[Originally written on 9th June 2015]
INTRODUCTORY PEEK
Bully is a game by Rockstar Studios - better known for one of the best-selling games in Playstation 2 history - GTA San Andreas.
Personally, I enjoyed Bully more than I did GTA SA. That might be because Bully was the kind of game that came along at the right age for me. I was still in higher secondary school, in sixth standard if my memory serves me right, when I started playing this game. The setting, which was also a school, completely reached out to me and the background of the main character, which is established in the opening cutscene itself, appealed to the gamer in me.
Then came the missions, and the way in which they were presented, the way different characters were developed and the way the whole thing unfolded managed to bind me quite splendidly. I enjoyed it so much that when the DVD malfunctioned after only 22% completion of the game, I bought a new one…after six years! Yes, I could not manage to move on from the game even after six years. So, let’s take a look at this masterpiece in a more organized manner.
THE GAMEPLAY
The gameplay is quite smooth with rare, minimal glitches that do not have a significant impact on the overall experience. After having completed the missions, I could not remember any glitches I may have encountered. That pretty much sums the performance up as far as glitches are concerned. Everything else is fine, from the aiming system to the camera motion to the riding and driving controls. However, the skateboard may require some getting used to.
THE STORY
This is the element (along with another one which we will talk about later) that makes Bully the highly enjoyable game that it is. You really get hooked onto it from the first couple of missions and it complements the environment in a way which stays with you long after you switch off the console. Moreover, as stories tend to get a bit boring in the middle, this one does too; but the interactivity of the missions and the way the game makes you complete different objectives do not let you feel the slackness in the middle of the story.
It is divided into chapters, each one as quirkily named as the story itself and it reveals itself bit by bit as you complete the missions. Barring one or two, there is no mission that does not have an effect on the story or on the main character, Jimmy Hopkins. Witty dialogues, deep characters and a story which keeps on hopping around the regions of eccentricity, humor and plot coherency will keep you wanting for more.
THE MUSIC
The second key element of this game which is also its best – the music. Shawn Lee has composed most (maybe all) of the music in the game and he has done a superb job of it. The music supports the game in every manner possible and though the gamer doesn’t pay much attention to it while playing the game, the music continues to do its work without ever letting the gamer know.
The main theme of the game and “Welcome to Bullworth” are the two tracks that stand out, but all the other tracks work their magic while the player explores Bullworth Academy and its environs, interacts with other characters and progresses farther. Each situation has its own music so when you listen to the main theme, you’ll say, “Oh, I recognize that tune. It plays while Jimmy rides the bicycle.” In the same way, a different tune plays itself when there’s a prefect chasing you.
No music could have suited the story and the setting better than this and all the credit goes to Shawn Lee and his team. It has all the qualities of the story. On second thoughts, I would rather say that it is the music that gives the story the notorious, mischievous quality which surrounds the student life in Bullworth Academy.
THE GRAPHICS
There’s not much to say about graphics here. If you have played GTA SA then you should expect the same thing in Bully, too. If you haven’t, and are mulling over playing Bully just for some good graphical experience, then I would advise against it. Bully is not a game with high class graphics. The graphics are enough to be at par with other Playstation 2 games but not more than that.
BUT, the way things are organized and placed is worth appreciating. There’s only so much you can expect from the sandbox genre of games in terms of graphics and Bully neither surprises nor disappoints in that area.
FINAL WORDS
This game delivers on its premise as a high school story and it does it with a swagger which only Rockstar Studios can manage. The developers were very careful to include all the elements of the high school life of an average student. You can bunk classes, you can develop your skills by taking classes which give you a considerable advantage, you can get chased (and caught, if you are not sly enough) by prefects for as much as skateboarding inside the school building, you can make girlfriends and give them presents and even get a little something in return, you can play pranks (and quite interesting ones, too! There’s a mission you get on Halloween night which I enjoyed the most. You play pranks on students and watch them being made fun of. It’s a lively experience!), you can even visit a carnival when you’re bored of studies. And that’s not even half of it! The game offers so much that you’ll never get tired of it.
That’s because you control the life of Jimmy Hopkins, the protagonist, in every aspect – from keeping him out of trouble to deciding when he gets to sleep.
There’s only one drawback though – the game ends too soon. The story is not as long as you would have liked, which is why you yearn for a sequel. However, plenty still remains to be explored after all the missions have been completed.
Still, do give this game a try. I highly recommend it to any teenager looking to have some fun in a setting with which they are so familiar. It’s a really immersive experience, one in which you make all the choices, and sit back while the lifelike characters of Bully face the aftereffects.
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