Day 336 - Wild West Postal
Immersive Sim, Has Treant Protector In It, Mass Effect 1 ·
Skeeter’s Take:
I was new in town, and I was looking for a fresh start. I saw a sign on the town announcement board that they were fixing for a new postal man. Now, I’m not too bad at handling a horse and figured I’d mosey on down to the postal office and inquire about the job.
It was a simple job. I was to deliver the mail, simple as. I welcomed this simplicity though, especially after what I went through in my past. I was just happy to see people again and to have a purpose. I was the mailman now, I didn’t have to worry about the past. This was a new leaf, and I was glad to have the chance for one.
I rode my ever-snorting horse through the mostly silent town. I had flashbacks as the town reminded me of Valentine, a place I once lived. I also had flashbacks to a saloon. I couldn’t seem to shake that saloon from my mind. Though I may try to outrun my past, there’s always something that seems to remind me that it’s still a part of me.
I hand out some mail to some town folk, but my blood runs cold as I read the address on the next letter. “Saloon”.
Alright, it’s just a saloon. What’s there to worry about? It’s probably full of people, tables, and a bartender. The people are probably having a hoot, possibly playing cards or flirting or fighting. Just typical saloon things. I’ve been working on the trauma caused from my past, and I figured this would be a good opportunity to face my fears once and for all. After all, if I was to start my new life as the mailman, I would have to deliver mail to the saloon eventually.
I saunter up to the saloon doors. They don’t budge. I peer inside, only to find my worst fears confirmed.
It was empty. There was nothing inside. A saloon is a space built for socializing. It’s supposed to be populated. It should have drinks. It should have a bartender. Instead it stood vacant and dull and uninviting.
I notice something etched into the floorboards. I don’t believe what I’m seeing. Or, rather, I don’t want to believe what I’m seeing.
The words are familiar. I’ve read them a thousand times before, back when I was trapped in that saloon. That cursed saloon.
The walls swirl around me as I try to orient myself. That was the past, wasn’t it? Where am I? I’m the mailman. I’m in a new town after escaping that vacant place in the desert.
But if that’s correct, why do these walls feel like a prison? Why do I recognize every grain and every pattern in the wood of the floorboards? If I’m the mailman, where are the people I’m supposed to deliver to? All I see is this empty room.
That’s not right. I’m the mailman! I’m delivering the mail. Where does this letter go again?
Ahh, the saloon. That’s right. I have to take it to the saloon. But which saloon?
I’m… Already here. I’m at the saloon. Where am I? I need to deliver this letter. I’m the mailman. I’m at the saloon. Who is the letter addressed to?
Butch?
Butch Cassidy?
Saloon “Butch Cassidy”?
But… I’m already here. I have been here. Did I ever leave?
My eyes run across the empty room one last time. There, at the back of the saloon, I noticed a photo. How did I not see that photo before? The thousand times I’ve scanned this room and I’ve never seen this? I’m the mailman. I’m new in town. Why does this photo look so familiar? Why do I get goosebumps upon reading the name?
I’m the mailman?
Recommend: No
Replay Percentage Chance: 0%
Time Played: 3 minutes
Sam’s Take:
Sounds like this dev is trying to do one project every month, and with that in mind, this is pretty impressive. There’s horseback riding, there’s a small open world. There are multiple towns and environments, a sprint button… it’s a whole thing.
Sure the game is just delivering mail, but gotta give them credit for throwing all these mechanics into something function, if not exactly fun. I wouldn’t recommend you play it, but I do recommend you take a moment to appreciate that characters get a lil camera angle when you talk to them.
Also the dock environment looked really impressive. Sure, there are too many contextual button prompts, and the animations are stiff, but there’s some really solid environment design considering that it was made by one guy in a month.
And hey, who doesn’t love some good God Rays? You wouldn’t expect a free game called Wild West Postal to have so many different weather types, but I guess the tools for game makers have really grown in recent years.
Volumetric clouds, tree tessellation, ambient occlusion, FSR, DLSS, anti-aliasing, global illumination. Gamer graphics nummy nummy gimmi cowboy slop. Shovel it right into my tripple-A gullet Mr. Rockstar. Daddy want high resolution shadow reflections mmm nawawhahaha.
Sorry what were we talking about?
Recommend: No
Replay Percentage Chance: 0%
Time Played: 5 Minutes
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