Action · November 14, 1997
POSTAL (1997)
Take control of The POSTAL Dude in his infamous first outing as he battles to survive in a world gone mad! POSTAL is a classic isometric shooter filled to the brim with fast-paced explosive action. Crazed gunmen out for your blood await you around every corner, and your only choice is to get them before they get you. Fight back with a destructive arsenal as make your way through a violence-stricken town. It's time to go POSTAL! New control options - use your mouse or dual analog sticks. None of that tank control insanity! Get your friends together for LAN Multiplayer - co-op or deathmatch for up to 16 players. Blast your way through 22 levels: Includes the original 16 level campaign, 4 from the Special Delivery expansion and 2 previously Japanese-exclusive levels. Test yourself with one of 22 bonus Challenge stages, across 4 categories. Or play through all of them in The Gauntlet. 9 devastating weapons: Defend yourself with varied tools of mayhem. Take aim with the Scatter Gun! Clear out rooms with Grenades, Mines, and the almighty Napalm Launcher! Whip out Heatseeker Rockets for those big groups! Wide range of foes: Defend yourself from Molotov-tossing Grenadiers, gun-toting Infantryman, rocket-firing Heavy-Weapons Experts (don't forget to duck!), and angry Ostriches! Non-stop, guns-blazing, adrenaline-fueled action! Fully-voiced Japanese audio available!
Peer Action titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Position in Action
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 11.0k Steam reviews | Top 38% in Action |
| Positive rating | 91% positive | Genre average: 83% — this title sits in top 32% |
| Metacritic | 56/100 | Genre average 77 — top 97% of Action titles |
| Engagement hours | 8 h average | Top 55% for session depth among Action |
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Horror · 339
- Villain Protagonist · 339
- Psychological Horror · 334
- Top-Down Shooter · 326
- Shooter · 308
- Twin Stick Shooter · 308
- Isometric · 306
- Difficult · 297
- Dark Humor · 296
- Top-Down · 282
- Dark Comedy · 281
- Surreal · 265
- Action · 263
- 1990's · 262
- Psychological · 261
Reception Metrics
Steam community
91%Very Positive · 11.0k reviews
10.0k positive · 992 negative
Metacritic
56/100 critic aggregate
Metacritic user score
6.5/10
Curator recommendations
2.5k
Engagement Profile
All-time avg
8h
short (5–15 hours)
Median
4h
Typical completion time
Achievements
27
Steam unlocks available
Release & Availability
| Release date | Nov 14, 1997 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Running With Scissors |
| Base price | Free-to-play |
| Required age | 18+ |
| DLC / Add-ons | 1 released |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Estimated owners | 1M–10M |
| External links | Official site · Metacritic page · Support · [email protected] |
Features & Capabilities
Community
- Steam Achievements
- Steam Trading Cards
Input & Comfort
- Full controller support
Other
- Single-player
- Family Sharing
Content Notes
POSTAL contains Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, and Strong Language.
More from Running With Scissors
Running With Scissors has 4 titles indexed — all listed below.
Editions & Packages
Buy POSTAL








