How Dark is Postal 1?

[@ABuffWizard]

WATCH THE EX-PATREON BONUS VIDEO HERE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6nRoop4hKqaq9U

[@DinnerForkTongue]

That image of the Postal Dude hiding in the corner, desperately clinging to a rifle like a child with a blanket or a teddy bear. That messed with me.

[@you-nh8xo]

Lol wuss

[@Bullboy_Adventures]

Basically guts from berserk, but with firearms, and if guts just completely gave up and gave in to his darkness

[@somebodyknowitall7131]

​@ramudasanjuu why? i wanna know your reason, genuinely curious

[@DinnerForkTongue]

@@somebodyknowitall7131 There's no 'why', he's simply baiting.

[@uhoh3955]

@ramudasanjuu chud hands typed this

[@DoktrDub]

That quote from Jon gave me shivers in regards to the original elementary school attack ending from the game. “The original ending no longer applies, because it was suppose to depict something completely unthinkable”

[@ryanthemostwantedfurry1281]

And nowadays, that unthinkable something happens... And alot...

[@Leonard_Wolf_2056]

As they say, Reality is sh!ttier than fiction.

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

​@@ryanthemostwantedfurry1281a lot? Bruh Im from germany and as far as I know shooting up schools is Americas Nationalsport, with competing athletes going for new records every month

[@ryanthemostwantedfurry1281]

@@AbuHajarAlBugatti Got me in the first half not gonna lie xD

[@MultiLittlePsycho]

@@MrMojoRisin69 a 70 year old dude with a scattergun injuring some people with birdshot cause he was probably annoyed by noises & thought 'fuck it im old anyway' is kinda different to schools getting shot up by young people with issues monthly.

[@justaserbiandoomer497]

I feel like the second game shows the world through the eyes of Postal Dude while the first shows what's actually happening.

[@DR3ADNOUGHT]

I prefer to see Postal 2 as a self-parody of Postal 1's concept, mocking how grim it is.

[@WikterRor2807]

@@DR3ADNOUGHT yeah,

[@TM__1566]

I'm pretty sure that the loading screens are how the Dude is seeing his world

[@spanpoppy3166]

That’s why the first game is top down and the second is first person

[@thephantomoftheparadise5666]

So he's probably related to the Pyro.

[@lightsideendings5815]

Though it's entirely possible to run through Postal 1 without killing a single Innocent, you couldn't NOT throw a firebomb at the marching band when you were 12. It was like putting Oreo pudding in front of you and saying, "Don't eat it."

[@coolwolf506]

oh, so the police officers arent innocent people doing their job?

[@lightsideendings5815]

@@coolwolf506 Postal is divided into Innocents and Hostiles. Hostiles are the ones shooting at you and the Hostiles have to be eliminated to clear the level. But that's the rub of Postal, isn't it? Outside of Postal Dude's perspective, what's a Hostile, anyway?

[@dachel683]

"Oreo pudding" that exists?

[@lightsideendings5815]

@@dachel683 I hope so.

[@DPCP-h9u]

I think that was the point. You have fire bombs, you see the marching band, your lil brain says "haha, burned player goes toot". But that was the trap. When they burn, they are screaming. The fire spreads and attacks other pedestrians. Police and self armed people see the mad man with fire bombs. When the embers die out, only charred corpses are left, and a huge sense of wrongness. You wanted to play, so keep going. Play.

[@Kabutoes]

I member when people like Extra Credits freaked out about the release of HATRED but forget this game existed years before

[@aniquinstark4347]

"You didn't ask for this. You didn't choose this..." That video is so stupid that it's burned into my mind like the fitnessgram pacer test.

[@blarghinatelazer9394]

@@aniquinstark4347 "YET HERE YOU ARE, PLAYING AS-" Good lord, how amazing it is that one bad video still leaves its impression on people even 5 years or so later.

[@acaperic9070]

lol that was a rarely idiotic video

[@James-py4je]

You... "member"? No offense, seriously, but would you mind sharing your age?

[@kovacist3256]

@@James-py4je imagine seeing a minor spelling mistake and asking someone’s age over it

[@Hawkeye04300]

I played Postal 1 redux not long ago and man...it isn't fun. Not in a gameplay sense, but it's like every aspect of the game really tries to tell you not to continue in a subconscious way.

[@WikterRor2807]

i mean.... yea the screams in the loading screen are enough to make me not want to play it

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

The first Postal never was fun. I played through about two levels back in the day and I hated it. Postal 2 was freakin' killer though! Also, the graphics looked like they slammed the levels together from a clipart CD, if you remember, those stupid clipart CD's were all the rage in the 90's. Then there's that game Hatred on Steam and it's also not very good, but it's a thousand times better than Postal 1

[@sibanbgd100]

@@PlasticCogLiquid Postal 1 came out in 1997. Hatred (2015) being almost exactly the same and only slightly more (gameplaywise) good is laughable

[@justaguyonyoutube4592]

@@sibanbgd100 Yeah, in 1997, so you can’t really blame it for the gameplay or how it looked then versus now. Plus, gameplay-wise, both games are practically the same. Also that, Hatred only wishes it were as dark and gritty as Postal is. Because good god Postal was dark and not edgy fluff like Hatred was.

[@justaguyonyoutube4592]

@@PlasticCogLiquid I think the art and aesthetic added to the eeriness to it, especially the music, to the concept of being inside the mind of a broken man whose a mass shooter and to the theory of whether it’s truly him behind the murder or us the player that is responsible. But to each their own, but imo Hatred is definitely not better, not even by a long shot.

[@triledink]

I first noticed how messed up the game was when you got to the outskirts early in the game and had a insanly brutal quote: ''The air ripens with the odors of the dead and dying. It smells like...victory.'' That quote alone made this game extremly disturbing.

[@saxon7904]

First when you kill feels wrong, then it feels just like... victory

[@casualobserver5124]

That's a play on Lt. Colonel Bill Kilgore's "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" quote.

[@Doomern]

I got chills just from its game quote: Blessed are the meek, for they make easy targets

[@ackreikthecouncils.6449]

@@casualobserver5124 good thinking dude, apocalypse now is something else

[@Zekeeeetard]

@@ackreikthecouncils.6449 greatest movie ever made tbh. Isn’t kinda funny how the first postal is also called REDUX and there’s a redux version for apocalypse now that is extended. Just thought that was nice

[@Local_Idiot853]

“Audio/Visual Nightmare” is the best descriptor of Postal 1 I’ve heard in a while.

[@crazisaturn2274]

Indeed.

[@VincentAzure]

666 likes damn

[@TheSpiritedFendron]

comparing Postal to hatred it's like trying to compare a complete psychopath to the kid who's trying to be edgy

[@JetstreamRat]

It's not really correct mostly because Hatred was MADE for shits and giggles

[@TheSpiritedFendron]

@@JetstreamRat so if you compare it to Postal 2 then it still comes short

[@TheSpiritedFendron]

@@JetstreamRat it's really not a bad game, but I just see it as a budget combo of Postal 1 and 2

[@frenziogeo]

people who play the first postal and call themselves crazy psychopaths thinking it’s cool are the real edgelords

[@TheSpiritedFendron]

@@frenziogeo people that call themselves crazy psychopaths are edgelords. Postal has nothing to do with it.

[@Estigfend4367]

My dark theory: The image of Postal dude backed up into a corner shows the aftermath of his arrival at the Elementary School… His utter mental breakdown coming to a close as he emotionally crumbles to pieces, with the police finally locking him up in a place housing many other disturbed individuals, where he’d spend the remainder of his life

[@Mentobro]

but thats already a theory and already has been confirmed by RWS

It has?

[@mkilo9770]

Postal 2: everyone is batshit insane except you. Postal 1: you’re the insane one.

[@Kina1968]

have i seen this type of meme format

[@mkilo9770]

@@Kina1968 never claimed to be original.

[@pastelfromgreece9603]

what if in postal 2, the dude see the world in postal 2 as postal 1? he says everyone's a lunatic in the diaries.

[@stalecheez-it1034]

changed profile pic 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

[@starwolfcyberlight4546]

I like how its OK that we can kill civilians i n the GTA Franchise.

[@DJL3G3ND]

4:50 small correction, his main pain sound (the AAUURGH) is a stock sound, but vince did the FIIIIIIIRRE voiceline for him

[@ABuffWizard]

Thanks for clarifying. I had trouble with a lot of the sources of info this video, so I do appreciate it!

[@DJL3G3ND]

@@ABuffWizard np, Ive heard his pain sound in a few other places like Beastie Boys - Body Movin (at 3:16) for example lol

[@ABuffWizard]

@@DJL3G3ND You weren't kidding, so weird to see that sound used somewhere else. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6e1c4itlLGmaNE

[@Postaldude__]

Thats weird it really does sound like vince lol

[@DJL3G3ND]

@@Postaldude__ I forgot to mention that line is vince, but I cant even remember where its used now, Ive definitely heard it somewhere though, maybe a random npc hurt sound?

[@c4ns3r53]

In the OG credit image of the well with the dead bodies, there is actualy a baby shot in the back besides the dude cut in half in the center.

[@ABuffWizard]

There’s also a deer and a stop sign.

[@c4ns3r53]

@@ABuffWizard yep, there is also DN

[@ABuffWizard]

@@c4ns3r53 Deez Nutz

[@c4ns3r53]

@@ABuffWizard fuckin goog man

[@Nyck-Dee]

What i find frightening about Postal 1 is that the Postal Dude looks so inhuman during the air force base's loading screen, he doesn't look like a man there, he looks like a demon in pure joy in what he's doing. But his mind is saying otherwise when you read the journal entries.

[@NoBop2000]

As someone who has been on the verge of a complete psychotic breakdown a few times in my life that is kinda how it is. You try to justify or explain away what you're doing or attempting to do. Who you're hurting or attempting to hurt. Eventually you either come to your senses and break down in tears as Postal Dude does at the end of the game or you fully give into the new joy you've found. You stop being human. At that point there is no going back. No ammount of psychiatric help can save you or bring you back to some sort of santiy. To this day I'm still teetering on the edge of that and i haven't come close to a breakdown sense highschool so it's been like 10 years. It's scary because you feel like you start to slip away as you fade to just being a voice in your own head as something else takes control only to realize what took control is a peace of you trying to split off. But everyones situation is different. For me it's caused by a mix of PTSD, Bi Polar disorder, and a form of Dissociative identity disorder. So i have a psychopath lurking in my brain who splits off from me when I'm under extreme stress or anger and can take control which is not exactly a great feeling because I'm still conscious just relegated to the back seat watching everything happen. It really is like something else takes over my body. Even argues with me. It's fucking horrifying.

[@ABuffWizard]

Take care of yourself mate. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@judicatorhurayth1927]

@@NoBop2000 I'm sorry to hear that. You must overcome your fear and anger. And perhaps grab a suitable plushie for you. Might help you during some extreme stress.

[@Nyck-Dee]

@@NoBop2000 Stay strong man, find things that can help calm you and unwind your stress

[@NachozMan]

​@@NoBop2000 Go stupid, go crazy, AHAHHAHHAHHHHH

[@deathkorpsgrenadier2419]

What really gets me about this game, is that there is no antagonist. A lot of games have a main antagonist. Amon in Starcraft 2, The Prophets in Halo 2-3, Wesker in Resident Evil 1 and 5, stuff like that. But some games change up the formula by making the antagonist into something less tactile. Say Frostpunk for example, you're definitely fighting something, and that is the weather. It's a nice change of scenery, making your antagonist into something you have no control over. Cry of Fear is an amazing game, and while you could say that the "Doctor" could be the main antagonist, he's more of a plot device to further reinforce that YOU (or rather, who Simon perceives himself to be) are the antagonist. Simon also has a lot of mental issues, and tries to solve them one way or another with the tools he's given, and finally getting his ending, good or bad. Not gonna spoil endings here, obviously, but let's say every ending he gets (except maybe 1) is pretty much set in stone, that he sorts himself out. This bring me to POSTAL 1. The same could be said about Postal dude. Mental issues, figuring his shit out with the tools he's given, yadda yadda. But there's a huge difference in the gameplay. Simon, in Cry of Fear, is quite literally, fighting his own demons. Each enemy represents something about him or those around him. He can SEE his demons and fight them. Postal dude doesn't know what he's fighting. He's not even aware he's sick. Simon at least had the idea that he wasn't all that great in the head, Postal dude has no fucking clue. He legitimately believes that he's cleansing the people. He's doing "good". It really hammers in the idea that these mental illnesses are not as easy to point out as someone who doesn't have them, seems to think. You cannot see what his illness is. He doesn't tell you. The narration doesn't tell you. I'm not a psychologist to evaluate his illness, but I doubt as psychologist could just point and figure what he has. It would be best to just lock him up before any more damage is done, which is, well, the ending. The people are innocent, the ones who fight back are innocent, Postal dude, albeit absolutely off his troley, is innocent in a twisted way. The people who lock him up at last, are also innocent. I may be over analyzing this game to hell and back, but I feel as if this here is one of the most accurate pieces of media when it comes to showing the struggles of mental illness, and how most of the time, the ill don't have the slightest clue they are off their rocker, despite it looking so apparent to an outsider. Thanks to whoever read this wall of text, kek

[@ABuffWizard]

Great write up, love seeing this kinda thing.

[@CoralCopperHead]

Yeah there is. You're playing as him.

[@deathkorpsgrenadier2419]

@@CoralCopperHead He sees himself as a hero. The story is narrated by him until he's locked up. He's the hero of his story, and we're playing his story.

[@TM__1566]

@@deathkorpsgrenadier2419 Most villains also see themselves as heroes, so yeah

[@rawrdino7046]

@@CoralCopperHead a protagonist is the main character of a story

[@Zeug_]

Nice to see someone showing Postal 1 so much love. A lot of people write it off as trite and overly edgy, but they're not looking past the surface. There are so many incredibly interesting layers to this game.

[@ABuffWizard]

There’s definitely a lot more under the hood than people might expect!

[@obelix8492]

Postal redux ends up with dude realizing all the deeds he has done.

[@Immolator772]

i mean this technically what being edgy nowadays is. Not looking past the surface.

[@maxamaxa194]

Peeing infected urine on people and then bashing their heads off with a shovel was pretty interesting to me.

[@jimmyseit934]

I think it gets its flak from Hatred and the Postals after it. Postal 1 is my favorite to this day.

[@ABuffWizard]

*_"Population pressure and the stress of modern life may cause an increase in violent tendencies. The urban environment is the incubator for all sorts of undesirable behaviors. However much his atrocities disgust us, he may actually consider himself a hero. This is common among those who, in the popular slang, "go postal". In his tortured mind, he may feel he was battling against impossible odds. It is not unusual for some individuals to believe that the entire fate of the world rests with them. In the end, our subject displays all the classic symptoms of paranoid delusions. We may never know exactly what set him off but, rest assured, we will have plenty of time to study him."_*

[@DJL3G3ND]

true

[@a.k8185]

Interesting thing: In postal redux, corey cruise (the voice of postal dude in 3 and brain damaged) voiced that monologue of text. Yeah, rick hunter and corey cruise both worked on redux.

[@DJL3G3ND]

@@a.k8185 both worked on paradise lost too

[@mrscruffles801]

@@DJL3G3ND And on Postal 4 now.

[@fenrir9398]

@@mrscruffles801 And Jon St John

[@a.k8185]

I still find the "the City" level loading screen the perfect sum up of the game, and of its protagonist on the lower difficulties. Also: considering the imagery, the parade level is the last level where the protagonist is sane, as the loading screen is normal and the one after it is distorted.

[@Laxhoop]

It’s almost sad that RWS is clearly capable of making things like this, that can make people feel unsafe, you know, true art, yet what they’re best known for is fart jokes: the video game. I said “almost”, because I just saw that they got Rick Hunter back for Postal 4.

[@joakimberg7897]

Huh? RWS is awesome

[@FlyMeTonight]

@@joakimberg7897 Yeah but they just stick to the Postal franchise, don't get me wrong there is no problem with that. But they have the potential to make a new horror IP like Postal 1 but they never try.

[@joakimberg7897]

@@FlyMeTonight I think most people don't want them to make horror games. And I wouldnt say theyre known for fart Jokes, but over the top racist homophobic violence Jokes, so to speak.

[@CopaceticCFHMMA]

@@FlyMeTonight there’s a vr exclusive game they’re working on that’s set in the postal universe but it follows different characters and is an entirely different type of game. They talked about it a while ago on their podcast I’d say about 9 months ago at most. it’s called “Assault and Battery” they even filed a trademark for the name in 2020

[@Mike14264]

They like to piss off prudes 😁

[@Demu-xl9ei]

The ending of postal one sounds like postal dude is scream because of pain of something in or with him in the cell

[@thecrackconnoisseur5278]

6:23 "To the collective relief of almost everyone..." That one guy: GOD DAMMIT

[@reopri-lz7yw]

Postal 1 is really unique the first of its kind video game, the closest games to it are manhunt and cry of fear or afraid of monsters. I theorize the postal dude was a mentally ill man for months maybe even years and then his psychosis hit him(which is the scary part there is probably someone out there that is mentally sick but is hiding it and at one point it all crashes down on him). Its the most dark and grim game that there is its images, music all represent the postal dude(which is why its similar to cry of fear) and one of the few games to show true horror its a shame people don't pay much attention to games with the 'insanity horror' but anyways postal is a unique and very mysterious game when it comes to its lore... we can only speculate but we never will find a real answer it will forever remain Unknown which is it's horror the fear of the Unknown we just can't understand the dude.

[@ABuffWizard]

Thanks for the musings. I’ve played Manhunt, but haven’t heard of Cry of Fear or Afraid of Monsters. I’ll have a look at them when I get a chance!

[@shcdemolisher]

@@ABuffWizard cry of fear is free on steam, afraid of monsters, i do not know.

[@ABuffWizard]

I’ll snatch up Cry of Fear for sure! Any idea if the co-op campaign is different to the single player?

[@shcdemolisher]

@@ABuffWizard co-op is different, you play as two police men who prevent the horrible accident at the end. Though good luck finding someone as in my experience i could never find a public server of the game that was active.

[@ABuffWizard]

Alrighty, thanks for the info! Is it better to play single player campaign first?

[@J03_M4m4]

Honestly, Postal always seemed interesting. Especially the whole part of Postal Dude being mentally insane and just having a comolete breakdown that causes him to go on a rampage. Worst part is, it's something that could be possible in our world...

[@smward87]

It's not just possible, it has happened. Many many many times. And will happen many many many more.

[@theketaminekid1241]

@@smward87 reddit vibe

[@magicman3163]

Yeah nigga that’s the joker movie made a billion dollars

[@Somespideronline]

@@theketaminekid1241 tf has reddit had to do with the comment? The guy is right, mass shootings always happen and will continue to happen if people can't do something about it

[@roguespartan2854]

​@theketaminekid1241 There was actually an elementary school shooting that happened a couple of years ago. Let that sink in.

[@halfbakedchannel6065]

I remember watching my dad play this game as a kid. I'd draw the RWS logo in my coloring book lol. There was a contest if you wrote a postal story, and my dad (being a postal worker) wrote about his boss at the time. RWS mailed him a poster that they signed during the holidays, i guess they had a very small crew back then because there's like 7 signatures on it. My mom hated the game and threw out the giant OG strategy guide they also mailed. I wish they still had all the stories that were sent in, it would have been fun to read them. I feel like writing this will put me on an FBI watch list, but i guess it goes to show you how different of a time 97 was

[@MCGrassblock210]

Call me crazy, but I think the gaming industry could use more games like Postal 1. Testing the cultural boundaries of society and pushing the envelope via controversy. It’s always fun to see boomers melt down over virtual violence.

[@WikterRor2807]

hah sure. although a game like. that in 3d and new gen graphics would raise hell in the war against violent video games.

[@hafizo_kurosaki]

It has always been happening since DOOM came out in 1993

[@magicman3163]

They should make World At War 2 where you play as the axis

[@RedemptionDenied666]

@@magicman3163 that'll never happen In a million years

[@villiannewyork]

@@RedemptionDenied666 Sad thats the case. I think seeing the eyes through a Wehrmacht solider could be interesting considering the majority of those enlisted weren't Nazis rather just regular people serving the country

[@AngryShooter]

There's something very interesting about the psychological horror of Postal 1, much of it stemming from the fact that it's something that could very well happen in real life, that "monsters" can be real under the wrong circumstances, tho I am happy that they decided to go for a more explicitly dark humor route in Postal 2, that's the vibe I mostly associate with the Postal series, this very unique atmosphere of brutal violence and absurdity.

[@WikterRor2807]

yea i love postal 2, played it twice, even (that's not much but i never generally play games for multiple times). It's violent, but in a fun way, with a way to go wery much overboard, making you think... yeah, what i did was fucked up. but the dark humor and satire leaves you smiling. connect the violence to the general vibe of postal 1,and it will leave you with nightmares at night

[@Zekyb0y]

"Some designer lost his tiny mind" -Dude

[@BURDENOH]

Being a guy that’s gone through a psychotic break, I can’t help but feel for Postal dude in Postal 1. Yes, the acts you commit in game are horrible, but when you see the world through his lens..you see a scared, paranoid, schizophrenic man who’s uncontrollable thoughts/delusions have pushed him to do these things out of defense for himself. As someone that’s gone through psychosis (granted I didn’t physically harm anyone) it’s really hard to put into words for a “normal” person. All I can tell you is I hit my head really hard one day, and after about an hour or so my brain starts wigging out. Felt watched from above, uncontrollable thoughts, uncontrollable emotions, thoughts that I could speak telepathically, thoughts I was God, harassing people, name calling, paranoid thoughts that..some surprisingly came true which only made the delusions worse cause now it seemed the delusions are real. Thoughts people were trying to steal my identity, thoughts people were trying to fuck with my car, getting assaulted by family/friends family because they’re angry with me. Almost committing suicide to a love letter I wrote my ex cause the voices were convincing me it was a good idea. Delusions that ex was coming back. All out of my own control. I had no control. My eyes may have been open, I may have been speaking, but the man everyone knew was gone and replaced by a fucking freak. All over a head injury. People are quick to jump to “they’re insane” when really it’s “they need help, bad”. After the psychotic break all that’s left is a very apathetic shell. A lot of shame, a lot of guilt, a lot of self disgust, and honestly PTSD caused by your own brain. Flashbacks to the psychosis event you so desperately try to run away from. It’s hell. A hell you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Actually, I take that back. I wish it on judgmental people that fail to empathize, but feel entitled to empathy. Maybe they need a taste of psychosis so they can understand it a bit more.

[@BURDENOH]

It’s easy to look at the psychotic and go “You’re a crazy nutjob! How can you act that way??” When the unfortunate reality is..they don’t want to. Everything about them is out of their own control. And when they come back to reality, chances are they’re not gonna be happy with themselves for their actions.

[@psychocthonaut]

I wish RWS would come back to that era of Postal in some way. I just really like the way they created it, so creepy and disturbing, I don't think any other game really showed a schizo mind in this kind of way. The journal entries and the horror art really is great, plus the amazing soundtrack. The Postal lore about the dudes psychotic mind just seems very cool to me. I guess they like the approach they took, i love the silly postal but i wouldn't like for it to just be remembered as that. Plus people who like very edgy stuff would appreciate it. Maybe we will see that in some No Regrets DLC.

[@justastranger101]

Postal 1: I have a dark story, lots of violence, and I'm very realistic (not in graphics). Postal 2: haha funny cat gun silencer go brrrr

[@WikterRor2807]

Ever since i got a cat... I couldn't bring myself to press this button 😆😆😆

[@lollaloopa]

My experience of Postal 1 was dream-like, I would say. Postal 2 is also dreamlike, but it's dreamlike in a funky way, while Postal 1 feels like nightmares, random thoughts, morbid curiosity and youthful forgetfulness/naivety fused into a strange mixture of memories. Even now when I recall my playthrough of Postal 1, it feels more like a dream than something I played when I was a child. Forgetfulness certainly played a part in me feeling this way, but the game certainly feels detached from reality in many ways. Thanks for this video.

[@postalyorha4437]

I played through Postal redux and Postal 2 recently and i noticed that some of the tones of Postal 1 are still somewhat present in Postal 2, when i entered the mental hospital an uneasy feeling swept over me. like all of the goofy noises and sounds of Postal 2 went silent and this dreadful aura filled the space. was quite cool

[@Saihalji]

Yeah, Postal 2 still has this stuff, it's just more off to the sides. A good amount of areas are unsettling. One I remember is in the mall kitchen. Past the jokey "ha ha meat is dog", you can barely notice a tiny bloodstain and fingers sticking out from the fridge. Never seen anyone mention it, either.

[@WikterRor2807]

I mean its definetly more on the comical side ​@@Saihalji

[@Redacted_7560]

Back then, I honestly didn't know what Postal was and I even used to mistake the title for Portal. Come to find out the game's about a mentally ill man committing mass murder with incredibly dark undertones (obviously). Quite the surprise honestly.

[@solaireofastora6173]

6:58 this goes really hard

[@AbrahamRedcoat]

I originally played postal 1 because I got introduced to the series with postal 2 and thought it would be more silly edgy fun, but fucking hell I remember feeling so empty yet anxious by the end of it, like I was emotionally drained yet never more paranoid. Honestly I have been trying to chase another game that makes me feel like that but I don’t think I’ll ever find another one.

[@father_opan4358]

Dead Space, Silent Hill. They made me feel like you just described.

[@father_opan4358]

ALSO Spec Ops: The line.

[@LavaWave666]

Mother Russia Bleeds

[@mcsizzle9411]

Just gotta say, as an edgier gentleman with no intent to recreate the actions of the Postal Dude, postal redux is my favorite game of all time, due to it's ability to hit like a semi, rather than the lawn mower hatred rides on. I like to be challenged mentally, not feel mentally challenged

[@WikterRor2807]

hahaha

[@prawnking79]

Crazy how at a surface level it’s just a game where you kill people, but when you actually look into it’s an absolute masterpiece.

[@williewillikers9631]

"My name is not important" bit got me

[@FriskyBitch]

The ending to Postal 1, namely the original and it's still images, is unironically one of the most horrifying endings I've seen in all forms of media, The Dude got condemned to a personal hell for something he ultimately had no control over. That is terrifying.

[@welaaelrafie6]

Are we the demon?

[@nighurt478]

@@welaaelrafie6 in a way I suppose

[@sillycookie]

I've only ever seen Postal 2 for many years, due to goofy and unhinged humor stuff. But when I looked into Postal 1, I was shocked. Gross, disturbing, twisted industrial games have always drawn my attention, and Postal 1 was definitely a game that checked all the boxes. Silent Hill, Cry of Fear, Lost in Vivo, and Postal 1 are games that frighten me, but also are some of my favorite in the horror genre.

[@argrhr3517]

Once i ended the game, I only thought of one word, insanity

[@ichiban_co.]

Sad to know that they changed the original ending not because it was to offense but because it would barely have its impact like it did back then Thats justs beyond sad but besides that yeah you nailed postal 1, it is truly a very dark game

[@NoBop2000]

As someone who has been on the verge of a complete psychotic breakdown a few times in my life Postal 1 has always displayed for me a grim reflection of what i could have become under worse circumstances. I barely made it out with the sanity i have and i still struggle every day. And the thing is the level loading screens and diary entries are pretty accurate to what it's like. You try to justify or explain away what you're doing or attempting to do. Who you're hurting or attempting to hurt. You know the truth deep down. Hell part of you even loves it despite you not wanting to admit it. But eventually you either come to your senses and break down in tears as Postal Dude does at the end of the game or you fully give into the new joy you've found. You stop being human. At that point there is no going back. No ammount of psychiatric help can save you or bring you back to some sort of santiy. To this day I'm still teetering on the edge of that and i haven't come close to a breakdown sense highschool so it's been like 10 years. It's scary because you feel like you start to slip away as you fade to just being a voice in your own head as something else takes control only to realize what took control is a peace of you trying to split off. But everyones situation is different. For me the situation is caused by a mix of PTSD, Bi Polar disorder, and a form of Dissociative identity disorder. So i have a psychopath lurking in my brain who splits off from me when I'm under extreme stress or anger and can take control which is not exactly a great feeling because I'm still conscious just relegated to the back seat watching everything happen. It really is like something else takes over my body. Even argues with me. It's fucking horrifying.

[@imadrifter]

*amount

[@Ozzianman]

@@imadrifter there is a time and place to correct grammar, this is not one of them.

[@imadrifter]

@@Ozzianman *spelling

[@Ozzianman]

@@imadrifter Really?

[@imadrifter]

@@Ozzianman No, not really. Literally.

[@playtestnetwork9449]

Great video! We are currently working on a feature length Postal documentary and appreciate your hard work here.

[@Anonymouthful]

No other games has made me feel the way Postal did while playing trough it, it was like finding out about a serial killer and obessively going down a rabbit hole of digging up every horrifying detail I could find but somehow even more personal. I doubt another game like this will be made in my lifetime.

[@WikterRor2807]

Up to some time ago I'd agree, that definitely never. but some people weren't afraid to make a game like hatred... It doesn't seem impossible anymore. Implausible, sure... but not impossible

[@Anonymouthful]

@@WikterRor2807 Hatred doesnt really do anything for me, it feels very sterile in comparison.

[@WikterRor2807]

@@Anonymouthful it feels wrong somehow

[@wsnt]

I remember playing Postal years ago, one of Vanilla copies - a Disk. I remember listening to the outro while looking at it’s art and there lies a baby amongst the pile of people … shit was wild lol

[@INeverWanted2010]

Postal 1 gameplay = cartoony, goofy, over the top Postal 1 menus/music = true and unhinged terror

[@sandorrclegane2307]

Dude, nearing the end of the video, when you said the game's free on steam - holy shit! I will be playing it very soon. This video made me really want to play the game.

[@kattybratt1353]

This game is so incredibly dark. When I played it, I played it front to back in one sitting. Honestly the huge difference between 1 and 2 is so apparent, since I played both of them around the same time. While in 2 I was blasting everything without a care in the world and laughing at how absurdly comical the violence was, in 1 I felt... off. It felt wrong to see it and play it, and it ended up choking me up out of a solid fear for the fact that I was capable of completing it. I love both games but 2 is more like video game junk food, while this one is serious psychological horror in video-game form. Absolute 10/10

[@SirHellNaja]

One thing I like about these games is that you'll only get the true ending/story of the game only if you play on higher difficulties. In Touhou, if you play on easy, at the second last stage, the protagonist will give up on saving the world completely because they're too tired to do that. In Postal Redux, harder difficulties show you that Postal Dude just wanted to save himself and went batshit insane because of things that's going on in the neighborhood.

[@enocescalona]

you pretty much made the perfect video of why Postal 1 to me seems so fascinating. even thought a villain who enjoys his misdeeds can be entertaining, i really like how Postal Dude in the first game is clearly mentally unhinged. it is tragic, because he thinks he's the only sane man on Earth. Because of this, there is no genocide crusade, there is only a broken man trying to survive a world that he believes wants to desperately kill him. it is very thought provoking.

[@shadowcheato5292]

When I heard the p1 menu music I started breathing heavily

[@ABuffWizard]

It's like a horrible fever dream.

[@shadowcheato5292]

@@ABuffWizard yeah

[@arkan5000]

The once unthinkable nightmare we now call reality. Nothing is sacred, nothing is out of reach, everything is fair game.

[@shadowhalk225]

I played Postal 2 as a kid and had so much fun. Thought to myself that Postal 1 would be the same but nooooooooooo, opening that game for the first time traumatized me

[@lakota_himself]

In my head canon, this is the last game in the timeline of the Postal Dude. Somehow after postal 4 shit just got so fucked up he completely lost it. (maybe he remember postal 3 lol)

[@ackthegreat6697]

Defo not, this takes place in paradise which was blown up twice and reduced to dust. For me, it is a game that the dude made and the game that got him fired from rws and had the protesters gather under their HQ. My theory is furthered by the fact that in paradise lost redux exists as a game, which means that the events in p1 and redux never happened.

[@WikterRor2807]

@@ackthegreat6697 yeah I've heard of this theory. I generally think so too

[@Scremyt]

I am still playing Postal, I think it's a great game but at the same time the point of me being the driving force behind him and taking no punishment is horrifying but it is true. It's the same in Hotline Miami when Richard asks "Do you like hurting people?" Not only is he qsking Jacket but he also asks you

[@skeletonking4119]

The whole time I never knows his issue! I thought he either crazy or suffering a serious rage . Because some says he was a father and married to a woman . And lose their sons, that’s why when he met the children in the final act of the game he is unable to act he simply couldn’t take it anymore. But we (the players) are the actual villains of the game!? Is truly a amazing twist! Thank you kind sir for explaining!

[@jobforafrank]

postal 1 and 2, and hotline miami 1 and 2 are some of my favorite games because of the commentary on violence, mental health, and perspective. much like another comment i read my uncle also had this game when i was younger and i was also conditioned to think this is just what games are (doom, blood etc) only replaying these games at different points in your life can you see how much of a work of art they are and fully understand the genius (maybe less postal 2 but you know what i mean lol) i love reading all these theories and stories in the comments, i dont know anyone in real life other than my uncle who knows about let alone played any of these

[@jimmycon3004]

The editing on this is ungodly amazing!

[@ABuffWizard]

Thanks! :)

[@niyiu3547]

I always felt like, those games are their own type of art in their own type of way and I don't think, these games can be "remade" or continued. The same goes for Manhunt 2. Their existance is tied to the real world directly or real world events. Postal is a video game about mass shootings. The type of media, which was supposed to cause mass shootings (Doom was supposed to have caused Columbine) and Manhunt 2 is Rockstars answer to parents, who think "making violent video games is unresponsable", while buying their kids every game they want without caring or knowing what it is about.

[@TheGreyShaman]

I love how I watched the postal movie and now I’m getting an assload of recommendations for the game. It’s come full circle now.

[@AleksanderDrako]

Postal 1 (especially original) is the only game that made me stop and question what I'm doing. Peds voice lines often managed to make me soft and feel guilty. But I still finished the game (remastered) multiple times, yet it still stands in my head first and forward as a disturbing game.

[@Jarl_Thidrandi]

I've never laughed harder playing a game than when I first played the level with the marching band on postal 1. Something about it was just funnier than hell.

[@cheeki5280]

I'm a guy with multiple diagnosed neurodivergencies who struggled heavily with intrusive violent thoughts in my high school years. I was in a loud, chaotic and sometimes toxic environment where I was constantly overstimulated and on edge for one reason or another. The thoughts were extremely vivid and gruesome, and every time they appeared they made me seize up like I was being forcefully held in a nightmarish daydream. I am fascinated by Postal 1 and also equally unsettled by it. Not because I think it shouldn't exist. In fact, I'm glad it exists for that sole reason. However, I can't think about it for too long, or I begin to spiral into a deep pit of existiential anxiety and trauma. The game's soundtrack and overall aesthetic of grime, rust and gore also help solidify for me both the horrors that are committed by mass murderers, and the horrors that they might feel internally that pushes a lot of them to such drastic measures. There are times I fear I could have been one of them, had I not gotten the help I needed.

[@ABuffWizard]

Massive respect for identifying and getting the help you needed.

[@cheeki5280]

@@ABuffWizard Thanks man, that means a fuckin lot, for real real.

[@encross8058]

sorry to hear about your neurodivergencies man I hope that you're able to better live with them now than in the past

[@DionneDion]

The elementary school level is a great example of how it's showing that the postal dude wasn't in control of himself. You weren't controlling the postal dude for the entire game, you were controlling the demon..Controlling the dude? Anyways what I mean is, the final level is a cutscene, and it's probably where the postal dude realizes what he's doing.

[@poisonpawn6452]

Postal 2 was a favorite game of mine for years back in the day. I worked for the public, and after my worst shifts, I never failed to release my stress and sublimate my frustrations on a P2 character that resembled the person that had irritated me so at work that day. Everyone that works for the public needs a game like this.

[@BlackBeWhite2k7]

Postal 2 is definitely a classic in its own right and the biggest icon of its "edgy and absurdist/pushing boundaries" Era of pop culture I can think of. That said, it definitely feels like something important was lost in such a huge creative shift from the first game.

[@ethan10922]

your so underated man we need to get you more subscribers

[@ABuffWizard]

Thanks, chief. (:

[@Confusedddd]

As much as I love where postal went, i really admire the level of treachery that RWS wanted to depict. A true psychological horror game where you are the villain. Questioning if what you're playing really IS bad for you or not. I couldn't finish it.

[@ABuffWizard]

_”This can’t be good for me, but I feel great”_

[@hackeysackgod2540]

Short and sweet, great video. Leaves just a tiny bit to be desired in depth of it's analysis, but if you don't have anything to fill that time with, don't. Keep up the good work m80

[@ABuffWizard]

Appreciate it, mate.

[@Beunibster]

I think that the postal dude has been letting the dark side take him over by not taking control of his crappy life, which eventually lets the demon take over his body and commit these acts. The twist is that there is someone in control of that demon - it's the player.

[@imstupid880]

It still gets me how postal went from this game dripping with atmosphere and attitude to haha funny petition dude

[@byronlinares7745]

This video essay was really well done! Great job

[@ChrisCrosswow]

Awesome Video, loved every second of it ! I only knew Postal 2, thanks for shedding light on the first entry of the series :) Will you also cover Postal 2 ?

[@ABuffWizard]

May do if there's interest for it. It's been a while since I last played it, but next time I do I'll take some notes!

[@ChrisCrosswow]

@@ABuffWizard Nice !

[@isaacclarke8358]

@@ABuffWizard buttsauce

[@no64256]

I find it really interesting how Postal 2 onwards is just over the top ridiculous, like a parody of parodies; Postal 1 is like an indirect character study of a scared, mentally ill man that is so out of touch with reality that his massacres are thought of as self-defense. The fact that such a massive shift took place between games is sort of fascinating. It's something I occasionally like to think about (although I realize that a major part of it was people thinking Postal 1 was glorifying violence and whatnot)

[@enthrallingusername]

I can't believe they released this on the Nintendo Switch.

[@MechWarrior894]

Imagining us, the player, as the demon who possesses Postal Dude is pretty damn deep. It really made me look at myself in a different light

[@_smerte42]

one of the definition of postal is a murderous rampage without any clue what's going on

[@Hel-ly]

Back in a day when I played a hell lot of Postal 2, I bought myself a Postal 1 just to see where it all began. Man, I went through it once and shoved it to the back of the shelf. Are these games even related? From surreal nightmarish loading screen artwork accompanied by deranged writing, uneasy sound design and gameplay where your single goal is to kill X number of targets to a sandbox filled with penis-shaped maskots, Gary Coleman and abundance of toilet humor. I couldn't get into P1's story that much back then, but now since I watched quite a few of these "plot analysis" videos, it made me appreciate this game more. And I find hallucinations in Apocalypse Weekend genuinely terrifying, so it might be a callback to original Postal. But then, there are tourette madcow zombies too. Figures! 🤔

[@ABuffWizard]

It really is bizarre how big of a tonal gap there is between P1 and P2!

[@kanetombs1275]

I was never a fan of the postal games but I've seen them played by Civvy and some others, but postal 1 seems really interesting. The postal sequels I watched seemed crude/awkward/unfunny/jank. Think the darkest thing I saw here was changing the original artistic vision of the game for future releases due to modern sensibilities.

[@Lard_Indulgence999]

best comment

[@wrios64]

Playing through Postal: Redux, Postal 1 is really a tale on modern society, we are constantly bombarded with the worst in society: shown stories and videos of people harming others, destruction within our region and other places, consistent false and harmful advertising, seeing how people treat each other in real life and us, corrupt government and politicians, and so we begin to forget everything great about humanity; slowly devolving into a hatred and fear for those around us. I mean given a certain amount of time, untreated mental health, and access to weapons of mass destruction it only makes sense that occurrences like this have happened similar to postal in real life, that is the scariest part about this game, because in some ways its not only a reflection on reality but ourselves too.

[@dog-vo2cn]

when I first heard about Postal, I thought it was a mailman going on a rampage

[@TK-sg8qq]

Shoutout to the time I showed my friend this, and after about a minute of him playing it, I asked him what he thought and he said "he's just like me for real for real" and I was like "what" Edit: on my own opinion of this vid, the thing I like about P1 is that it isn't just edgy for the sake of being edgy, it's a slightly glorified, but very real scenario of what could go on during a mass shooting. Whenever we hear of a mass shooting on the news, people claim that the shooter had "no motive" to do what they did. In P1, we can't really get a proper motive out of the dude, as his reasoning and beliefs constantly change. In P1 redux, when you play on hard-core mode, the dude talks about how dangerous the new town he's living in is, as described in the first journal. Afterwards, it seems like he tries to get help, hence him trying to get ahold of the sherrif. And somewhere along the line, he comes up with the reason why everyone is acting "crazy" around him, and it's due to something the army released into the town. Though we never do get any solid proof that the army did something in any of the levels. Like there's no evidence that this "thing" is anywhere. But then again, P1 and P1 redux both have different takes on what happens during the dudes rampage. So, it's almost like the dude has no real reason to do what he's doing in the first place, other than people start randomly attacking him for no real reason (in his own defense). so he makes up a reason during his spree, and the player has no choice but to believe him. There's just so many theories around this game, we can only assume what we see and come up with what we think really happened during P1. (Sorry for the long theory. Did you know that typing large sentences on a phone is a bitch? Because now I know!)

[@mercenarydavi8362]

I played postal and tried it myself. For most of my gameplay, i was hoping that the game would end already, (btw my first run was excess postage and i tried completing it asap) because of the discomfort that the game brings to the player. Basically a art, if you wanna interpret it like that.

[@tankerock]

I played Postal 1 back in the 90s in high school and while there was some controversy surrounding this game it was easy to find and download. Other kids of my age at the time felt Postal 1 was a natural progression when it came to violence in games so it was no big deal. Game was fun and actually kind of hard, or maybe I just sucked.

[@iconofsin5886]

We love to reminisce about how good the 90s and the 2000s were. But they were also some of the darkest times in our age.

[@AngelSonevski]

Not really lol? The 2010s had just as many mass shootings, as at least the 00s, if not way more actually, not sure about compared to the 90s

[@iconofsin5886]

@@AngelSonevski you speak of your opinion like it's a fact. The shootings are, but fraction to today's ever moving world. May I suggest reading more and observing the world more beyond yourself?

[@kennywolf3725]

When you gun down everybody and that ambient music starts playing before you end the level, wow does it get dark quick.

[@prestongarvey9471]

Postal 1 makes NOTIM PORTANT (hatred) look like children's movie

[@stanleyknife3516]

"And adults like your dad" 😭 I literally learned about postal 2 from my dad years and years ago because he found it on limewire or something

[@bubbort8794]

The only thing I don't like about postal redux's ending is how differently other people interpret it, but my favorite idea is that he's remembering his sons funeral, explaining why he couldn't bring himself to massacre the school in postal 1

[@alexsheperd2060]

So I might be in the minority here but I think the original ending is infinitely better than the redux ending. The redux ending ends up coming off like Postal Dude stops because “oh no people won’t like me! I’ll be buried alone!” But the original ending is him stepping to the absolute worst ledge anyone can possibly even near and stepping down. I think it’s part of why the original postal feels like this permanent weight on a lot of the people who have dragged themselves through it, you were about to do the worst and the game said no not you. Redux ends up feeling like Dude is some narcissistic psycho who only stops because he won’t be liked and not because he realizes his awful actions. I’m also really iffy on the theory that it’s supposed to be his child’s grave because there’s (to my knowledge) any mention of Dude having a kid in any of the games let alone one. Feels like people trying to give an out to the character instead of examining Dude from the details we actually have

[@alfalldoot6715]

Yeah the devs should feel ashamed for removing the og ending

[@raynercoslop]

man, i remember playing this when i was really young (8-10 yo). It was the demo version, so I only had one map to play, which is good considering i was absolutely terrified of the menu and just mashed the enter key as fast as i could until i got to the game, so i didn't need to see and hear all that awful imagery. Fun and scary stuff

[@ControPhrenicLoser]

And even after all that Postal Dude is still one of the most badass fictional character.

[@Man-ye4xm]

A postal 1 movie would be terrifying

[@nunbuns7922]

The game is honestly terrifying and extremely dark, first you'd see the creepy main menu and loading screen, then the gameplay, that kinda stuff happened sometimes back then and it was made into a game, honestly if postal 1 was released today everyone would go insane, especially Twitter users.

[@thejohnno]

I think what makes postal 1 so fascinating to me is it isn't something like a free online web game (im aware its free on steam) but a fully released retail product that was on some shelves in 1997, back when horror games weren't like they are now in a way, this most definitely stood out from the rest.

[@rbahiaofc]

I've always had this theory that the demon that possessed postal dude is the player and dude doesn't have control over the situation.

[@fluffypinkpandas]

Thats an interesting touch to changing the ending. To note that at the time of production, it was shocking and unthinkable, really making an impact to witness Dude even try to attempt it, making you feel some odd relief but also pity when he breaks down and no children are actually harmed. And to change it Is to say truthfully That this action is no longer unthinkable But expected And thats why it no longer has the same punch, making its removal for the best.

[@ghostlyblues]

the difference between the level notes in redux is really interesting to me. seeing the postal dude think that he's simply protecting himself from people who are out to kill him, that he's in an apocalyptic scenario that is essentially a war, when in reality he's killing innocent people who most likely are just trying to defend themselves is horrific. the theory that dude is a veteran, and that the last level is when it's revealed to him what he's really been doing this whole time makes that even worse. all of it is a really well-made allegory for the message the game is trying to portray, that people who have been hurt, discarded, and ignored will someday lash out themselves(though, keep in mind, almost never on this level), often to little fault of their own, because they have no way to stop, and might even believe they're doing something good... it's terrifying. i thin the real reason why postal succeeds where hatred fails is because it actually tries to understand and show why things like this happen, what the cycle of violence and abuse is, and that this could very well be prevented, but simply isn't. hatred feels devoid of any nuance, and ends up unintentionally circling back around to dark comedy because the developers didn't bother to actually say ANYTHING. postal is much better, and feels far more real(despite it's actually intentional comedy!) because it does ACTUALLY say something, and it's message is tied into every single facet of the game excellently. i'd also like to give a quick shoutout to the visual and sound design of postal- for it being released in the late nineties by a group of indie devs, it's genuinely incredible, and dare i say revolutionary, that they were able to make it look and sound the way it does, and it's one of the best horror games i've ever seen.