Postal 3

Step into a world where everything is irreverent satire in Postal III. The politically incorrect adventures of the Postal Dude continue in this third-person shooter that never takes itself too seriously. Ramping up the violence and the inappropriate content, it seems like everything Postal III has to do to remain an enjoyable game is to retain its predecessor mischievous spirit.

Unfortunately, Postal III is not another week in paradise for the Dude, with the game containing a ton of glitches and oddities that definitely diminish the game’s overall quality. However, for fans of questionable humor, the game might still deliver some of the franchise’s trademark inappropriate jokes that some fans might appreciate.

A change of perspective

Continuing the Postal tradition, Postal III changes the player’s perspective. Unlike Postal 2, this game is a third-person shooter, leaving the first-person perspective behind. While this camera lets players focus more on the game’s hectic action, it can take away some of the previous game’s immersion. Another change to the Postal 2 formula is that the game is much more linear this time. The previous game’s semi-open world was a blast to explore, but Postal III goes for a more story-centric approach. That said, the reliance on story over exploration would be better suited for a game with a stronger plot than Postal III’s.

Controversial hilarity

The Postal series is infamous for its edgy humor and off-color jokes. Most of the time, these jokes manage to land, even though they can be considered offensive by most. However, when dealing with such a delicate type of humor, some writers are better than others. The plot of Postal III follows the Dude as he moves from Paradise to Catharsis, another Arizonan town. Due to his terrible financial situation, the Dude is forced to work some odd jobs to make ends meet. In typical Postal fashion, these jobs lead to the Dude being involved in an all-out war between America and Venezuela.

Unlike the previous game, Postal III includes a morality system similar to Mass Effect, where the player’s actions influence what ending they get. There are three available endings, one good, one bad, and one neutral. The game’s plot also changes depending on how much mayhem the player causes, leading to the Dude working for different employers.

Bugs and glitches

Unfortunately, we can’t talk about Postal III without mentioning its obscene amount of glitches. While the humor might be hit or miss, the undeniable truth is that the game is a technical mess. For starters, the crosshair doesn’t work half of the time. It seems like there’s a problem with the game’s third-person camera, making it nearly impossible to aim properly. The camera can also get stuck fairly easily, turning the game into an exercise in frustration.

The menial tasks the Dude has to complete to advance the game’s story can also get repetitive very quickly. Hidden under this sea of glitches and technical hiccups there’s a game that might be worth checking out, but it needs some serious work if it wants to be as enjoyable as Postal 2 was.

Pros:

• Good use of the Source engine
• Celebrity cameos

Cons:

• Poor aiming controls
• Too many technical problems
• Disappointing plot and jokes