Bully turns out unexpectedly to be Rockstar Games' tongue in cheek response to criticisms of their games. Despite of the feigned outrage by video game hater Jack Thompson, this game is actually harmless fun. There isn't anything in this game that you wouldn't find in an average American comic book from 1955 or in any anime today.
The game play consists of running missions where you make deliveries, or escort nerdy kids to classes and protect them from bullies. The game takes place in a school of unruly toughs where you play as an average boy who is just trying to make it to class and have a little fun. You are scored and earn money by finishing missions. You also go to classes such as art, english, chemistry and gym. Each class is a series of mini-games that increase in difficulty as you progress. The game would benefit from a wider range of classes to go to, and a better arrangement on the way that all the missions are timed. It would be even more fun if you could take your time going through it so that you can see and try everything along the way. It would also be better if you could hold more items.
You have a meter in the upper right hand of the screen that tells you how much trouble you are in. As you commit acts of truancy, violence, or trespassing then you need to find ways to hide or lower the amount of heat you are under. It is set up similar to the way that you get Wanted by police in Grand Theft Auto. You can't die in the game but you can get Busted or Knocked out. If you get in trouble and skip class or other problems there are immediate repercussions. bigger boys called "Prefects" will come along and try to bust you or beat your character up. You can evade them by hiding in lockers, or trash pails. Contrary to popular belief the game doesn't really reward misbehavior.
If you do well in the classrooms at the mini games you get rewards such as a can of soda, or the skateboard. In chemistry class if you pass then you are able to take a chemistry set back to your room with which you can make fire crackers. By beating bullies that are preying upon weaker kids you can get their "weapons" such as a sling shot. Once you have it there are various uses for it, Who wouldn't want to hide up a tree and nail a few over pumped macho football players?
The camera in the game could have used to be more refined it doesn't respond quickly enough to turn around during a fight sequence. If you are in a hurry to escape the prefects, your character may get stuck in a wall or other minimal obstacles that shouldn't be impeding the action.
There is a peace sign that you can use to make peace as an option as well.
The graphics are more detailed than expected as well. They are well done and you'll see things in the art class or library that you expect to find in real life. However the scenery isn't very interactive. Outdoors the game gives you more to explore and interact with. There are a variety of pick ups and missions that you can commit all sorts of vandalism with.
Your character can change outfits that are mainly limited to the school uniforms and aren't very imaginative. The environments and backgrounds are homogenous and average. Like the usual Rockstar games it isn't about the look of the game, as it is about the activities. The facial artwork is better than the rest of the graphics.
The music in the game is limited to monotonous baselines. It is boring and it is a flaw to have such lame tunes backing up a game put out by "Rockstar". The voice acting is one of the best things about the game. Like Grand Theft Auto that has a funny sound track, the background comments made by the NPC's that you overhear are just hilarious. Guys walking around will say things like "My butt itches." "I think I spend too much time playing RPG's." "Your Mama hits harder." " How did I get mayonnaise on my pants?" " If the sky fell on my head I wouldn't feel worse than I do right now." "I know I'm a good kisser, I practiced for years on my arm." "I can't believe people like condiments, I mean they are like snots or something."
The game is a riot. It's fun, it's pick up and play. You don't have any learning curve to deal with. It is all straight forward. You can sit down with it and enjoy lots of laughs and have a good time. It is a game that doesn't feel like work. You go to class or not, you play missions or not. You can blow things up, beat people up and be as criminal or truant as you want to. If you want to be a good kid, then you can do that too. It is basically a mirror of real life. In spite of the vagaries of life that present themselves, the choice of how you react is up to you. There are Bullies, Prefects that pick on you and a generally hostile environment that puts unfair amounts of pressure on kids in both directions. Good and bad are portrayed in a ratio that is a reflection of what any high school is like today.
This game may just be Rockstar's back handed apology to female gamers for the infamous Ho's in Grand Theft Auto. If you want to get attention from the girls in the game and kiss them, you have to offer them candy or flowers, and dress nicely to impress them. Hitting them over the head does not work in this game.
It is a shame that there isn't an option to play as a female student. The story-line is familiar from just about every high school genre anime on TV. In anime girls get into fights and pull off all of the antics that you find in this game. The game is devoid of sexism, and T & A. The girls are expected to be treated with at least a modicum of respect.
Whether it's rats that tell on kids, beatings, bribes, stealing from weaker kids, and making the nerds pay for protection none of it is new or shocking. Those high school horrors aren't limited to one gender or another. Kids are cruel on both sides of the schoolyard. There aren't any guns or killing, just mayhem and silliness.
Once again we have what might be expected to be a "guy game" that girls will enjoy. I know plenty of girls and women who play GTA and the whole gamut of WW2, and the other war games. Enlighten up dudes, we don't want Barbie - we want this game right here. Design me a female, gum chewing, pigtailed, kung fu fightin' girl, in a leather jacket to play as, and put her in the sequel to this game, and don't forget to pay me my royalties for the idea.
This game exemplifies the reason why people should play a game through before they open their mouth and start complaining about it. This game gets all up in your face and says "Buy an F'ing Sense of Humor America". It doesn't advocate violence or encourage kids to be anything that they are not. It is original in the way that Rockstar gives us a slice of life that some people might not want to look at or deny that has always been right there. If Grand Theft Auto taught us that "It's Hard Out There for a Pimp" then Bully shows us that it is just as hard out there for a teenager. I give Bully a 5 out of 5 for misbehavior rock on Rockstar Games.
The game play consists of running missions where you make deliveries, or escort nerdy kids to classes and protect them from bullies. The game takes place in a school of unruly toughs where you play as an average boy who is just trying to make it to class and have a little fun. You are scored and earn money by finishing missions. You also go to classes such as art, english, chemistry and gym. Each class is a series of mini-games that increase in difficulty as you progress. The game would benefit from a wider range of classes to go to, and a better arrangement on the way that all the missions are timed. It would be even more fun if you could take your time going through it so that you can see and try everything along the way. It would also be better if you could hold more items.
You have a meter in the upper right hand of the screen that tells you how much trouble you are in. As you commit acts of truancy, violence, or trespassing then you need to find ways to hide or lower the amount of heat you are under. It is set up similar to the way that you get Wanted by police in Grand Theft Auto. You can't die in the game but you can get Busted or Knocked out. If you get in trouble and skip class or other problems there are immediate repercussions. bigger boys called "Prefects" will come along and try to bust you or beat your character up. You can evade them by hiding in lockers, or trash pails. Contrary to popular belief the game doesn't really reward misbehavior.
If you do well in the classrooms at the mini games you get rewards such as a can of soda, or the skateboard. In chemistry class if you pass then you are able to take a chemistry set back to your room with which you can make fire crackers. By beating bullies that are preying upon weaker kids you can get their "weapons" such as a sling shot. Once you have it there are various uses for it, Who wouldn't want to hide up a tree and nail a few over pumped macho football players?
The camera in the game could have used to be more refined it doesn't respond quickly enough to turn around during a fight sequence. If you are in a hurry to escape the prefects, your character may get stuck in a wall or other minimal obstacles that shouldn't be impeding the action.
There is a peace sign that you can use to make peace as an option as well.
The graphics are more detailed than expected as well. They are well done and you'll see things in the art class or library that you expect to find in real life. However the scenery isn't very interactive. Outdoors the game gives you more to explore and interact with. There are a variety of pick ups and missions that you can commit all sorts of vandalism with.
Your character can change outfits that are mainly limited to the school uniforms and aren't very imaginative. The environments and backgrounds are homogenous and average. Like the usual Rockstar games it isn't about the look of the game, as it is about the activities. The facial artwork is better than the rest of the graphics.
The music in the game is limited to monotonous baselines. It is boring and it is a flaw to have such lame tunes backing up a game put out by "Rockstar". The voice acting is one of the best things about the game. Like Grand Theft Auto that has a funny sound track, the background comments made by the NPC's that you overhear are just hilarious. Guys walking around will say things like "My butt itches." "I think I spend too much time playing RPG's." "Your Mama hits harder." " How did I get mayonnaise on my pants?" " If the sky fell on my head I wouldn't feel worse than I do right now." "I know I'm a good kisser, I practiced for years on my arm." "I can't believe people like condiments, I mean they are like snots or something."
The game is a riot. It's fun, it's pick up and play. You don't have any learning curve to deal with. It is all straight forward. You can sit down with it and enjoy lots of laughs and have a good time. It is a game that doesn't feel like work. You go to class or not, you play missions or not. You can blow things up, beat people up and be as criminal or truant as you want to. If you want to be a good kid, then you can do that too. It is basically a mirror of real life. In spite of the vagaries of life that present themselves, the choice of how you react is up to you. There are Bullies, Prefects that pick on you and a generally hostile environment that puts unfair amounts of pressure on kids in both directions. Good and bad are portrayed in a ratio that is a reflection of what any high school is like today.
This game may just be Rockstar's back handed apology to female gamers for the infamous Ho's in Grand Theft Auto. If you want to get attention from the girls in the game and kiss them, you have to offer them candy or flowers, and dress nicely to impress them. Hitting them over the head does not work in this game.
It is a shame that there isn't an option to play as a female student. The story-line is familiar from just about every high school genre anime on TV. In anime girls get into fights and pull off all of the antics that you find in this game. The game is devoid of sexism, and T & A. The girls are expected to be treated with at least a modicum of respect.
Whether it's rats that tell on kids, beatings, bribes, stealing from weaker kids, and making the nerds pay for protection none of it is new or shocking. Those high school horrors aren't limited to one gender or another. Kids are cruel on both sides of the schoolyard. There aren't any guns or killing, just mayhem and silliness.
Once again we have what might be expected to be a "guy game" that girls will enjoy. I know plenty of girls and women who play GTA and the whole gamut of WW2, and the other war games. Enlighten up dudes, we don't want Barbie - we want this game right here. Design me a female, gum chewing, pigtailed, kung fu fightin' girl, in a leather jacket to play as, and put her in the sequel to this game, and don't forget to pay me my royalties for the idea.
This game exemplifies the reason why people should play a game through before they open their mouth and start complaining about it. This game gets all up in your face and says "Buy an F'ing Sense of Humor America". It doesn't advocate violence or encourage kids to be anything that they are not. It is original in the way that Rockstar gives us a slice of life that some people might not want to look at or deny that has always been right there. If Grand Theft Auto taught us that "It's Hard Out There for a Pimp" then Bully shows us that it is just as hard out there for a teenager. I give Bully a 5 out of 5 for misbehavior rock on Rockstar Games.
Labels: Anime, Games, Jack-Thompson, Lies, Rockstar
« Home