Bully originally released on the Playstation 2 in October 2006 to both critical and fan acclaim. Rockstar, while still being massive back then was certainly more experimental when it came to games. It was around this time we saw the likes of Manhunt, The Warriors and Rockstar Table Tennis on Xbox 360. All were excellent games in my opinion, but not necessarily what you would associate with the juggernaut that brought you GTA: V and Red Dead Redemption 2 in recent times. It was a time for experimentation and while Bully did strike a nerve with some of it’s subject matter (The PAL version even having to be renamed Canis Canem Edit, meaning Dog Eat Dog in Latin).
So what we are doing with these retro reviews is taking a look at them with a fresh set of eyes in 2019. Taking a classic game, playing through it and seeing how it holds up. Bully did receive an upgraded Scholarship Edition in 2008 which hit Xbox and PC, but I chose to go with the PS2 original which has been handily ported to the Playstation 4 with full trophy support. The first thing I noticed when booting up the game was the rather rough graphics. I still consider 2006 fairly recent, but it honestly is a lifetime in gaming when you compare this alongside the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2.
While the textures are lacking though, the game is not short on detail. That detail may not look great with 2019 eyes, but Rockstar Vancouver went the extra mile to make the world look as authentic as they could with the hardware they were dealing with. Bully at the time was considered an open world game, but by the standards of today the map is tiny. This for me was an instant plus. The last few years when it comes to world building the thought process appears to be bigger is better. I would take a smaller map that I can get to know without having to set markers every two seconds over vast open space any day. Although in the case of Bully, not having the option to set markers on the map seems like a bizarre oversight. Even for the time.
I remember back in 2006 being blown away by the voice acting in the game. That remains true in 2019. Everyone plays their roles superbly and it really helps sell you on the story and all the strange and quirky interactions you have throughout your time at Bullworth. The soundtrack for the game is also excellent and despite having finished up the game and having gotten the platinum trophy almost a week ago now I still find myself humming the tune in my head.
The main issue I have with the game all these years later is the gameplay. Jimmy does NOT control well. Those who complained when RDR2 came out that Rockstar haven’t updated their character controls in over a decade really need to stick this on and get a dose of reality. Due to my nostalgia for the game I was able to deal with the wonky controls as everything else remains on point but I could see it being a deal breaker for those checking out the game for the first time.
The strongest aspect of the game in 2006 was the school setting. It was novel to be able to explore the grounds, take part in classes such as English, Art, Gym, Chemistry and more. You could even pull pranks such as letting off stink bombs, throwing marbles on the ground, throwing eggs and using itching powder. Fast forward to present day and we haven’t seen anything like this since. Truth be told unless Rockstar ever pull the trigger and give us a sequel we are unlikely to see anything like it again.
As usual despite the age of the game I won’t be going deep in to story spoilers, but I think Rockstar did an excellent job with this. They work loads of different school factions into the narrative and each clique feels distinct and has characters that really add to the depth of the game. The main story runs about 15 hours in length but that easily extends to more than 20 hours if you complete the side missions. Should you decide to tackle the mini games and all the misc activities for the platinum trophy I would estimate around 30 hours of play time would be required.
Overall, despite the unavoidably dated graphics and the gameplay failing to stand the test of time I wholeheartedly recommend checking this out. It can often be picked up in one of the various PS4 sales for around £6 and what you get is a truly unique experience. This to me is one of Rockstar’s finest games to date and if you can get past the wonky controls there is so much to love here.
