Censorship - does it ever work? I can understand why games and movies are given ratings, they deter certain age groups and help parents choose what their children can and can't watch or play, but in the end it all kind of backfires. Remember the Exorcist? That popular old horror movie that was banned in the UK for quite a few years, although in the end all this achieved was to make the film more desirable even if it wasn't all that good anyway (in my own humble opinion). And that's the problem - people will always be drawn to that which has been banned, or has been forced to remove certain things or increase the age rating, because people will always want to find out what exactly is in there that forced such strict changes.

This is why some will be drawn to Postal: Classic and Uncut; it's been banned in over 10 countries, sued by the post office and was condemned by the U.S. Senate and you'll inevitably be drawn to this game out of curiosity as to why it has achieved such a notorious set of accolades. Unfortunately, the game bares more than one similarity to The Exorcist, in that when you do actually get a chance to play it, the whole thing is a bit of a disappointment. Comparing Postal to the Exorcist is a bit unfair though, because while I may not have been quite that impressed with that cult horror movie, I did enjoy it; and enjoyment is something that is lacking here.

I'd like to make it clear that Postal is a very tasteless game; it's bad enough it has you playing a deranged psychopath whose only objective is to kill everybody, or at least most of the 'hostiles' (cops and security guards who shoot back) but I can't help feeling as if this game takes a few influences from a real life killing spree that a postal worker went on in his local workplace, which is where the term "Going Postal" comes from. While I'm sure some people will be foaming at the mouth with anticipation of what you can actually do here, it comes across as nothing more than sensational garbage. You get to kill and maim people in as grotesque a way as possible, setting them on fire before they run across the screen screaming in agony or watching as they crawl to their death after you pump with them with lead. It's not very pleasant and certainly not for anyone under 18 and while I'm sure some will be entertained by the relentless and pointless carnage you can unleash, it's all very short lived.

Dark subject matter aside, the game itself isn't much to write home about. To say Postal is slightly repetitive is like saying the Atlantic Ocean is a bit wet; this game really does take the monotony of repetitive action gaming to new heights. Each level despite the different locations (from shopping malls to shanty towns) deteriorates into the same, boring routine. You walk around and shoot as many hostiles as possible and that's pretty much it all the way through. Nothing ever changes apart from the objectives, which can have you killing 80% of hostiles in one level or 90% in another. There's no crosshair for you to see where you're shooting, so basic combat usually results in nothing more than holding down the fire button and running round the levels very much like a deranged mad man until you hit someone.

The AI seems non-existent, as hostiles will run around you not deciding to shoot you straight away while helpless civilians will stand in or walk through utter chaos, choosing not to even flinch until they themselves have been shot. This doesn't make for much of a challenge and thanks to the awful 2D isometric graphics, a default weapon with unlimited ammo that pretty much makes all the other weapons obsolete and a sense of humour that grows thin after the first ten minutes it doesn't make for a fun experience either. There's not much here that's going to keep you entertained, and it's doubtful you'll come back once you've had enough.

One thing that's worth mentioning is the Classic and Uncut subtitle but again that's nothing to get excited about. It's unclear as to what exactly was cut in the first place but I'd guess the reason it's no longer necessary for the developers to keep certain things out of this game is because it all looks tame by today's standards. If you've ever played Grand Theft Auto (let's face it, who hasn't?) then you're not going to be overly shocked or outraged by what's in here. GTA has done all of what you can do in here but wraps it up in an altogether more entertaining package with a game that's much more innovative and fun. The trouble with Postal is it relies on its need to be 'Grotesque' and 'Tasteless' to get noticed but doesn't have much of a game to back it up. Another thing worth mentioning about this release is that it comes complete with a demo for Postal 2 that makes the original game look like a good, clean piece of family entertainment in comparison but despite its increase in tastelessness it is actually more fun to play. Don't get too excited yet however, if it's the demo your interested in, you can get it online for free, which will save you having to pain through playing the original.

There really is not much that can be said in favour of Postal: Classic And Uncut. It's slightly amusing for a couple of minutes, fun for even less and comes with a free Postal 2 sticker and that's about it for the plus points of this old and tired game. If you're interested in Postal because of its content then you will be disappointed. Maybe back in 1997 there was something here you could giggle about because it was a bit naughty but in this day and age it all looks a little passé. Stick to the GTA games instead, you may already have completed those more than once, but believe me, they'll still keep you entertained much longer than this boring mess of a game.

Reviewed by Kieron Giacopazzi for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).