them, A-Team style, into armored transport or makeshift tanks.
The plot would probably need fleshing out as "Police = Bad. Go kill them" is unlikely to hold the player's attention for 20+ hours. One possibility is delving into the character's back story and adapting the Agent Orange hook (Rambo's friend died after coming into contact with the deadly toxin). Maybe there is a big government cover-up to unearth and a chemical factory to destroy.
The ending would also need to be modified somewhat as a tearful breakdown into the arms of your commanding officer might not sit too well with players. However, the psychological trauma suffered by Rambo would make an interesting gaming device. This could be used to punish the player, with too much bloodshed or killing of civilians resulting in horrifying vietnam flashbacks and loss of control, maybe even blackouts resulting in the player regaining consciousness in a strange location.
Let me know what you think in the comments section.
