POSTAL: Brain Damaged Review Summary

The best Postal game yet, with praised gameplay, fun varied weapons, and great humor throughout, though it differs from Postal 2 and suffers from some bugs.

Gameplay is highly praised: Players consistently describe the gameplay as fun, solid, and enjoyable, with many calling it excellent and entertaining. The game is frequently praised for being fast, addicting, and running smoothly.

Best Postal game: Many reviewers consider this the best entry in the Postal series, often comparing it favorably to Postal 3 and 4. It is seen as a worthy successor that revives the essence of the original Postal 2.

Fun and varied weapons: Players enjoy the wide variety of weapons, including unique and creative options with alternate fire modes. The arsenal is described as satisfying, interesting, and a key part of the fun gunplay.

Great humor throughout: The game's humor is widely appreciated, with players finding it hilarious, on point, and full of black comedy. The funny one-liners and goofy tone are said to mesh well with the game mechanics.

Solid boomer shooter: The game is frequently described as a great representative of the boomer shooter genre, with players praising it as solid, entertaining, and one of the best in the category. It is also noted for being a lively, well-made old-school shooter.

Not like Postal 2: Players expected a Postal 2 experience but found the game lacking its open world, edginess, and misanthropic tone. This mismatch disappointed fans of the original.

Presence of bugs: Bugs are present in the game, though some players noted they don't interfere much. However, others found them noticeable enough to mention.

Game becomes boring quickly: Multiple players found the game monotonous and repetitive after the first few hours, leading to boredom. The lack of variety in actions contributes to this issue.

Poor DLC quality: The DLC was heavily criticized as bad, garbage, and disappointing. Players felt it did not add value to the base game.

Game feels trashy: Some reviewers called the game garbage and full of crap, with gameplay that feels bad and trashy. This reflects a strong negative sentiment.

Gameplay similar to Doom Eternal: Players frequently compare the game's mechanics, movement, and weapons to Doom Eternal, noting the grappling hook and fast-paced style. This comparison is the most common theme across reviews.

Classified as boomer shooter: The game is widely described as a boomer shooter, a retro FPS genre, with many noting its old-school style and platforming elements. This classification is a core identity for the game.

Compared to Ultrakill and Quake: Many reviews draw direct comparisons to Ultrakill and Quake, highlighting similar combat dynamics and fast-paced gameplay. This places the game within a specific subgenre of movement shooters.

Weapons have unique abilities: Players appreciate the variety of weapons, each with distinct abilities, alt-fire modes, and upgrades. This adds depth to the combat and is a frequently praised feature.

Urination mechanic as weapon: A standout feature is the ability to urinate on enemies and objects, which can be used as a lethal weapon or to anger foes. This mechanic is a distinctive and memorable part of the gameplay.

Well optimized overall: Several users praise the game for being well optimized, running smoothly, and having good optimization. This indicates a generally positive performance experience.

Runs flawlessly on Steam Deck: Multiple users report the game runs smoothly and perfectly on Steam Deck, including when docked at 1920x1080p. This indicates strong compatibility with Valve's handheld.

Runs on weak PCs: The game is reported to run on weak PCs, including notebooks with integrated Intel GPUs and 4GB RAM, though with occasional freezes. This suggests good low-end optimization.

FPS drops occur randomly: Some players experience random FPS drops to 22-24 fps, which can affect gameplay smoothness. This is a common but not universal issue.

Lag and startup crashes: Some users report lag issues and crashes on startup, which can be frustrating. This indicates potential stability problems for certain configurations.

Recommended for boomer shooter fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of boomer shooters and retro FPS titles. Reviewers highlight its appeal to those who enjoy classic fast-paced shooters.

Recommended for Postal fans: Many reviewers recommend the game specifically to fans of the Postal series, noting it fits the franchise's style. It is praised as a must-have for Postal enthusiasts.

General recommendation: A broad set of reviewers simply recommend the game without specific caveats. They express strong approval and encourage others to play it.

Worth buying on sale: Several reviewers suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing, indicating the game is acceptable at a discount. They mention it's good for short play sessions or a couple of evenings.

Comparable to Ultrakill and Doom: Reviewers compare the game favorably to Ultrakill and Doom Eternal, recommending it to fans of those titles. It is seen as a cheaper alternative for players who cannot afford those games.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 8.0h.

Story completion: 8.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Endgame: 7.8h.

The game starts with a weak, boring first level but improves significantly afterward, with many players reporting it 'clicks' later. However, some players find it boring from the start or repetitive over time, so enjoyment is conditional on pushing past the early slog.

Friction: boring first level (suburbia slog); slow and tedious pacing early on.

Boomer Shooter Enthusiast: Aggressive, using movement tech, switching weapons, managing resources. Motivation: Fast-paced action, satisfying gunplay, and movement mechanics. Stance: buy.

Postal Series Veteran: Familiar with Postal mechanics, but also adapt to the boomer shooter style, exploring secrets and references. Motivation: Nostalgia and seeing the series evolve, enjoying the new take on the formula. Stance: buy.

Chaos and Humor Seeker: They might experiment with weird weapons, use urine mechanics, and enjoy the spectacle. Motivation: Entertainment through absurd humor, chaos, and unconventional gameplay. Stance: buy.

The Windows <8GB VRAM cohort reports the game running well overall, with praise for optimization and smooth retro FPS gameplay, despite minor issues like clipping and occasional frame drops.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. Mostly positive reports: the game is well optimized and plays smoothly, with only minor complaints about clipping, high GPU usage in menus, and occasional FPS drops.

Steam Deck: The game is Steam Deck Verified and runs well for many users, but there are notable friction points: the built-in controller support conflicts with Steam Input, requiring manual disabling; gyro causes a camera jiggle bug; and some users report frame rate drops and occasional crashes. These issues are not game-breaking but require tinkering and tolerance, placing the experience in the 'Tinkering Required' category.

Linux and Proton: The single available review reports that the game runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, is officially Verified, and only mentions a minor frame rate drop. No Linux-specific blockers, crashes, or required tweaks are reported, indicating excellent Proton compatibility.

Monetization: The user reviews indicate that the game's monetization consists solely of a base game purchase and optional DLC expansions, which are generally praised for their content and value. There is no evidence of microtransactions, pay-to-win, or predatory monetization practices.

Frequently compared to Postal series: The game is heavily compared to the Postal series, especially Postal 2, with many reviewers noting it captures the Postal spirit while being a more focused shooter. Some consider it the best Postal game, while others prefer Postal 2's sandbox style.

Doom-inspired gameplay with humor: Many reviewers compare the game to Doom and Doom Eternal, noting its fast-paced, arena-based combat and weapon mechanics. The game is often described as a humorous or Postal-flavored take on the Doom formula.

Ultrakill and boomer shooter comparisons: The game is frequently compared to Ultrakill and other boomer shooters like Quake, Dusk, and Serious Sam for its movement, combat mechanics, and retro style. Some reviewers recommend it to fans of these games, while others find it average compared to the genre's best.

DLC praised and recommended: Several reviewers mention the game's DLC positively, with some planning to play it after finishing the main game or having already purchased it. The DLC is described as awesome and adds to the overall experience.

Short game length: The game is described as relatively short, with the main story taking about 7.8 to 10 hours to complete. Some reviewers note it can be finished quickly, especially without the DLC.