Postal 2 | |
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Developer(s) | Running with Scissors |
Publisher(s) | Whiptail Interactive |
Director(s) | Michael J. Riedel |
Producer(s) |
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Designer(s) |
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Programmer(s) | Michael J. Riedel |
Artist(s) |
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Writer(s) | Steve Wik |
Composer(s) | Christian Salyer |
Series | Postal |
Engine | Unreal Engine 2 |
Platform(s) | |
Release | |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Postal 2 is a 2003 first-person shooter video game developed by Running with Scissors and published by Whiptail Interactive. It is the sequel to the 1997 game Postal and was released for Microsoft Windows in April 2003, macOS in April 2004 and Linux in April 2005. Postal 2, as well as its predecessor, has received notoriety for its high levels of violence, stereotyping, and black comedy. Unlike the first installment, Postal 2 is played from a first-person perspective, rather than an isometric perspective. The game is the first in the series to feature an open world.
Set in the fictional Arizona town of Paradise, Postal 2 follows the life of "The Postal Dude", who must carry out mundane tasks throughout an in-game week, with the player deciding how violently or passively he will react to various situations. The player navigates the game's map to carry out his errands, with player choice having an effect on the setting.
The game received a mixed reception from critics upon its release and has gained a cult following. It has received several expansion packs, and in December 2003, a multiplayer expansion was released, titled Postal 2: Share the Pain. Postal 2 remains continually updated, with a new expansion pack titled Paradise Lost released in April 2015.
The game received attention for its violent gameplay, and was responsible for multiple controversies.[4] It was followed by a sequel, Postal III, in December 2011, and another, Postal 4: No Regerts, in April 2022.
New Zealand has banned gory first-person shooter Postal 2, declaring the game not only illegal to sell but to own.