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Before Bully was released, critics worried that Rockstar’s Bullworth Academy would look like Columbine. Now that the game has arrived looking more like Ridgemont High without any blood or guns, it’s been granted a teen rating. Our hero Jimmy will be embarrassing his classmates with only slingshots, stink bombs and wedgies. Suck on that, Jack Thompson.

English is impotent to learn

Jimmy Hopkins is dropped off at Bullworth Academy by his obnoxious parents for a year of rigorous education.  After being expelled from other schools, Jimmy starts his life at Bullworth at the bottom of the social food chain, but he is quickly befriended by Gary, who has some of the most impressive voice acting in the game.  You quickly learn that this quaint academy has everything you loved and hated about school thrown into it.  Jimmy will deal with different cliques through each chapter of Bully, including nerds, preps, jocks and greasers, all the while finding time to attend class.  Each of the groups has their own dress code, hangout spot, and often a slutty girl thrown in for a good mix. 

I would rather play Superman 64, ET, and Shrek Super Party for the rest of my life until I set my eyes on fire rather than  going back to high school, but luckily Bully actually makes school fun and worthwhile.  I failed shop class in real life, but I would have tried harder if it earned me a sweet new BMX bike like Jimmy gets for beating Shop 4.  While attending class is entirely optional, passing a course earns you new skills and items.  By advancing through English, Art, Chemistry, Gym, Shop and Photography, Jimmy will be able to talk his way out of confrontations and kiss people (girls or boys) better to regain health.  Bullworth is apparently the coolest academy ever.

Grottos and Gremlins

If you still think going to class blows; Jimmy has plenty of other activities to occupy his time.  Many of the missions are not necessary to progress the story, but they will help you earn cash, respect, girlfriends and room decorations.   Bully’s activities vary widely and span from taking boxing tips from a homeless veteran in the morning, to scoring teddy bears for your sweetheart in the afternoon and snapping a photo of her cheating in the evening. Of course not all of your time at Bullworth needs to be used up missions.  Classmates will ask you to complete errands for them which involve pranks like stuffing kids in trash barrels.  Also, Jimmy can be customized as you please from his hair to his shoes, and classmates will comment on you differently depending on what outfit you are wearing.   Reliving school would have been worthwhile if I could go back like Jimmy, dress as a ninja and then give noogies to anyone that walked by me.  The world of Bullworth is so immersive that you are constantly discovering new tasks to accomplish, alleys to explore, and bullies to fight. 

It's a tough life as a PlayStation 2 game released in the wake of the fancy HD next-gen craze.  Regardless, Bully's world stands apart from its car-stealing, ho-stomping cousins. The town of Bullworth and its neighboring hoods each have their own distinct style that extends down to the buildings and its inhabitants.  Debris and spray paint litter the down trodden side of the tracks in New Coventry while just over the water is the snooty well-groomed Old Bullworth Vale.  Bullworth has the feel of a classic New England town, especially as the seasons change through each chapter. During Jimmy's time at the academy he will go through the falling leaves around Halloween, snowy Christmas and rainy spring.  Despite the PS2’s signs of aging (like blurry environments in the distance) it handles the town of Bullworth well.  

Unlike GTA's bumping radio stations and licensed music, Bully is outfitted with an original score by Shawn Lee. The soundtrack fits the mood of each situation and manages to continue to sound fresh twenty hours in.  Controls are standard and use every last button on the PS2 controller.  Rewards for actions like tossing kids in trash barrels are executed effortlessly with one button, and knocking kids off bikes with a slingshot is easily maneuvered the L1 lock-on.  Get ready to wear out your X button; you have to hit it repeatedly to make Jimmy run, skate and bike faster.  This X button pounding becomes a necessary evil if you want to outrun the prefects and the cops. 

Canis Canem Edit

Bully's narrow beginning is disappointing but once the game opens up after Chapter 1, Jimmy has enough errands and money making missions to occupy him till he passes out.  Jimmy Hopkins may not have killer graphics or a city the size of San Andreas, but he doesn’t need one.  Bully's smaller scope shines when it focuses on the details and social interactions between groups.  I am a notorious skipper of cut-scenes but I didn't X through a single cinema in Bully.  From drunken teachers to the hideous cafeteria lady, Rockstar so eloquently nailed the over-the-top school experience that everyone can relate to some part of it.  

Any minor problems I had with Bully were overshadowed by its humorous story, amazing presentation and variety of activities.  Of course I would prefer high-res textures covering Bullworth, but we all can't be fancy 360 games.  Instead Rockstar delivers on the straight up fun, a compelling game, and with only occasional hiccups.  Years from now, Bully will stand up on any ‘best of PS2 list’, Jimmy Hopkins will still reign as the coolest kid in school, and hopefully one day soon I will finally find all 76 hidden rubber bands.

Article by: Jess Reed
Video produced by: Michael Leffler