Not content to rest on the success of Postal 2, the twisted geniuses at Running with Scissors have unleashed Postal 2 Share the Pain just in time for the holidays. More than just a mere Gold edition of a game, Share the Pain adds the added elements of Multiplay along with a level editor and enhancements to the single play game such as faster load times, two new maps, a new weapon and two new difficulty modes.
For those not familiar with the game, Postal 2 puts players in the shoes of The Postal Guy, a man who has had enough and is close to breaking. During the week, players take the Postal guy on various errands in his small town of Paradise, AZ. While exploring a fully 3D town, the Postal Dude is free to move at his own pace for large portions of the game and can get into all sorts of trouble in the process.
Errands vary from such simple tasks as picking up your paycheck, getting milk, and going to the mall but also include trips to the library, paying a ticket, and getting an autograph from Gary Coleman at the mall.
Naturally things do not always go as planned, as there are a number of obstacles and potential hazards in the game ranging from radicals, book burners, the local police, the National Guard, rednecks, and so much more that want to nothing more than to give you a hard time and to take you out.
Luckily for players, the Postal Dude has a few options at his disposal to deal with threats and they include shovels, stun guns, pistols, shotguns, machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, Molotov Cocktails and the ever popular gasoline can and box of matches that would make Beavis drool in anticipation.
The true joy of Postal 2 is that it is only as violent as you the player decide to make it as missions can be completed without firing a single shot or dispatching any foes or bystanders. While some of the more sensitive types would point out the games violence, as well as some of the supposed negative stereotypes and jokes in bad taste, I prefer to look at the game as what it is, very well made entertainment for adults, who understand that this is fantasy and is designed to be a parody that pokes fun of certain aspects of life as well as controversial games by upping the ante and daring others to follow.
The solo play portion of the game was fun and had enough challenges to keep me busy during a week of play. I laughed on more than one occasion and found myself enjoying the game and its impressive graphics and open-ended missions that did not force me to move or respond in a linear or pre-planned manner. Improvisation was a key element to the enjoyment of the game and I improvised as often as I could and was rarely let down by the game.
The only real issues I had with the game were that some of the missions took a while to locate various buildings as the town is filled with places to go, and that it can be frustrating to wait for a load cycle because you took a wrong turn. The A.I. of the enemies was standard as many chose to charge my character rather than seek a lot of cover. Some may find the subject matter of the game difficult, but I have a hard time believing that any adult fan of a 3D shooter would not see that parody aspects of the game and would have an issue with the game.
The graphics and sound of the game are solid as the weapons, nature, and the players all get some great lines and when combined with the power of the game engine and its great animations, players will find themselves loving the attention to detail that the programmers gave to the game.
The multiplay portion of the game was very good and well worth the wait. Aside from the standard deathmatch mode, the game also has a great variation on Capture the Flag called Snatch where players attempt to steal the babe from the opposing base and place her in bed with your babe. Teams are varied and I loved the mission where the Postal Workers took on the Rednecks for control of the Babes. There is also a team deathmatch mode and a mode called Grab where players battle to collect a series of Bags while making your player stronger in the process. I was able to connect easily via the game and in no time I had a number of servers available for my online fun.
By combining state of the art graphics and sounds with a solid multiplay element and enough action to make even the most battle hardened gamers happy, Postal 2, Share the Pain is a must for fans of action and will be a welcome addition to any players library.
4/5
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