Baritron's Bully ReviewGraphics: 9/10 The graphics in Bully are a perfect example of what good graphics on the Playstation 2 looked like. Everything in the game is very well visually designed and is expressed clearly. You can really tell just how much effort went into making something like this. The only problem with the graphics is that things that are supposed to look circular in real life look very polygonal, but this is still something that happens in games made today. The color palette in bully is mostly made up of dark colors with few bright or vibrant colors. This gives the feel of an environment within the game that is very dark and unforgiving, which is definitely accurate. The only graphical issues in Bully are occasional blurry textures on walls and floors when you stand up close to them. Other than that, the graphics in Bully are very clean and crisp and are some of the best on the Playstation 2, which is why it is receiving a 9/10 in this category.
Music: 9/10 Let me just first say that I am a huge fan of the music in Bully. The dark feel of the walking theme builds on the dark feel that is provided by the graphics and story of this game. The music is simple and repetitive but provides a lot of character within the game. The bike theme also builds on this dark and depressing vibe, but provides a sense of momentum and speed, as you’re dashing through Bullworth on bike. All the music in this game sort of has a retro feel to it. I don’t really know how to explain it, but all the music in this game feels old (I mean this in a good way). As if it was made in the 1970’s or 1980’s. There is also lots of variety in music in this game. There are dark songs, serious songs, cheerful songs, you name it. For all of these reasons, Bully gets a 9/10 in Music.
Story: 8/10 In Bully, you play as 15 year old Jimmy Hopkins who has been dumped at the high school of Bullworth Academy. After being dropped of at the school, Jimmy befriends Gary Smith, who shows him around Bullworth and also tells him about the 5 cliques, the Jocks, the Nerds, the Bullies, the Preppies and the Greasers. Jimmy is later betrayed by Gary after Gary puts him in a fight with Russell, the leader of the Bullies. After defeating Russell in a fight, Jimmy earns respect from and control over the Bullies. The rest of the story involves Jimmy gaining respect from and control over the remaining 4 cliques and eventually bringing all 5 cliques of Bullworth together. This is a very unique story and definitely not something you see all the time in a video game. However, I do have to take points off for the story seeming somewhat repetitive sometimes. The same thing of gaining control of each faction got boring for me towards the end of the story, which is why Bully is receiving an 8/10 in this category.
Gameplay / Control 9/10 Bully has the standard gameplay and controls for a third-person game, but also brings new things to the table. For one, because you’re a teenager, instead of cars, you ride bikes around the city of Bullworth. Also, In traditional Rockstar fashion, The world is given to you little by little as you progress through the game. In chapter one, which acts as a tutorial of sorts, the only area open to you is the school. Players can also use melee and ranged weapons against enemies in the game. Some examples of these being Slingshots, bottle rockets, baseball bats, and wooden boards. Players also can learn new unarmed combat moves by completing a set of side missions. The controls in bully, like I said before, are pretty standard for a third-person game. The only issue I have with it is that R1 and L1 aim and shoot while R2 and L2 switch weapons. It’s a little confusing, but I got used to it after a little bit. All in all, despite one minor flaw, Bully still has excellent control and gameplay which is why it earns a 9/10 in this category.
Depth: 10/10 Wow, is Bully a deep game. Being designed by the developer Rockstar, Who is known for designing open world games with outstanding depth, it’s no wonder Bully has so much content. As previously mentioned, you ride bikes in Bully. There are many bikes to choose from in Bully, including BMX bikes, that are good for jumps and tricks, mountain bikes that are built for speed, and even scooters. The closest thing in the game you get to a car is a go-kart. Along with vehicles, there are also hundreds of clothing items available for purchase. As well as doing the main storyline and side missions, you can also choose to attend class to get some optional items and abilities. For example, completing the chemistry class gives you access to an arsenal of weapons including stink bombs, firecrackers, and bottle rockets, and completing the shop class gives you access to 4 different BMX bikes. There is also a rather large carnival that you can go to and play games to win prizes that can help you throughout the game such as a scooter. There are also over 70 unique NPCs that can all be talked to and interacted with differently. As you can obviously see, Bully is a very deep game, which is why it is receiving a perfect score of 10/10 in this category.
Difficulty: 3/10 Bully is not hard AT ALL. It would actually be a really good game for someone who isn’t very experienced with video games. Most of the difficulty in Bully comes from the bosses and a couple particularly difficult levels, but other than that, there’s not much stopping you from progressing through the game. The only other difficulty than that would be achieving 100% completion which is completely optional and would be difficult in any game. For these reasons, I am giving bully a 3/10 in difficulty.
Overall, Bully is an amazing game and definitely a must-have for any Playstation 2 owner, which is why my final score for Bully is an 8.7/10.
Graphics
9 Sound
9 Addictive
8 Depth
10 Story
9 Difficulty
3
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