Bully

"Rockstar proves they can do T"

Oh, Bully. To say your path to release has been controversial would be an understatement. When it was first announced that Rockstar, creator of the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series, was working on a game in a similar style to GTA but set in a school, the media was outraged. Was this game truly going to take the infamous GTA violent gameplay to the hallways? As the release date neared the box art was released, proudly emblazoned with it's T rating from the ESRB. Despite a last-minute attempt by Jack Thompson to ban the game in Florida, the release went on as planned. Soon fans discovered the violence is limited to swirlies and stink bombs. With the violence stripped away, Bully gave the writers not only the chance, but the obligation to create a truly unique and intriguing storyline, as that would become the main focus of the game.

Gameplay (10/10)
You play as Jimmy Hopkins, the badass troublemaker who's been expelled every school his thrice divorced mother sends him to. Well, she's getting married again, and while she spends the year on a cruise for her honeymoon, she sends you to a boarding school. The school? Bullworth Academy, a rundown school full of the most apathetic staff and students ever gathered in an educational institution. The only thing you can do is fight back against the bullies, preps, and various other cliques to instill respect in all who inhabit Bullworth Academy.

The gameplay is perfectly summed up in the game's title. While Jimmy is not a bully per se, you can perform all the usual pranks: wedgies, swirlies, eggings, firecrackers in toilets, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Other weapons include slingshots and bottle rocket launchers, but more often than not you will find yourself using your fists. New fighting techniques are learned from a drunken hobo who lives near the school, as well as from wrestling in gym class.

Most missions involve you playing various pranks on different cliques to gain respect from their rivals. The game is divided into chapters, each one dedicated to one clique. Each chapter has a climax of beating up the leader of clique so that they will respect you. Like in any game in the GTA series, you are in no rush to do missions. The other main gameplay element is going to your two classes every day. There are various subjects such as Chemistry or English, each offering it's own rewards for completion of their minigames. Once you pass five classes in a course you are no longer obligated to go to that class.

Discipline is handed out by prefects if you're on school grounds, and the police if you're in town. Doing anything against the rules including truancy, being up past curfew and not wearing your school uniform will raise your trouble meter, very similar to a wanted level in GTA. The interesting thing about Bully is that every time you break a rule, it will tell you which one you are breaking. This is useful, because the rules aren't always obvious. Having anything on your trouble meter will warrant prefects chasing after you, trying to drag you to the headmaster's office. But you can easily outrun them either by foot, or by using a vehicle such as skateboard or bike. No cars can be stolen.

Due to the sheer variety of pranks to play, Bully provides a great deal of amusement. The biggest problem with the gameplay, and also with the game, would be it's length. Even if you take your time and go to all your classes, it will take you an absolute maximum of 15 hours to complete the game, unless you really take your time. And unlike a GTA game, the story missions make up about 65% of the game, as opposed to less than 50%. But this is the only major flaw in the game.

Story (10/10)
The isn't a whole lot to say about the story, even though this is one of the game's shining points. The writing is witty and hilarious, each character has his or her own style and personality that comes alive with the help of the excellent voice acting. While none of the actors are particularly famous, they do a great job nonetheless. Again, the only bad thing would be it's length. It continues along well but then seems to rush to the end, and before you know it, it's over.

Graphics (8/10)
The game uses the same engine as GTA: Vice City, so while they aren't terrible graphics, they're not exactly ground breaking. When playing one must keep in mind that the PS2 is a system at the end of it's life, and maybe, just maybe, all of us have been watching a few too many next-gen game trailers.

Some of the physics, especially on vehicles are a little weird, and the vehicles themselves are pretty bland and without detail. Emotions show well on the face of the characters, and it's beautiful to watch the seasons change as the game progresses from fall, winter, spring, to eternal summer.

Value (8/10)
As previously mentioned, the main fault with the game would be it's length. It is a fairly average length, but when you consider that the game is made by Rockstar, it becomes more disappointing. There are a few different collectibles in the game such as rubber bands and trading cards, as well as "destructibles" like jack o lanterns, gravestones and garden gnomes. This is again in the GTA style, but there just isn't all that much to do after beating the short story.

If you're someone who is attracted to the GTA series merely for the mindless violence, this game is not for you. But if you love the humor and and story in the games, and love the style, Bully is certainly worth buying as it does live up to all the hype.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/26/06