Postal²

Postal² is a 2003 computer game by Running With Scissors. It is a sequel to the 1997 Postal. Both are highly and intentionally controversial due to high levels of graphic violence, particularly aimed at unarmed civilians. Unlike its predecessor, Postal² is a first-person shooter based on the Unreal Graphics Engine.

Controversy

The developers of the game counteracted criticism of the violence by claiming that the amount of violence is up to the players — they may go about their tasks without causing trouble, or they can create mayhem. Critics state that the game clearly urges people playing the game to indulge in homicidal behaviour, given that the player is often attacked by ludicrous hate groups, who despise everything from books to Christians. Additionally, there are long queues when the player goes to the bank or shop, the people of 'Paradise' are exceptionally rude and spit insults at the player if he or she dare bumps into them, and furthermore weapons ranging from machine guns to napalm-launchers are left lying about for the player to pick up.

Related Topics:
Hate group - Christian - Machine gun - Napalm

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Going on the rampage (or going postal, the phrase which the game is named after) is clearly encouraged, but never necessary. However, some missions put the player into extremely hostile environments, where the player is practically forced to kill the people attacking him/her in order to survive, such as book protesters who set the local library on fire and then attempt to murder everyone trapped inside (this includes the Postal Dude, of course.) Several ambient features like advertisement signs and shop names and interiors are loaded with some dark humor, thus exposing the decadent nature of 'Paradise' and letting the player more inclined to resort to violence.

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The game also involves some obvious inside jokes. The player's character actually works for Running With Scissors — the game's developers — with its offices being the scene of a protest by a group opposed to violent computer games.

Related Topics:
Inside joke - Running With Scissors

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Some game critics regarded Postal² as being a single-joke affair which clearly sets out to shock and has limited play-value, but it also has quite a cult following. Although it may have been the game developer's intent to rival the notoriety of Grand Theft Auto, Postal² did not achieve moral panic in the sense that the GTA series did. While violence and sexuality were part of both games, it was overexcessive enough in Postal² that it was considered tasteless and senseless; whereas in the GTA games it fits in with the story. Violence aside, reviewers gave low ratings to Postal² for its sloppy production values and technical flaws, whereas the polished production and innovations of the GTA series won it critically acclaim and blockbuster status. Unlike the GTA games, Postal²'s content was sufficiently over the edge to preclude widespread distribution and even many North American retailers would not stock it.

Related Topics:
Grand Theft Auto - Moral panic

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Some of the more controversial aspects of the game are:

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• Al Qaeda terrorists who carry out a suicide bombing of a church
• The ability to urinate on people to make them vomit in disgust
• Anthrax-filled cow's heads as weapons
• The use of cats as silencers for shotguns and machine guns, involving pushing the barrel of the gun into the feline's rectum (this was commented on in an episode of )
• Hash pipes that can be smoked in order to regain health
• Decapitating people with shovels and kicking the heads about
• Playing "fetch" with dogs using peoples heads

Postal² became the second computer game to be banned in New Zealand (Manhunt was the first). This title was also banned in Australia by the OFLC due to the absence of an 18+ rating for software.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - Manhunt - OFLC

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