Postal 2
Sorry about that, baby.
ByTom McNamara
Updated:
Dec 13, 2018 6:04 am
In addition to multiplayer, Share the Pain load times have been squeezed down to about 15-20 seconds per level on a mid-range system. If you like to wander around and take your time doing all kinds of horrible things to people, then it's not much of an issue. But if you're objective-oriented and want to get directly to your next task, it is a bit less painful this time around. STP also added a couple extra areas and a new missile launcher, and a couple extra difficulty levels, but it's still Postal 2 at its core. If you liked the first one, you'll like these new additions, as the Tora Bora area is quite large and fairly well-designed, although when you're done you have to go all the way back through it to get to town. The new weapon, "Weapon of Mass Destruction," is a missile launcher that creates an explosion of toxic gas, spreading in the same manner as fire, and it seems to smolder on a corpse indefinitely. This combination quickly creates a field of dead bodies, which you may find cool or unsettling, depending on your tastes.
Performance still lags sometimes, though, even on a high-end system with a P4 3.0GHz, 1GB of RAM and a Radeon 9800 XT. You can scale down the view distance, the number of people and corpses, and decals (bullet holes and other damage), but when you really wreak some havoc, things will start to chug to the point of unusability. You can use the Performance Wizard to optimize your settings, but it's not a complete solution. Besides, who wants to turn off something as important-sounding as "World Detail"? Plus, it was impossible to successfully set hardware accelerated audio. One on machine, changing the setting killed all audio, and on another rig, changing this setting caused my computer to spontaneously reboot.
But let's talk about the core of the new experience here, the multiplayer. It's provided in-game through GameSpy Arcade, and the server listing is fairly fast, but the first thing you'll notice is that hardly anyone is playing the game. What you'll notice next is that you can't organize servers by population. After that, you'll notice that the game type isn't listed. It's like going back in time to the dawn of online gaming. You'd think they'd be able to whip up something more robust in the 9 months or so since the release of Postal 2. (The level of server information has been addressed in a patch, in addition to a few miscellaneous glitches, but our policy is to review the out-of-the-box version of the game.) Issues like this can be overlooked if the actual gameplay is engrossing and fun. Yet the style-over-substance theme that pervaded in Postal 2 carries over at full strength. You can choose some varied skins including a priest, fundamentalist Muslim, ATF officer, leather fetishist like the Gimp in Pulp Fiction, and Gary Coleman. There aren't any female skins, but I can't see this game appealing to the girl gamer segment anyway. Maybe it's just me. But a big problem here is that the Gary Coleman model is about half the size of the others, so almost everyone uses it in deathmatch and team deathmatch since he's a much smaller target. Again, I find myself wondering if Running With Scissors was paying much attention to such details in other multiplayer games. You just don't put in models that are significantly smaller or harder to see, or else that success depends more on appearance than skill. No fun for the skilled player when he's surrounded by darting children-sized people.
> But you know, that wouldn't be so bad if there weren't some other fundamental problems, mostly regarding explosives. You have grenades, Molotov cocktails, missile launchers, and the cow head, which leaves a long-lasting cloud of noxious fumes. These items appear to be absolutely everywhere. Plus, grenades can be used as mines. Just drop them on the ground using the right-click mouse button, and they will only blow up when an enemy walks over them. So multiplayer matches were an exercise in staying alive, rather than killing. Passages from one end of the map to the other would be lined with grenades like bread crumbs, making these tunnels and canyons effectively useless. People spammed all over the place with Molotov cocktails and scissors, which bounce back and forth from wall to wall like the Ripper in Unreal Tournament (the game engine of which Postal 2 is based on, though the MP code was apparently left behind).
So you have landmines everywhere, Molotov cocktails setting you on fire (to be put out by pissing on your own face), and then bunnyhopping--making it near-impossible to draw a bead on somebody, what with the ground being littered with their mine grenades, your surroundings bursting into flames, and swarms of Gary Coleman clones taking pot shots at you as well. Sounds like something out of a drug-induced nightmare, doesn't it? Makes it difficult to care that RWS took the time to add body armor art to each model.
Also, there isn't much game mode variety. There's Snatch, which seems to have been changed to "Grudge Match," but it's just standard CTF at its core, with the maps usually too large to support the number of players. There's also deathmatch and team deathmatch, but those aren't compelling without good gameplay to go with it. There's also Grab Mode, where you run around trying to be the first to collect ten bags, each of which makes you stronger, but when you create a game style that increasing rewards talent like this, it just accelerates the gap between good players and everyone else, with frustrating results.
Lastly, there was significant lag, even with low reported ping and a corporate-level connection on this end. It was impossible to successfully negotiate simple hallways and aim at enemies that were almost right in front of me when the connection performance got bad enough.Verdict
Sure, Postal 2 is a completely tasteless game that many found painfully unfunny to boot. But I try not to let my personal taste issues factor into a review. Thankfully, it was never an issue, since the multiplayer gameplay is just as half-baked on a gameplay level as the single-player, making Share the Pain good for some temporary novelty diversion, but not much more. If you were truly a fan of Postal 2, then you'll probably get a kick out of this. However, it doesn't make much sense to pony up ten bucks for the upgrade disc (or $30 for the full version including multiplayer) in the face of being able to legitimately download Unreal II's "XMP" add-on for free. Perhaps Running With Scissors simply can't afford to give away Share the Pain, but XMP reduces its "perceived value" to pennies on the dollar. So I can't recommend Share the Pain to anyone who didn't love Postal 2 in the first place.
In This Article
Postal 2
Running With Scissors
Platforms
Postal 2: Share the Pain Review
FAQs
Is Postal 2 a satire? ›
Postal 2 is pure satire, a hilarious and over-the-top playground for the player to toy around with as to how they see fit.
What is the point of Postal 2? ›The objective of Postal 2 is to finish all of the tasks throughout the week, and the player can accomplish these tasks in any way they wish, be it as peacefully and civilly as possible, or as violently and chaotically as possible.
Does Postal 2 Multiplayer still work? ›We have decided to cease official support for POSTAL 2 Multiplayer as the player base is less than 50-100 these days, compared to the many thousands spending time in singleplayer. The multiplayer in its current state is flawed with netcode dating back to 1999. It also has various issues on modern PCs and Windows 10.
Where Is Postal 2 based? ›So what is postal. 2 in short it's a first person shooter adventure game set in the open world of
Can you use a cat as a silencer? ›Postal III
They are a throwable weapon, turning into tornados when they land. In addition, they can again be used as silencers but only on the M16 and can also be used with the Rocket Launcher and as Grenades.
Malaysia, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden, I believe. Malaysia? Yeah....they banned it outright due to "very high impact violence & offensive depictions of cruelty".
Is Postal 2 a fun game? ›it has humor,action, and Gary Coleman. the only thing is that you need to like games, and violent ones to appreciate this game,but once you do you will be in for a great adventure that makes you Go Postal.
How long does it take to beat Postal 2? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Postal 2 is about 7 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 26 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
How can I get Postal 2 for free? ›To claim Postal 2 free of charge, visit the main GOG.com page, scroll down to the giveaway section, and press the "Yes, and claim the game" button.
How many copies did Postal 2 Sell? ›It's not like we've been selling Postal 2 consistently for 18 years but when it came out on steam it has somehow become a crazy hit. We've sold well over 3 million copies in the last 5 or 6 years so it's pretty crazy.
Is postal free on Steam? ›
Get Postal starting now! Once you add the game it will remain in your account forever. It seems that the game has gone permanently free, and it's available for free both on Steam and GOG.
Does Postal 2 have co op? ›Postal 2 Nicks Coop - Multiplayer co-op modification for Postal 2 Complete. This is not just a map pack for FreeMP, it's a real working co-op with all single-player features, like errands, achievements and etc.
What is the punishment for playing Postal 2 in New Zealand? ›The OFLC's ruling is the climax of a yearlong investigation into the game, and anybody found with the game can now be fined NZ$2,000 (â'¬1,075), any retailers selling or even displaying it can be fined NZ$20,000 (â'¬10,750) and potentially go to jail for a year, and any larger "incorporated" distributors or retailers ...
How many GB is Postal 2? ›The game is definitely 10 GB.
Is Postal 2 Banned? ›Postal 2 faced the most ire of the public, with ramped up violence and drug and terrorist references, however, it was proven that the game could be finished without killing anyone – smart move Run with Scissors. Unfortunately for the developers, this strategy was seen through and 13 countries moved to ban the game.
Can cats hear your heartbeat? ›He Likes the Sound of Your Heart
When your cat sleeps on your chest, they can hear your beating heart as well, and they are likely comforted by the sound. They return the favor too since your cat's purr is also good for your health.
They emit a sound that's believed to be unpleasant for dogs to lessen negative behaviors. This emitted noise is beyond a human's hearing range but not a dog's. However, a cat's hearing is much better than that of a dog. Despite their superior hearing, cats don't seem to be affected by dog whistles.
Is Postal 2 legal? ›I own all postal games. I bought stuff from the rws store and got the packages without any trouble. The games might be banned but you won't get punished for owning them. It is not illegal.
Why Is Postal 2 banned Australia? ›Postal 2: The sequel to Postal, also banned for high impact themes involving depictions of revolting and abhorrent content.
Is Postal 2 banned in Germany? ›Yup, POSTAL 2 has been banned in Germany since the very beginning, though Steam has only recently moved to enforce bans such as that in its German storefront.
Who voiced Postal 2? ›
Rick Hunter is the voice of The Postal Dude in Postal 2.
Is Manhunt a horror game? ›Manhunt is a stealth-based urban horror-styled game played from a third-person perspective. The game consists of twenty levels, called "scenes", as well as four unlockable bonus scenes. Players survive the scenes by dispatching enemy gang members, occasionally with firearms, but primarily by stealthily executing them.
Who voiced The Postal Dude? ›Rick Hunter, Corey Cruise are the voices of The Postal Dude in Postal III.
How long is paradise lost game? ›This roughly 3-hour, story-driven adventure, has you exploring underground locales as you uncover mysteries of the past.
How long does it take to beat Postal 1? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Postal is about 2½ Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 10 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
Is Steam unlocked safe? ›Is Steamunlocked Safe and Legal? Although Steamunlocked is absolutely safe, it frequently redirects you to other websites. As a result, you should make sure that you have an application installed that will stop redirections or notify you when they occur.
Can a Mac run Postal 2? ›Minimum: OS:MacOS X 10.6 or higher.
When did Postal 2 release? › How much will postal brain damaged cost? ›Enter Postal: Brain Damaged ($19.99), a spin-off of the Postal series that ditches (most) of the controversial violence, leaning into the classic Doom formula. Much to our surprise, it works pretty well.
What version of Postal 2 is on steam? ›In addition to this, the classic version of POSTAL 2 (1409) can be downloaded and played under the "Betas" tab on Steam.
What engine does Postal 3 use? ›
RWS talks game details. Controversial developer Running With Scissors has announced that the third instalment in its Postal series of shooters, due out on PC and Xbox 360 in 2008, will use Valve's Source Engine.
How many levels is POSTAL 1? ›Blast your way through 22 levels: Includes the original 16 level campaign, 4 from the Special Delivery expansion and 2 previously Japanese-exclusive levels.
Is POSTAL a Valve game? ›Summary: The Postal series continues in this third installment, using the Source Engine from Valve.
Who made POSTAL 3? ›Postal III
How do you share the pain on POSTAL 2? ›When you try to launch the game, you get a popup to choose between Postal 2, Share The Pain/Multiplayer (unsupported) and Paradise Lost if you own it. If you don't get the popup (if you disabled it), go to your game folder > Share The Pain > System and start it from there.
Does postal 4 have co op? ›Planned gameplay elements include additional weapons, optional "side errands", different outfits for the Dude, and cooperative multiplayer.
Does POSTAL 2 have multiplayer on steam? ›Multiplay is available but be sure to select it on initial start of the game. If you just start the game as normal, you won't see the multiplayer option.
When was postal1 released? ›Postal is an isometric top-down shooter video game developed by Running with Scissors and published by Ripcord Games in 1997. A sequel to the game, Postal 2, was released in 2003. Two additional sequels, Postal III and Postal 4: No Regerts, were released in 2011 and 2022, respectively.
Who voiced Postal 3 dude? ›Corey Cruise is the voice actor for the Postal Dude in Postal III and POSTAL: Brain Damaged.
Can you play Postal 2 on PS4? ›However, when Postal 2 released six years later, it drew a lot of attention for its violent gameplay. To date, the series is widely considered one of the most controversial video game franchises ever. And now it's playable on PS4, at least partially.
Can a laptop run POSTAL 2? ›
You will need at least 10 GB of free disk space to install POSTAL 2. POSTAL 2 will run on PC system with Windows XP SP3/Vista/7/8/10 and upwards. Additionally it has Mac and Linux versions.
When did Postal 3 release? › How many GB is postal 4? ›Storage: 35 GB available space.
Is Postal 2 still banned in New Zealand? ›Postal 2 has been banned by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) in New Zealand, where it's now illegal to own or sell the game with various fines and even prison time for offenders.
Is Postal Dude Catholic? ›On Tuesday, it is revealed that Postal Dude is a Roman Catholic, since one of his errands is to "Confess sins" in the church.
Is Postal 2 a fun game? ›it has humor,action, and Gary Coleman. the only thing is that you need to like games, and violent ones to appreciate this game,but once you do you will be in for a great adventure that makes you Go Postal.
Is Postal 2 legal? ›I own all postal games. I bought stuff from the rws store and got the packages without any trouble. The games might be banned but you won't get punished for owning them. It is not illegal.
Is Postal 2 banned in Australia? ›Postal 2 is refused classification, which means it is illegal to sell or import the game in Australia.
How many copies did Postal 2 Sell? ›It's not like we've been selling Postal 2 consistently for 18 years but when it came out on steam it has somehow become a crazy hit. We've sold well over 3 million copies in the last 5 or 6 years so it's pretty crazy.
What mental illness does the Postal Dude have? ›"Dissociative identity disorder, previously called multiple personality disorder, is usually a reaction to trauma as a way to help a person avoid bad memories.
Is Postal Dude a villain? ›
The Postal Dude is the villainous main protagonist and playable character of the controversial Postal video game franchise.
Who voiced Postal Dude? ›Corey Cruise is the voice actor for the Postal Dude in Postal III and POSTAL: Brain Damaged.
How long does it take to beat Postal 2? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Postal 2 is about 7 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 26 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
How many GB is Postal 2? ›The game is definitely 10 GB.
How can I get Postal 2 for free? ›To claim Postal 2 free of charge, visit the main GOG.com page, scroll down to the giveaway section, and press the "Yes, and claim the game" button. You will need to agree to receive marketing communication from GOG on your email address connected to your GOG account to get your Postal 2 free game.
Why is the game called Postal? ›The franchise's name comes from an infamous event where an American postal worker lost his mind and went on a murderous rampage. This event spawned the phrase "going postal". The first in the series was an isometric shooter simply named "Postal".
Is Postal 3 non canon? ›Postal III (Stylized as PostaLIII) was the originally released third "game" in the Postal series, but has since been disowned by Running With Scissors. Because of this, it has since been listed as a non-canonical "spin-off" title and was subsequently retconned in Paradise Lost and POSTAL 4: No Regerts.
How many levels is Postal 1? ›Blast your way through 22 levels: Includes the original 16 level campaign, 4 from the Special Delivery expansion and 2 previously Japanese-exclusive levels.