Bully: Be the Brat You Always Wanted to Be

Did you ever get picked on at school? Of course you have. Who has it? Be it by the teachers or by some bully, everyone has been picked on at one time or another. The social agendas found at the schoolyard have always been harsh. But how would you like to relive those social situations but through the eyes of one of the brats? If this sounds like you, then get ready to play Bully. Bully was made by those clever people behind the popular Grand Theft Auto series. It is a highly comical and amusing game to play.

In Bully you take on the role of young Jimmy Hopkins. Jimmy is trying to make his mark at the reform school, Bullworth Academy. This pesty schoolboy gets picked on by bullies himself, along with teachers. He must juggle being a brat, attending class, and hitting on the girls!

While the story doesn't sound like much at the start, you will later find it highly engrossing. The entire game is extremely fun to play through. It takes place in several locations including the schoolyard, the classroom, various neighborhoods, a carnival, arcades, and more. There are also over 100 NPC's to interact with.

Bully is an open ended mission based game, but you can pretty much do anything at your leisure. Other than the main goal of the game, there are also sidequests and minigames. Jimmy can learn new skills for his life as an upcoming Bully by attending classes such as: English or Chemistry.

He can also get better at schoolyard fights by attending gym class. He can get hurt when he gets in fights, however. But if he gets good at kissing girls, he can learn to restore his health! Lastly, Jimmy can get various jobs so he can buy clothes and other items. He can have a paper route, run errands, flip burgers, and more! If he gets bored, he can hit the local arcade or check out the carnival.

Now on to what Bully gets its name for, bullying. Jimmy can be a bully himself, but he also will get picked on by bullies and other schoolyard pests. Some of these people you will run into are: nerds, jocks, preps, greasers, townies, and more. If a problem arises, Jimmy has a few options. He can punch, kick, throw, give wedgies and Indian burns, or use various weapons. This include: his favorite sling shot, stink bombs, eggs, firecrackers, fire extinguishers, and more. He needs his skills as a fighter to take on bullies and random boss fights. But he doesn't have to face this alone. Occasionally, Jimmy can recruit people to aid him!

Bully has quality graphics and a very original musical score. There are lots of dialogue and a few cut scenes to keep the story going. The controls are very easy to master, especially if you have played other games made by Rockstar (like Grand Theft Auto)!

Bully is currently available for the Playstation 2 console and will later be available for the XBOX console. It has an ESRB rating of T for teen. This is because the game features language, crude humor, violence, sexual themes, use of tobacco, and use of alcohol. A strategy guide is available if you want to see everything the game has to offer.