The game uses a top-down perspective. Rambo advances through missions, eliminates soldiers, avoids hazards, collects useful weapons, and reaches objectives connected to the rescue operation.

Stages include movement through enemy territory and action sequences involving vehicles and heavy opposition. Progress is mission-based rather than an experience system; success comes from completing objectives and surviving each scenario.

Move carefully instead of charging into groups of enemies. Use cover and terrain when available, prioritize threats that can attack from a distance, and conserve limited resources for crowded sections and objective areas.