Post scriptum: the deadly mind trap at the heart of it all.

After words have failed, there will be only blood shed. I’ve been drafted...ing this review for a while now, that’s a lie but so is the glory of war. So who’s the real monster here? Still me? Okay fine. Let’s hear from someone else for a change:

“Hands down best WW2 on the market at the moment. Very immersive with some of the best sound and visual effects of any game. There have been frequent content updates and optimisation improvements and I have never had trouble finding a full server (UK based)”

This was a friends summary of post scriptum. I told them i would feature it and well, i’m true to my word, rarely. I could describe PS as squad set in ww2 but then i’d have to explain what squad is and give a run down of world war two and only one of those things will bring me any joy and it’s the unnecessary one that will bloat the word count.

Point the first, “the best world war 2” this quote is key to our understanding of subjectivity. The second world war has happened precisely once, multiverse and other plothax not withstanding. So to say this is the best one is to hit on some key, he misspoke. No it’s all about simulacrum! The event has been transcribed and repeated many times over in it’s various depictions none of which themselves are the war but which give us a lense with which to view it... He probably just misspoke. Misspoke? Mistyped, mistress bonbons candy cane rod? Sorry i got distracted for, reasons.

Head count up in this female dog, how many world war two’s are the? Post in the comments below #engagement, don’t clog up my pristine comments with your tripe.

So with that question laid to rest we can move on the point in question, immersion. A topic that makes me want to drown myself because i am overly literal, edgy and suggestible. The game has no narrative to speak of, so what are we being immersed in? Immersion is really just bypassing that critical aspect of mind that reminds one they are staring at screen smashing a keyboard when there is washing up to be done. Easy enough for someone suggestible like me or you, but gets harder (sorry) for a normal person.

The graphical potato of the game is certainly quality, so it can’t be that giving me the immersions, sorry anyone who likes graphics, DING DONG you are wrong. What's in the game that’s so immersive then? Well i’m getting to that if you’ll stop pestering me but i didn’t want to say it straight out or without context because that wouldn’t build up a set of expectations and experiences around the text that can be played off for dramatic effect.

So when you load into the game, you join a squad, like in squad, each player having equipment suited to their role, in the case of standard infantry, you don’t get anything special so nothing is lost when you’re moan down by a 42 from the next bush over, or flattened by a coax of a panzer, or mortared, or friendly fired by a misplaced grenade. Then you may lie on the ground waiting for your medic, who is also dead for one of the above reasons, so unable to revive you. Then you can walk for ten minutes because the logistic team parked the respawn truck on a landmine.

The game's diversity of roles and need for cohesion is the difference between this and a normal FPS. You can’t do achieve on your own by design and victory always goes to the better organised team rather that who is the best at 360 no scoping, which are both things i am terrible at and your tongue doesn’t fit in your mouth anymore, why is that?

Which brings me onto tank crews, you seen fury? Yeah i liked it to. It’s essentially that but much less flashy. You drive looking through a letter box, your turret turns slower than a clock face and the only way to spot anything is for the commander to poke his head out and risk eating an 7.92×57mm Mauser general-purpose buffet. It’s rude crude and the most novel fun i’ve had in a video game in some time. All the clunkiness and awkward shouting over the microphones builds up a tension that makes every encounter terrifying. As you rush to spot the enemy before they can blow you up. you miss a shot, and some truck gets away? Now the German army know where you’re at son. So high tail it out at 25 mph while bullets rain on down.

The team sizes too, are just large enough to give a sense of chaos to the cohesion, like the cold sensation now running up your legs. One speaker can’t direct all so command chains form, this is made more messy by the need for radiomen to keep up the broadcast and to call in mortars or planes. Respawns and extra defences can be set up by an already mentioned logistics crew, which isn’t just for show. Put supplies and sandbags in the right configuration and you can take a turn being the lawnmower of infantry for a change.

Because of how feeble each person is, it takes on a horror-like quality. One man in csgo can take out a whole team but one man can’t win this war. So at once you are vulnerable and need to trust your team to win, this is a recipe to get someone invested.

Realism in many games is putting about putting obstacles in your way to reflect real life considerations, in post scriptum they reproduce the war in your own psychology with the simple mechanical operant conditioning of teamwork good, rambo bad. Never has being a rat been so appealing in order to experience the favour of a time that will live in infamy.