Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun
What the hell am I talking about. You will only know, get annoyed by, then come to love this melodic theme music if you have played
I played this game a long time ago and when browsing through my x-box market, this caught my eye and all could remember was how much I enjoyed this game.
The first thing I have to praise about it is value for money. I'm finding a lot of story based games now are finishing really quickly with an unsatisfactory ending leaving you to collect missing items and finish side missions. Bully on the other hand is five chapters of nothing but missions. Its like a school version of GTA. What I like about this sort of mission based game is every mission adds something to the story and you can't move on with the story until all the current missions are complete.
Whilst there Jimmy gets to know the place and the various 'clicks' that attend there. There are the bullies, the preps, the nerds, the jocks and the greasers. Each group doesn't associate with the others and all fight to be on top making the school a battle ground of popularity.
Amongst it all Jimmy finds Gary, a loner who spends his days plotting and torturing his only 'friend' Pete.
The first chapter of the game is a huge tutorial, with Gary asking you to help him with tasks and pranks to play on unsuspecting students and teachers. By the end of the chapter you realise it was all so Gary could give you a bad reputation throughout the school and make everyone hate you. The aim of the game...get Gary. The method...get the students of Bullworth on your side again.
Each group is very defined from the clothes they wear to the way they speak. Within each group every person is defined too. There isn't just one or two main characters then the rest are clone copies of each other with slight differences like some games. You get to know every character and help them out in some way. Even the kids not in a group have there own personalities.
I have to say out of them all I love the preps. With their inter-breeding and webbed toes these boxing loving dimwits are very entertaining.
In between missions, like real school you have to take classes which become a real test of knowledge for the player. Seriously, when I had to put the correct flags around Asia and Europe I questioned my entire Geography education, but to be fair I haven't taken that class in...twelve years. Also as someone who is numerically dyslexic I was extremely proud to pass the math classes. Pat on back for me. Needless to say, with each test passed you receive a reward such as new weapons or social upgrades.
Once out of the school you can visit the entire town which leads to shops, meeting the group of townies and going to my favourite place, the carnival. You can go on rides, play games and see the politically incorrect 'freak' show. Trust me, boxing midgets and fat bearded ladies. PC supporters of the world UNITE!
One thing unavoidable in this game is the sexual tension...let me finish. Any girl you meet eventually falls in love with you and will make out with you at the drop of a thong. Also this game is not prudish and knows how times have moved on so each click comes with its own homosexual member that you can make out with to gain back health. Well school was a time of finding out who you are, why not here too.
There are little touches in this game that makes it really fun to watch. For example as your playing the last Prep mission it starts to snow and when chapter three begins its winter and the whole map on the start screen goes from green to white. Its not just a straight switch from sunny to WINTER. There is a natural transaction.
Also the music is fantastic. With every action you do, if its riding your bike or being chased by a gang the music changes to complement the mood.
I like the message this game brings across as well. Jimmy may seem just a bad kid but all he wants to do is get by in life and he wont hurt anyone unless he feels they deserve it. OK not the best message to send out to the next leaders of our country but its nice to play a character whose not beating up people just for the hell of it.
There is so much more I can write but you'll get more out of it if you play it. The main problem I have with this game is it reminds me too much of MY school. There was never a week without some sort of emergency services visiting. Ah childhood traumas. Where would we be today without them?
So as always this game deserves a Gothic salute and remember... these are the best years of your life...yeah right. >^^<
