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The PS2's very own version of "The Catcher in the Rye"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 235 / 242
Date: October 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Bully may very well be one of the most controversial games of all time simply based on the fact that Rockstar made it. With only a name to their game, it was turning heads. People feared the worst. Mostly that the game would be as violent as Grand Theft Auto, but in a high school setting.

Let me set some minds at ease. There are no guns. The game doesn't even have any blood. Also, you can't kill anyone. Lastly, violence is rather discouraged.

You do not play the Bully. Instead you assume the role of Jimmy Hopkins, a boy trying to survive at Bullworth Academy. He's basically your run of the mill student. Your task inside the school is the same as they are for just about every student in high school. Pass your classes and stay out of trouble. Going to class actually is enforced for a time. Your classes are mini-games that you'll play. You're allowed to try and ditch class but there are consequences for not going. However, in this game you'll want to go to class just because participating in said class is actually fun, and can improve your skills. The mini games are fun and addictive. After a while it's no longer enforced, which I actually found rather sad. The aspect of going to class doesn't get nearly enough attention, but the mechanic works.

Outside of class, however, is where the game really begins to shine. If you're familiar with the gameplay of Grand Theft Auto, then you'll easily adapt to Bully. For starters, each and every student at Bullworth Academy has a unique personality. You'll make friends and you'll make enemies. The missions are fun and quite an experience. The game is original. Even better, the story sequences are filled to the brim with humor, quite simply it's one of the funniest games I've played.

In addition, you can also venture outside of the school. Jimmy can get a job to help him buy food and other things, and he's able to help people around town do some of their errands and chores as well. You'll also be able to date, go play some arcade games and plenty more. All the things most high school students do.

Jimmy isn't without a mischief. He's got a slingshot, a bat and a few other things he can use. Again, you can't kill anyone with these things, and eventually the objects will break anyway. Besides, if you beat up a kid, you have to serve detention. Part of the point of the game really is staying out of trouble.

The game also takes on a more realistic feel. There's a clock in the corner that shows you what time it is. If you're caught wandering around the school after hours there are consequences. If you stay out too late, you'll actually get tired and fall asleep.

The game looks and sounds brilliant. Fantastic voice acting really brings the story to life. The game also has some great visuals. The school and environments look astonishing.

Bully is a great game to be sure. It's almost like an interactive teenage drama come to life. A lot of the game is humorous and fun. But most importantly, it isn't Grand Theft Auto and it does stand on its own.

School Days Aren't Always Fun and Happy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 41 / 45
Date: October 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

People can pick on the Rockstar group for their Grand Theft Auto series, but I actually found the Bully game much more redeeming. You're a schoolboy taking on the stereotypical cliques.

It's pretty clear why you're a depressed teenage boy when the game starts. Apparently your dad has died, and your mom has remarried an elderly, grumpy old man who wants you out of the picture. Your mom is more than happy to dump you off at a stay-all-year school while she goes off with Mr. Moneybucks.

On top of that, the school officials are pretty nasty to you right from the start. Hogwarts this is not! Then as you go into the run-down dorm, other kids start beating up on you! It's time for you to stand up for yourself and make a stand.

There are various groups of kids in this school - the nerds, the jocks, the greasers and the preppies. Activities you do raise or lower your respect level with each group. You have to go to class too - and be there on time! If you're able to manage your schedule properly, you can participate in some pretty fun mini-games (the word scramble can be challenging!) to earn you new skills.

There are girls to court, and usually they want a specific item. So you have numerous quests to go on. The bully activities range from escorting a nerd safely to his locker, to running races and protecting yourself from attacks. You get clothing along the way, and can customize your look (within school regulations, of course).

It's a bit depressing, sometimes, to see how these mid-teen guys treat each other, but this does actually happen in many schools. I'm sure pretty much every person who was once a teen can name the cliques that existed in their school.

The graphics are rather good for a PS2, and the sounds, while again a bit depressing for a teen environment, work well with the game too. On one hand I can not really like the swearing in the game, but certain teens do in fact swear far worse than this game does!

I'd even say this is more like Fable than other Grand Theft Autos, with some of the ways that you can choose how you react in situations.

This game won't be enjoyed by people who are squeamish about violence - it does, after all, involve teen guys all bashing each other for very inane reasons. It also involves a lot of bullying - as you might imagine. Still, if you can deal with those issues, you'll find a really involving game that might actually make you think about how to treat others well.

After all is said and done...its worth the price of admission.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 20 / 21
Date: October 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

After having played through a large portion of Bully, I can say this: Though its gameplay style may mimic other Rockstar titles (mainly the Grand Theft Auto series), Bully stands out on its own with many tweaks, themes, options, and fun to warrant itself as a standalone game worthy of praise, and not just another clone.

And yes, though the game was initially controversial, those same morons who continue to seek out the gaming industry for all the blame of messed up children who were going to do something bad either having the game or not (think of all the music, movies, and real life situations that include violence and sexual themes, etc.)...they came after Bully strictly because of the title and theme. The FACT is however, you'll find the games protagonist far from a Bully (this is nowhere near beating up hookers with a baseball bat, instead think of maybe a Bart Simpson with a little more edge.), and the title is a bit misleading...anyhow...

Even though the PS2 is on its last wheels, Bully manages to dredge up some very decent graphics for this title. Ambient sounds, music, and atmosphere are some of the best around, with tons of characters always surprising you with something new that may catch your ear. Whats really great about this game is that (and not to compare to the GTA series, but its inevitable)there seems to be a heavier emphasis on interaction with objects. You can break into certain lockers, pick up a large variety of objects and even climb trees, pull fire alarms etc. even when not in a mission.

I really enjoyed the missions overall, they gave a great sense of being in the schoolyard with its many cliques and funny themes. Lots of missions and side quests will keep you entertained for hours...appealing to both casual folks who may just want to finish the storyline or those who obsess on getting the game to 100% completion.

Most folks won't get that far, but its nice to know that theres always something you can do and come back to the game for if you get tired of it anytime soon. It may not be the absolute groundbreaking title you were thinking of, but its definitley a great game. If you enjoy the open ended feeling of 'free in a sandbox' style, or perhaps want a diversion from the same old GTA theme, pick it up and give Bully a shot.

Rockstar's best

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: February 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've been getting back into gaming lately. My tastes in games range from some sports to action/RPGs. I bought GTA set that has all of the GTA games in it. I admit, it is fun, but how many times can you shoot a prostitute and take your money back?

Then I tried Bully out. I am not a young gamer, 32, to be exact. I love the sense of humor the game has, the violence that doesn't involve cutting off someone's head. Instead, run into the cafeteria, pick up an apple and throw it at someone. Next thing you know, you have a food fight on your hands!

Run up behind the prefects (school hall monitors) give them a wedgie and jump into a trashcan to hide. It is a very light-hearted game, great voice acting in it as well. How many times can you here one of the school bullies say, "What's the dealio?" without laughing?

You can open up more of the game and skip school to head to a neighboring town to do odd jobs, delivering papers, delivering food (complete with uniform) finding lost dogs and maybe the funniest of the odd jobs, shooting rats with your slingshot.

By the end of the game you will see the big lug Russell and give him a $1 just because you like him not because he is going to beat you up if you don't.

There are many things off the school grounds to do. Be sure to ride the carnival rides, race the go-karts, race bikes, seriously folks, this game is just great all-around.

One of my favorite parts is when Jimmy thinks his art teacher wants to go o a date with him...you will see when you play it. It really does play out as a year in the life of a teenager. From kissing a girl on campus to pinching them on the butt, to throwing snowballs during the winter chapters. Halloween and Christmas are both in the game and the buildings are decorated accordingly.

I've read reviews about how short the game is. Don't believe that. It is short if you are just doing the missions so you can say you beat the main game. Similar to the GTA games. I'm sure a person could run through GTA Vice City in a week if they didn't do any of the extra things that Rockstar puts in the games.

I played Bully for a solid 3 weeks, probably 2 hours a day and had finished the missions, but was only about 80% finished with the game. I had enjoyed it so much that I deleted the save file and will be starting a new game of it in the next week or so. This time I will spend more time looking for rubber bands, collector cards, it has all of the extras that GTA has with the hidden packages and so on.

I would list God of War as the best game I have played, but I would take Bully over it just because of the amount of fun, very laid-back, "not in a hurry" type game it is. This is a must buy. Take a few days on the game to just around the campus and look for hidden areas. Do the same when the cities open. Jimmy, the main character is a lot of fun to use and you will enjoy this game...if not, well, go play Gorefest 9000 or something.

Very fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: October 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ok, this game is really fun.
It seems to be really long (haven't played that long yet but the map is huge) and the graphics are great.

Like one reviewer said, the game follows the seasons, but with that, it surprisingly includes holiays also (not sure if the plural form is accurate, I played through one but am guessing there's more...).

You definitely won't be disappointed.
As for the camera angle problem... it's nothing that you haven't seen in the GTA series.

Gameplay is very similar to the GTA series but I'm enjoying the targetting system a lot more.

Quite cool, give it a try.
I'm not sure I'd recommend renting it b/c you'll want to buy it right away so renting it would put you an extra $4 in the hole...
I'd buy it again if given the choice.

Bully = GTA Gameplay + Novel Characteristics

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: November 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I normally only review books on Amazon, however I couldn't resist posting a review of Bully. At it's worst, Bully is a slightly cheesy (and somewhat) stereotypical story of a kid with a dysfunctional family. At it's best, Bully is the best example of making a story more engaging, interactive, and fun by making it a video game. Bully is not only a blast to play, but the story keeps you captivated.

In Bully, you play the role of Jimmy - an unloved child from a dysfunctional family who is dumped off at Bullworth Academy. Bullworth, a rundown prep school, is full of warring cliques of students - the jocks, the preps, the nerds, and the greasers along with an assortment of other characters - the hobo, the school principal, the teachers, the townies, etc. Jimmy, in an attempt to "get by" tries to bring bring peace to the school and is constantly countered by the acts of his antagonist, Gary.

The gameplay is superb, the "world" isn't quite as free or large as the GTA series (although this didn't make a difference, really), and the storyline is absolutely fun and well-written. Rockstar Vancouver really did a great job with this game and I hope they continue to release more games with the GTA gameplay but new and original storylines.

Rant 'N Rave

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: October 29, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Well after all the media attention Bully has arrived. It would seem that all those nutty parental groups were wrong again. May be now they'll focus on some real problems facing our poor children. Not only did this game prove not to be a "Columbine" handbook it tries to show a better way to deal with the problems facing teens.Well the rant is over now for the rave. The game mechanics are excellent. Like many of Rockstar titles they've improved on the GTA engine allowing smoother play. Stepping away from the mission types in the GTA series Bully had to have better ideas without falling back on the GTA typical T&A/wholesale killing. Now don't get me wrong I enjoy the GTA series, and most of Rockstar's other releases. I never passed shop class though. Seeing the GTA open ended engine applied to another series just shows me the various directions they can go in as far as game creation.The mini-games are fun and addictive. I wish they would have other classes represented. With Bully you get to not only play a great game, but some of us old folks will travel back to a simpler time. Overall this is an excellent game, worth your time, and a is a fine example of how stupid the media and those parental groups can be.

Bullying is Fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: October 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Bully is a game very similar and very different to Grand Theft Auto.

It's similar in the way that it runs, there are missions, weapons to be had, fighting, etc.

That's all. The difference is this game is not a filthy, murdering spree. You get into fights, but nobody dies... in fact I haven't even seen blood yet. This game stresses that being mean to girls and to kids is unacceptable, and you play somewhat of an anti-hero who fights back against the Bullies and gives a voice to the voiceless.

You go to school, you take classes, and you learn how to survive the jungle that is private school. You do commit crimes in the game, but much like GTA, if they catch you, you will be punished. I wouldn't recommend letting little kids play this, mainly because of the crazies who think video games make kids do bad things... but this game shows consequence (instead of respawning in a police station without weapons and less money) so it might be ok.

Very fun, very addicting, and tons to do.

GTA meets Harry Potter

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: October 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I just received this game yesterday and I've already put a few hours worth of time into it. You can't help but notice the Rockstar trademark graphics and intro. Although the controls and character movements I think have improved over the San Andreas controls and movement.

I found it challenging to balance the time in this game. The clock moves pretty fast, and you have to run around finding challenges as well as watching the clock to make sure you aren't truant from class or trespassing at night when you're supposed to be in bed! You also have to really watch out for the Prefects, which by the way, is the same term used in Harry Potter. Maybe it's a British thing?

I have to disagree with the one reviewer saying that Jimmy is not a Bully. He isn't like the other bullies, but he does have to win the respect of others (GTA style) by protecting and beating up the Bullies. So basically Jimmy bullies the bullies.

Breaking into lockers, running errands for the underpriveleged, flirting with girls, getting good grades in class, riding around on a skateboard, and one of my favorites is Dodgeball in Gym Class! And these are all things I've come across in the first few hours of play! What's next?

Get this game! It's a vast array of ecleptic gaming skills and entertainment styles, you won't regret it!

And if you are also looking for a completely original game, graphics like I've never seen before I noticed alot of Bully buyers get Okami, which I did also, and that is like no other game graphics-wise. VERY artistic for those who's girlfriends get tired of watching you play the same ol. It is pleasing to the eye. Very artistic and original.

An awesome world, a decent game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: November 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

You are Jimmy Hopkins, a neglected teen who has been expelled from every boarding school his mom has shoved him in. You've been sent as a result to one of the world's worst. Bullworth Academy, a place where parents send mean kids so they can forget about them. As a result you resolve to come out on top of all the other bullies, sociopaths, and corrupt staff members. The story is told with a wicked sense of humor that parodies school life the way we all remember and hate it. You'll have a blast playing it and laugh out loud more than a few times.

Bully is definitely a worthy game to own for all you GTA fans out there. Think of it as GTA Light. You are able to free roam a gorgeous town as a troublesome teenager, solving problems, or just being a nuisance. The level of violence is limited though. Probably the most violent thing you can do to someone is hit them with a baseball bat, and you cannot "kill" anyone. You can just hurt them really bad. To the game's credit, it punishes those who would use their abilities to abuse women or children by spawning policemen or prefects close by to bust you almost immediately.

The world you play in is beautiful. Whereas GTA games sacrifice detail for size a lot of the time, Bully doesn't need to. As a teen, your transportation choices aren't as swift but the town is also not as large. So the developers packed more points of interest into an area the size of a town instead of a big city. The result is a town with a LOT of personality and atmosphere.

Gameplay: The fighting design is decent, though not perfect. It's a pain to be running and shuffling through weapons when suddenly you whip out the skateboard accidentally and completely screw yourself. Also, why can't the skateboard be a weapon itself? The minigames are fun and the rewards are significant for completing classes. Frankly, this game makes you want to avoid skipping class if you can. Interactions with characters are also fun. You can insult, complement, give gifts, give wedgies, pinch girls, make-out, and you can also do humiliating finishing moves on opponents. As I stated before, transportation is limited. You can ride a skateboard and as the game progresses, graduate to a bike, then better bikes. You can also find access to mopeds and go-karts eventually. Riding around is a lot of fun in this town, especially with the best bike or the go-kart. You will have the opportunity to race often.

The town offers such attractions as: a carnival (rides,games,freak show,souvenirs), barber shops/salons (change your hair style), clothing stores (your wardrobe), bike shops (rent a sweet ride), grocery stores (stock up on eggs, spraypaint, soda pop), and various hangouts to crash in or vandalize. I love the fact that you can win new hang-outs throughout town that act as your home away from school. The town is complete with cushy suburbs, docks, a dam, slums, an industrial district, a trailer park, a train depot with a network of track, and also an undeveloped area with bike trails. You also experience seasonal changes as the school year progresses and even get to be a nuisance on Halloween and Christmas. They even simulate riding a bike/skateboard in the snow. The attention to detail is superb.

Sound: AWESOME!!! I say this because the town's/school's personality really emerges with the audio. I laughed my butt off passing by random conversations people were having in the boys dorm/the cafeteria/the comic book store/etc. They spent a lot of time on this and you could spend hours just walking by people listening to them gab. Once again, superb voice over work for a Rockstar title. The music is also mood enhancing without being distracting or grating. It makes for good atmosphere.

Graphics/Animation: The style was somewhere between a cartoon and a Norman Rockwell painting. I liked it and it was realistic enough to be relateable without seeming cartoony. In fact, the expression in the animation was better than most games and also added to the game's personality.

Replay value: I will play again soon as there are easter eggs I missed finding, but the biggest problem with this game was that it wasn't particularly difficult. I didn't feel very challenged by a lot of the missions, particularly the ones that didn't involve fist fights. Later in the game, my arsenal of weapons was so diverse that fights were even easy. Whereas a room full of bad guys used to be a challenge, after getting a spud gun, they became a 10 second obstacle.

Ultimately, I loved exploring this game. You will undoubtedly love it too despite the lack of intense violence, the combat can be challenging and fun. If you've ever been through high school you will appreciate this game's sense of humor. In fact, even if you're not a teen right now, it will likely help you fulfill your fantasy of what you would have liked teenhood to be like. Frankly, who didn't want to be the biggest bad_ss in school?

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