Originally posted by ntu slacker:
Postal 2
n
the upcoming Doom 3
Think of Postal 2 as your personal tool for stress relief. When the world's got you down, it's always relaxing to hit a gothic schoolgirl or Arab immigrant with a tazer, lop their head off with a shovel, set their headless body on fire, then urinate on their charred remains to put the flames out.
Thankfully, it's also fun.
Make no mistake about it – Postal 2 is the most offensive game to see release. Not in the past year, not since GTA III, it is quite simply the most offensive game to be released in the long, storied history of offensive games. There is something in Postal 2 that will offend just about every group of crybaby stereotypes or minorities, and the fact that I am not offended by any of its content means that I am either an enigma or a psychopath.
Postal 2's particular brand of "charm" comes primarily from exploring its massive world – chances are that you will thoroughly explore each new area as you enter it, before moving on to the next. It's just that kind of game. Around every corner is a new sight gag to behold, group of protesters to slaughter, or marching band to set aflame. You will see situations that you encounter in everyday life, but you will handle them in over the top, extraordinarily violent ways. Sure, you always have the option to be a pacifist open to you, but if you were intent on being a tree-hugger, chances are you would have bought a Michael Moore film, not Postal 2.
The game is the ultimate in satire, with little ditties such as a convenience store that doubles as an Al-Qaeda training camp, a confessional where the priest asks you if you made a donation before he absolves your sins, and cheap digs at credit card and insurance companies: "your parents are going to DIE! Make sure they are covered with a policy by Fee of America!" I could go on and on, but Postal 2 often seems like one big talk radio show, where the host isn't afraid of losing his job.
For all its humor and senseless violence, there are a few gripes I have with Postal 2, though they are not the dealbreakers many other reviews have made them out to be. First and foremost, the game's loading times keep it from being one you will want to play as sporadically as something like GTA 3, which is a shame, given that Postal 2 comes very close to realizing an FPS version of everyone's favorite crime sim. You will learn to be mindful of switching between "load zones," which are marked with road signs, simply because you won't want to sit through them. They're more of an annoyance than anything, but I hope future sequels reduce their numbers. And while the sound work in the game is nothing short of hilarious, the graphics are a mixed bag. A generally dated look offsets great flame effects and detailed characters. Although it is running on Unreal 2 technology, the visuals often seem like a spruced up version of Half-Life. Some gamers may also take issue with the fact that Postal seems to be less linear than your average FPS, though I think it can be as short or long as you want it to be, assuming you can put up with the load times.
In the end though, gameplay and atmosphere is where it counts, and Postal 2 has plenty of both. It also has lots of pedestrians to kill, and you can kick their heads around like a soccer ball, or use your shovel and play hockey. Postal 2 gets a hearty, blood soaked recommendation.