The other day, we talked about the game Commando, which in my opinion represented the final battle from the movie of the same name starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. But in 1989, a new video game was released one that I was lucky enough to play on my old Commodore 128 that captured the spirit and storyline of the film even more faithfully.

I was 7 years old at the time, and I was amazed by the opening scene. The game, titled Vendetta, began with a television screen showing a recording of a girl being kidnapped just a few seconds long, but enough to pull you right into the heart of the action.

Vendetta was an isometric shooter featuring a protagonist who closely resembled John Matrix. The mission was clear: progress through levels using knives and firearms, overcoming enemies and obstacles of increasing difficulty. At one point, the hero even drives a supercar, dodging bullets from helicopters as he heads toward the location where his kidnapped partner is being held culminating in a true action-hero finale.

What I remember most fondly is the challenge of figuring out the best strategy to complete each level. Back then, part of the fun was having no guides, no walkthroughs—just your own trial and error. Today, we have endless genres and instant solutions for everything, which often makes things feel too easy if you get stuck on a puzzle.

The charm of those days was how even a game with just a few levels and a short but intense storyline could completely capture your attention for days, as you searched for the perfect winning strategy.

I’m sharing the game’s opening scene here just a few seconds long, but packed with nostalgia and wonderful memories.