POSTAL is an isometric top-down shooter that was released September 24, 1997 by its developer Running With Scissors. It is the first and last entry in the series to have
any level of seriousness to the story told, though it is not entirely devoid of satire or jokes.
In POSTAL, you assume the role of The Postal Dude, a man who believes his entire hometown of Paradise, Arizona has been affected by some form of mind control that is causing the populace to become irrational and violent. He believes he is the only one who has not fallen victim to this hate-plague, and that he must kill everyone in order to survive himself. Put another way, The Dude goes postal, and we, as the player, help him succeed in this self-righteous mission.
Despite how dark the premise for this game is, though, there is a level of humor to be found as you shoot your way through Paradise. The Dude himself is a source of it, commenting on the deaths of police, military and civilians alike with a surprising, and rather ridiculous, level of detachment.
Hit play below for a little Dude dialogue.
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POSTAL is not exactly a lore heavy, story-driven game. At its core, it is meant to be enjoyed as a shooter, the story of The Dude is really only there to add flavor and to set the scene. Still,
that doesn't mean POSTAL fans haven't tried to dig deeper and analize The Dude's character, leading to a handful of theories as to what exactly is going on with this freak.
Theories range from Dude being possessed by a demon to him being a paranoid schizophrenic. Some believe he views himself as the savior of this story, doing all he can for the greater good, and that he actually cares for those around him. There is even a theory that assumes the hate-plague is real, and that Dude is actually being targetted. I both agree and disagree with a few of these points, but there is no right answer. As Running With Scissors has said themselves multiple times, The Dude is only a vessel for the player to wreak havoc and any deeper story is up to personal interpretation.
What little lore there is for POSTAL is told through its loading screens and is very obviously the ramblings of a madman. The very first entry we get is from the 'Home' map where Dude tells us "The Earth is hungry, its heart throbs and demands a cleansing. The Earth is also thirsty."
From this point on the loading screens only get more disconnected from reality, telling us things like "I will don the eviscerated organs of my enemies as party hats, wear their shredded entrails as neckties, and oh, how I shall dance!" and "Life is cheap--death is free! Act now! Supplies are limited! (Offer void in the state of Arizona)".
level one: house
Moving to “Paradise” was a tragic mistake. People here are…sick. I hear gunshots, screams after dark. Now the phone calls, sayin’ I’m being thrown outta this house. MY house, Wearing Kevlar vest and carrying a sidearm at all times now…
level two: truckstop/sherrif’s station
Worst fears confirmed. Group of lunatics tried to invade my home. Must get to truckstop and Sherrif, see if anyone there can help me. Afraid only God can help me now…
level three: the hovel
Like animals – even the Sheriff! Everyone here is infected with something. Something in the air, or water. Don’t know. Maybe from Air Force Base? Hope not – that base may turn out to be my last hope…
level four: the parade
Must face the possibility that I am only uninfected person in Paradise. Air Force must napalm entire town…ensure this madness doesn’t contaminate rest of the country! Wait! I hear…music? Damn! It IS music! Better check this out…
level five: bridge and mine entrance
It’s war now. That “parade” of murderous maniacs marching down the middle of Main St. was…sobering. Everyone here is mad, sick…must attempt to cross the bridge, lose myself in the mines…
level six: mine interior
Didn’t think I’d make it. Sitting duck on bridge. Must work my way through these caverns…they open into junkyard on far side of town…either way. I’ll have the advantage in these narrow mines!
level seven: the salvage yard
Crossed the bridge, successfully navigated the underground mines and have emerged into salvage yard. Am now straight in my mind about what I have to do and will do it as efficiently and remorselessly as possible…
level eight: thunderbird trailer park
There MUST be others like me – immune to this germ warfare or whatever it is. Approaching trailer park. Maybe some sane people there. Can’t get hopes up, but must not despair, either.
level nine: the train station
Drenched in blood – mine, others. Could I be infected too? Up ahead…train station. If I can get out, I can warn them. Yes. Then I can warn everybody…
level ten: paradise ostrich farm
Looks like a farm. Birds? OSTRICHES? Good Lord, am I infected, mad like the others? Must move efficiently. Got to get this dirty job done. Let the feathers fly!
level eleven: the construction site
Blood everywhere. Like a river, flowing around me, pulling me in its wake like a helpless child. It’s all got to go now. The whole town. Prepare for…deconstruction!
level twelve: the ghetto
My head… pounding. Must work way toward Air Force Base. Coming to a “bad” section of town….Better be…careful…Might get mugged…
level thirteen: the city
Keep wondering about the Base. If I run into a flyboy, it’s God’s guarantee he’ll try to put a cap in me, figure I’m infected. Oh, hell, I’m gonna die once I hit the city anyhow…
level fourteen: central park
Taking too many hits…getting weak…see green up ahead – maybe a forest? Probably a park. Can’t go backwards – nothing back there but death. Keep moving, soldier…
level fifteen: the industrial complex
The industrial complex is last obstacle between me and the Base. Too far to quit now. Whatever waits at the Base, I’m going to see it with my own eyes.
level sixteen: air force base
This is it. The new Alamo. Me or them. Can’t delay, can’t risk infection. C’mon, grunt, let’s rock and roll…
There is, however, a secret to be found in the original POSTAL manual, an alternate version of the journal entries presented to us on the original loading screens.
Moving to “Paradise” was a tragic mistake. People here are…sick. I hear gunshots, screams after dark. Now the phone calls, sayin’ I’m being thrown outta this house. MY house, Wearing Kevlar vest and carrying a sidearm at all times now…
level two: truckstop/sherrif’s station
Worst fears confirmed. Group of lunatics tried to invade my home. Must get to truckstop and Sherrif, see if anyone there can help me. Afraid only God can help me now…
level three: the hovel
Like animals – even the Sheriff! Everyone here is infected with something. Something in the air, or water. Don’t know. Maybe from Air Force Base? Hope not – that base may turn out to be my last hope…
level four: the parade
Must face the possibility that I am only uninfected person in Paradise. Air Force must napalm entire town…ensure this madness doesn’t contaminate rest of the country! Wait! I hear…music? Damn! It IS music! Better check this out…
level five: bridge and mine entrance
It’s war now. That “parade” of murderous maniacs marching down the middle of Main St. was…sobering. Everyone here is mad, sick…must attempt to cross the bridge, lose myself in the mines…
level six: mine interior
Didn’t think I’d make it. Sitting duck on bridge. Must work my way through these caverns…they open into junkyard on far side of town…either way. I’ll have the advantage in these narrow mines!
level seven: the salvage yard
Crossed the bridge, successfully navigated the underground mines and have emerged into salvage yard. Am now straight in my mind about what I have to do and will do it as efficiently and remorselessly as possible…
level eight: thunderbird trailer park
There MUST be others like me – immune to this germ warfare or whatever it is. Approaching trailer park. Maybe some sane people there. Can’t get hopes up, but must not despair, either.
level nine: the train station
Drenched in blood – mine, others. Could I be infected too? Up ahead…train station. If I can get out, I can warn them. Yes. Then I can warn everybody…
level ten: paradise ostrich farm
Looks like a farm. Birds? OSTRICHES? Good Lord, am I infected, mad like the others? Must move efficiently. Got to get this dirty job done. Let the feathers fly!
level eleven: the construction site
Blood everywhere. Like a river, flowing around me, pulling me in its wake like a helpless child. It’s all got to go now. The whole town. Prepare for…deconstruction!
level twelve: the ghetto
My head… pounding. Must work way toward Air Force Base. Coming to a “bad” section of town….Better be…careful…Might get mugged…
level thirteen: the city
Keep wondering about the Base. If I run into a flyboy, it’s God’s guarantee he’ll try to put a cap in me, figure I’m infected. Oh, hell, I’m gonna die once I hit the city anyhow…
level fourteen: central park
Taking too many hits…getting weak…see green up ahead – maybe a forest? Probably a park. Can’t go backwards – nothing back there but death. Keep moving, soldier…
level fifteen: the industrial complex
The industrial complex is last obstacle between me and the Base. Too far to quit now. Whatever waits at the Base, I’m going to see it with my own eyes.
level sixteen: air force base
This is it. The new Alamo. Me or them. Can’t delay, can’t risk infection. C’mon, grunt, let’s rock and roll…
These alternate entries are the fuel for most of the theories I mentioned before, leading some people to believe the original loading screens are the words of some sort of demon (this idea comes from the fact that The Dude's voice lines are labeled "demon" in POSTAL's files) that is possessing or manipulating Dude, while other people believe these hidden entries are proof of an otherwise normal man's psychotic break. But whether or not the plague sweeping across Paradise is a real thing or the beliefs of someone neck-deep in conspiracy is a mystery that's never truly solved.
MY THEORY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DUDE
This section of the shrine is going to be dedicated to headcanon, so keep in mind that none of this is canon lore set up by Running With Scissors. It is all
based on my own ideas, interpretations and opinions.
In the last 2 years I've been obsessed with this game, I've come up with a hefty amount of my own headcanons that include my ideas about what Dude looks like (in POSTAL 1), his personality, his
motivations and his illnesses.
In the past I have written extensively about this stuff, including an ongoing fanfiction (written by both me and my husband) centered around exploring what kind of person Dude is and turns into in later games.
That can be read here.
Unfortunately, the posts containing my past ramblings are all lost to the void now, seeing as I decimated my social media, but it's not as if I've forgotten what I said. That being said, my characterization of Dude is always evolving as I come up with new and better things. Do I take him a little too seriously? Maybe. But fuck off, this is my hobby.
Anyway, lets get on with it.
Theory
The theory I'm most fond of is that The Dude is not possessed or even hearing the voice of a demon at all (at least not a real one). Instead, I prefer to think that he's no different than most real-world killers. A snake in the grass, so to speak.
During Running With Scissors' promotion of POSTAL, the graphics they created for it all centered around the narrative that no one knew this massacre was coming. On top of that, they call Dude things like "nice" and "quiet", even going as far as to say he was voted "most likely to succeed" by his classmates.
I love this angle a lot. It really drives home the idea that Dude was trying his best to be a good person and student at one point, but it all went up in flames eventually. And the reason it did, in my version of this theory, is because no one was paying attention well enough to read the signs that they had a very sick guy on their hands who really needed help.
Dude's red flags were ignored and his outward-facing personality successfully hid his misanthropic world view from the people in his life. His self-isolating habits were seen as shyness or awkwardness. His overachieving covered up his more worrying characteristics as a social outcast...but this is just the basis for what would later snowball into so much death.
Since Dude is convinced there is something in the air or water making everyone so hateful and violent, I would assume he's dealt with being mistreated to the point that, once POSTAL takes place, he has assured himself there is no one left on his side and therefor no one worth saving. This sort of mindset gives way to worser ones and makes room for outlandish beliefs that are further fueld by circumstance and illness.
On the 'Home' map, there is a moving van outside of Dude's house. This paired with the secret diary entry about the phone call saying he's being 'kicked out of his house' leads me to believe Dude was evicted. This was the catalyst event that fully triggered his psychosis and solidified his beleifs that everyone in Paradise (especially the authorities) is out to get him. Maybe even kill him. And so he has to act first to survive.
It's also worth noting here that Dude hates his father, we learn as much in POSTAL 2 when Dude literally pisses on his grave. So, it's safe to assume his home life was pretty awful as well, which, you know, just kind of adds icing to this shit cake.
Personality
My headcanons for Dude's personality in POSTAL 1 are directly influenced by his characterization in POSTAL 2, where we get a much better look at who he is as a person. He's someone abrasive, confident, self-assured, violent, rude and in the habit of making most decisions in the name of self-interest.Where P1 Dude and P2 Dude differ is in how they express themselves. It's pretty clear in POSTAL 2 that Dude is having his own version of fun most of the time, despite it all. I don't think this would be the case for P1 Dude, though. As we see in the secret diary entries, this is a guy on the edge. He's got worries and fears. He seems to exist in a state of paranoia driven anxiety.
But I don't believe this makes him shy, meek or nervous. I'm of the opinion that he still harbors P2's confident and violent qualities, and that his fears fuel his rage and misanthropy. I characterize him as someone pretty vile, but I think you'd have to be to massacre an entire town of people 'efficiantly' and without remorse.
P1 is more serious than P2 as well, echoing the atmosphere of his game, though he does still have a snide sense of humor. He's in the business of taking out groups of police and soldiers as well, which makes me think he is also more of a calculated killer. Where P2 is surviving in an entirely satirical world full of incompetent authority, P1 is surviving a more dire situation where everyone on the map is his enemy and they coordinate to try and take him out before he's even arrived.
Illnesses and Disorders
This section is where I really show my ass and start to project onto this character. I headcanon Dude to have schizophrenia, but not only that, I've also given him DID.This headcanon isn't entirely unprecidented if you subscribe to the theory that every Postal Dude from every POSTAL game is the same guy, because every version of him is different than the last, despite that the core concept of Dude stays pretty much the same.
I go into a crazy amount of detail on this headcanon in the fic I liked above.