It may be rude, crude, and a bit on the janky side at times, butPOSTAL 2still holds up today as a memorable, tongue-in-cheek, and surprisingly versatilefirst-person shooter. After all, indie developers Running With Scissors said that the fans practically saved the company with the huge interest in getting the title re-released on Steam, which speaks volumes about how beloved this game is in the eyes of its devoted cult following.
A big contributor to its longevity is the modding scene, which has been active ever since the game’s release. The developers even bundled a portion of mods as part of theFudge Packin 2006. Alongside this, the Steam Workshop has been a godsend for re-uploading popular mods and taking on fresh and original ones, too. Many of them are real gems to play, and these are well worth trying out.
1Nicks Coop
Co-Operative Mode Is Now an Option
Fully-functional co-operative mode was not implemented in the base game, but the modding community managed to fix that with plenty of technical wit and cunning. The fact that NickTheDark pulled off such a feat so brilliantly over a decade after the game’s release is a feat worth celebrating.
Nicks Coopenables gamers to play through the entire single-player campaign with a buddy or five, with all the cutscenes, level transitions, and goofy scripted events left intact. Amazingly, even a custom-made save feature is implemented, and teleport systems are available. Plus, if a player dies, they can be revived on the spot to get back into thechaotic mischief that is inevitably going to happen.
2Eternal Damnation
An Ambitious, If Overtly Edgy, Plot-Heavy Total Conversion Mod
Eternal Damnationis one of the most notable mods forPOSTAL 2,and is an ambitious one at that. It has a new setting, over-the-top levels of gore, fully-voiced cutscenes, and…well, a lot of edginess. Its plot involves a bad-mouthed patient escaping an asylum amid a zombie apocalypse. And if that sounds tame, then just wait until the rest of the twists and revelations pop-up.
POSTALfanstend to think highly of the mod. It’s an ambitious title that retains the wild gunfights and core mechanics ofPOSTAL 2. Many of the combat encounters are pretty out there, and the set-pieces look impressive for the time as well. It’s ongoing proof that unpaid modders can be just as talented as developers.
3A Very Postal Christmas
Celebrate Christmas With a Brand New Map
A Very Postal Christmaswas an ambitious mod that was also bundled with the aforementionedPOSTAL: Fudge Pack, and even intended on packing in new weapons and NPCs. These weren’t carried over to the Steam Workshop upload, though that version is playable and still offersentertainment aplenty for anyone feeling festive.
While the list of things to do is sparse, the new map is huge, and plenty of NPCs are ready for a fight. It’s more like a goofy, festive sandbox with gremlins, an armed-and-dangerous Santa, unusual figures willing to sell “Health” Pipes, and an abundance of cops and terrorists with itchy trigger-fingers. It’s a mindless romp, but one that will certainly satisfy, whether it’s played around Christmas or not.
4POSTAL Mode
Reimagines the First Game with the Sequel’s Assets
For those who want to experience the first game withinPOSTAL 2, perhapsPOSTAL Modewill fill that void. For context,POSTALwas adark and gritty titlethat had the titular Postal Dude going on a killing spree against hostiles across various sizable maps. Once the majority of them are dead, one can progress to the next map to jump into the carnage all over again.
That same gameplay loop is present in this mod, too. Portions of areas in the base game are divided up and turned into expansive areas to let loose in, all the while allowing the player to barge into homes, kick people in the privates, and loot their belongings before moving on.
5Tropic
Revisit the Town of Paradise
Tropicis a peculiar project, as it givesPOSTAL 2a bit of a makeover. Anyone who wants to replay the game with a tropical lookakin toFar Crymay very well enjoy this one. That’s not all there is to enjoy, of course. HD models and textures are all here, and the Postal Dude has a funky-looking new outfit to wear.
More interestingly, it contains additional locations and vehicles, and is even compatible with the Nicks Coop mod and the ‘Apocalypse Weekend’ levels as well! Otherwise, it’s mostly the same as the base game, just with copious amounts of greenery and other little bits sprinkled to help brighten things up.
6ProjectMarica
Vehicles Come in Abundance
Walking is a thing of the past withProjectMarica. It’s not the only vehicle-centric mod for the game available out there, but this one goes the extra mile. There are tanks, helicopters, quad bikes, and even dragons to ride. Just whip out the Vehicle Launcher and pull the trigger to instantly spawn a new vehicle. Some even have radios with copyrighted songs on (just don’t tell Megadeth’s lawyers).
Additional maps for multiplayer and single player are bundled alongside, and these are much more spacious for exploration, with NPCs walking around randomly to serve as target practice. And who ever said a Sunday drive was a waste of time and effort, anyway?
Postal 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Live a week in the life of “The POSTAL Dude”; a hapless everyman just trying to check off some chores. Buying milk, returning an overdue library book, getting Gary Coleman’s autograph, what could possibly go wrong?Blast, chop and piss your way through a freakshow of American caricatures in this darkly humorous first-person adventure. Meet Krotchy: the toy mascot gone bad, visit your Uncle Dave at his besieged religious cult compound and battle sewer-dwelling Taliban when you least expect them! Endure the sphincter-clenching challenge of cannibal rednecks, corrupt cops and berserker elephants.Accompanied by Champ, the Dude’s semi-loyal pitbull, battle your way through open environments populated with amazingly unpredictable AI. Utilize an arsenal of weapons ranging from a humble shovel to a uniquely hilarious rocket launcher.Collect a pack of attack dogs! Use cats as silencers! Piss and pour gasoline on anything and everyone! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!Aggressive vs. Passive: POSTAL 2 is only as violent as you are.One large non-linear world.Explore the world and accomplish your errands at your own pace.Interact with Non-Player CharactersSurvival Mode: If you choose to play as a pacifist, you will still have to deal with the NPC’s who may also go POSTAL!Based on the Unreal Editor: Easy to use and very powerful, with many mods already available from the community.The developers describe the content like this:POSTAL 2 contains Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Mature Humor, Sexual Themes, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol.
