Postal: 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition

Postal: 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition is a limited-edition release celebrating 10 years of the Postal series. Packaged in a unique Postal KrotchyO’s cereal box, it includes the original Postal: Classic and Uncut, Postal²: Share the Pain, Postal²: Apocalypse Weekend, and several user mods such as A Very Postal Christmas, A Week in Paradise, and Eternal Damnation. Additionally, the package features development and behind-the-scenes videos, game compilation videos, the Music to Go Postal By soundtrack CD, 10 sets of Postal Babe photos, comics, posters, concept art for Postal 3 and the Postal movie, and the POSTALforms Destruction Set. Only 2500 copies were produced, each numbered, with one containing a golden ticket to the Running With Scissors Christmas Party.

Postal: 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition: Review

Introduction

In the pantheon of video game controversies, few franchises command as much infamy as Postal. Debuting in 1997, Running With Scissors’ (RWS) series became synonymous with transgressive gameplay, dark satire, and unapologetic anarchy. Over a decade later, the Postal: 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition emerged not merely as a repackaging but as a time capsule—a lovingly curated artifact celebrating the series’ chaotic legacy. Housed in a faux-cereal box adorned with the iconic “Postal KrotchyO’s” branding and featuring the perpetually bewildered Dude and his dog Champ, this collection is a monument to anti-establishment gaming. Its thesis is clear: to offer the most comprehensive Postal experience ever assembled, blending the core games, fan mods, multimedia extras, and physical ephemera into a singular, unforgettable package. For purists, collectors, and historians, this isn’t just a game—it’s a manifesto.

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Development History & Context

Developer & Vision
Created by Tucson-based studio Running With Scissors (RWS), the Postal series was born from Vince Desi’s vision of a “digital catharsis” for societal frustrations. The 10th Anniversary Edition, released on October 27, 2007, was RWS’ magnum opus—a self-aware celebration of their decade-long journey through controversy. As Desi quipped, it was “ten years of hard fun” distilled into a “cereal killer” of a box, intended to be “the absolute mother lode of game swag.”

Technological & Industry Context
Built on the Unreal Engine 2.5, the compilation consolidated Postal: Classic and Uncut (2003), Postal²: Share the Pain (2003, with multiplayer), and Postal²: Apocalypse Weekend (2004). The gaming landscape of 2007 was dominated by the rise of digital distribution (Steam’s 2007 launch coincided with this release), yet RWS doubled down on physicality. This was an era before ubiquitous digital mods and DLC, making this edition’s inclusion of fan creations like Eternal Damnation and A Very Postal Christmas revolutionary. The limited run of 2,500 numbered copies (each with a serial sticker) underscored RWS’ commitment to exclusivity, positioning it as a collector’s relic amid a shifting industry.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot & Characters
The compilation’s narrative spans two distinct eras: the original Postal (1997) and Postal 2 (2003). In the former, players assume the role of the “Postal Dude,” a trench coat-clad drifter navigating a top-down, isometric world of terrorists, cultists, and corrupt authorities. The sequel abandons isometry for first-person, casting the Dude as a downtrodden Everyman seeking mundane tasks (e.g., buying milk, cashing a paycheck) in the satirical Arizona town of Paradise—a microcosm of American suburbia gone mad.

Dialogue & Themes
The series’ dialogue is a masterclass in absurdist cringe. The Dude’s monosylltic grunts (“Aww, come on!”) and non-sequiturs (“I’m gonna get the cat… with a shotgun!”) contrast sharply with the world’s over-the-top depravity: Gary Coleman clones, zombie-like protesters, and surreal villains like Krotchy (a grotesque doll). Thematically, Postal is a scathing critique of:
– Violence as Spectacle: Gameplay hinges on gleeful, consequence-free chaos.
– Consumer Culture: Errands (e.g., buying milk) devolve into orgies of destruction.
– Media Satire: The “Postal Babe” photos and comics lampoon objectification and tabloid culture.
The compilation’s “Golden Ticket” prize—a Christmas party invite with RWS—blurs fiction and reality, embodying the series’ self-referential ethos.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loops & Combat
Postal pioneered “sandbox chaos.” The original game’s top-down combat is a frenetic ballet of explosives, flamethrowers, and the infamous “Cat Silencer” (attaching cats to shotguns). Postal 2 refines this with first-person freedom, emphasizing errand-based gameplay. Players must navigate five days of increasingly absurd tasks (e.g., “Piss on Dad’s grave”), with combat escalating from shovels to rocket launchers. The “piss” mechanic—using urine as a weapon or fire extinguisher—is darkly comedic yet tactically vital.

Innovations & Flaws
– Mod Integration: Fan mods like Eternal Damnation (a horror-themed expansion) and A Very Postal Christmas add narrative depth, proving RWS’ embrace of community creativity.
– Physics & Interactivity: The Unreal Engine 2.5 enables dynamic destruction (exploding barrels, ragdoll physics), though pathfinding and AI remain clunky by modern standards.
– Multiplayer: Share the Pain introduces co-op and team deathmatch, but its netcode is dated.
– UI/UX: The minimalist HUD (health, ammo, day counter) prioritizes immersion, but the lack of waypoints in Postal 2 can frustrate.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Setting & Atmosphere
The compilation’s heart is Paradise—a meticulously realized parody of American suburbia. From the Lucky Ganesh convenience store to the catacombs beneath the church, the world blends banality with the bizarre. The “POSTALforms Destruction Set”—a vinyl playset with Paradise backdrops and character figurines—lets users stage their own dioramas, blurring game and toy culture.

Visual Direction
– Box Art: The “KrotchyO’s” cereal box features Dude and Champ on the front and stencil puzzles on the back, turning packaging into interactive art.
– Game Aesthetics: Postal’s pixelated grit contrasts with Postal 2’s vibrant, slightly cartoonish textures. The Tora-Bora level (added post-launch) adds a gritty, war-torn aesthetic.
– Extras: Concept art for Postal 3 and the ill-fated film adaptation reveal unexplored directions, while comics and posters extend the universe beyond gameplay.

Sound Design
The “Music to Go Postal By” CD is a sonic tapestry: industrial, punk, and hip-hop tracks (e.g., Jesus Loves Junkies’ “Escape From Paradise”) underscore the chaos. In-game, environmental sounds—sirens, explosions, the Dude’s groans—create dissonant harmony. Voice acting is intentionally flat, enhancing the deadpan absurdity.

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Reception & Legacy

Launch & Critical Response
Released at $39.99, the edition was praised for its value and curation. Metacritic users scored it 8.4/10, calling it a “mother lode of swag” for fans. However, its PEGI 18 rating and content (anthrax cow heads, decapitations) ensured it remained a niche product. Critics lauded the mod integration but noted technical hiccups, like long load times.

Commercial Impact & Evolution
The limited run (2,500 copies) fueled demand, with unboxed units fetching premium prices. Its legacy is twofold:
1. Cultural Artifact: It preserved Postal’s controversial legacy during the industry’s shift to digital.
2. Influence: The series’ blend of satire and chaos predated games like Grand Theft Auto’s moral ambiguity and Saints Row’s over-the-top action. The “Golden Ticket” party became legendary, cementing RWS’ cult status.

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Conclusion

The Postal: 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition is more than a game—it’s a love letter to rebellion. By bundling the series’ controversial core, beloved mods, and bizarre extras (from vinyl figurines to a soundtrack CD), RWS created a time capsule that defies easy categorization. Its flaws—clunky mechanics, dated visuals—are inseparable from its charm, reflecting the series’ unapologetic embrace of imperfection.

Final Verdict: For historians, it’s a vital document of early 2000s indie gaming. For fans, it’s the ultimate Postal bible. For newcomers, it’s a portal into a world where chaos is the point. In an era of sanitized AAA experiences, this compilation stands as a monument to the anarchic spirit that once defined PC gaming. As Vince Desi might say: “It’s not just a game. It’s a way of life.”

Rating: ★★★★☆ (A chaotic, essential artifact)