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Wednesday, November 1 2006
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“Bully”
Playstation 2
If high school wasn’t
bad enough the first time
around for some people, the
creative minds at Rockstar
Games, the developers of the
controversial “Grand Theft
Auto” series, have recreated
the entire experience for
people to relive once again
in the highly anticipated
Play Station 2 game "Bully.”
Players assume the
role of the 15-year-old new
kid in the neighborhood,
Jimmy Hopkins.
As the victim of his
mom’s remarriage to her rich,
new spouse, troublemaking
Jimmy is now forced
into attending Bullsworth
Academy to assist in getting
his act together.
However as Jimmy
soon finds out. it is not
always the kid that needs the
most improving, but rather
the school.
■Ji ML
Barbra Streisand
Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Thu, Nov 2, 2006 08:00 PM
Vince Gill
The Arena At Gwinnett Center, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 3, 2006 08:00 PM
Robert Earl Keen
Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 3, 2006 08:30 PM
Def Leppard / Journey
Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Sat, Nov 4, 2006 07:30 PM
The Slits
The Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
Wed, Nov 8, 2006 09:00 PM
Panic! At the Disco
HiFi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA
Thu, Nov 9, 2006 06:30 PM
My Morning Jacket
The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Sun, Nov 12, 2006 08:00 PM
Les Georges Leningrad
The Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
Tues., Nov 14, 2006 09:00 PM
Death Cab for Cutie
Fabulous Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 17, 2006 08:00 PM
The Who
The Arena At Gwinnett Center, Atlanta, GA
Wed, Nov 22, 2006 07:30 PM
Supercross
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Sat, Feb 24, 2007 07:00 PM
During class time at
Bullsworth Academy, the
staff of teachers and workers
all exude a great deal of
leadership and pride about
their school, but players
will soon discover the
horribly flawed characters
at heart.
An alcoholic English
teacher, a perverted Gym
teacher and an unsanitary
cafeteria lady are examples of
what lurks in this hypocritical
boarding school.
But it is not just the
teachers that are problems
at Bullsworth Academy.
Much like in real
schools, student cliques
have formed and they love
nothing more than spending
their time bullying opposing
groups due to differences.
The bullies torment the
geeks, the greasers and preps
are always at each others’
throats and the jocks really
don't know much of what
is going on outside of their
respective sports.
The game makes use
of the stereotypical aspects
of each group to create a
caricatured representation
of school life, rather than a
more realistic one.
The game itself plays
just like a student’s life.
Every morning Jimmy
wakes up from his boy’s
dorm room to face the
day. A clock in the left
hand comer of the screen
naturally keeps gamers
aware of the time and can
also remind them of the
day’s activities.
During certain hours
of the day, Jimmy is alerted
that he has class, and is
responsible for taking
himself to these classes.
Photo courtesy of Gamespot.com
The highly anticipated new release “Bully", for the PS2, takes gamers back to those fondly re
member days of having the snot beat out of them because their moms insisted that the Christmas
sweater vest from Grandma would look cute on picture day. What, hit too close to the mark?
Classes include Art,
English, Gym, Chemistry,
Shop and Photography and
are represented in short
mini-games that resemble
the subject at hand.
English class requires
players to rearrange a
handful of letters into as
many words as possible,
while photography class is
about Jimmy taking various
shots around the school with
his camera.
These mini-games are
fun to play, and can lead to
special bonuses like new
fighting moves or increased
health for Jimmy if he
passes the class every day.
But if players aren’t
really feeling virtual classes
on certain days, they can
always do what real life
students would never dream
of doing: skip class.
Outside of the
classroom, Jimmy has a
multitude of things to see
and do.
Activities like moving
the main plot along by
completing missions,
collecting numerous items,
doing favors for students
and teachers, pulling off
pranks and even picking
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fights with whoever
gamers deem worthy.
As much fun as it is on
school ground, it is outside
the school gates where the
fun really begins.
While the city of Old
Bullsworth is no where
near the size of places like
Liberty City or Vice City
in “Grand Theft Auto,”
the place certainly has
personality.
Stores can provide
Jimmy with anything from
character model altering
effects to items such as
prank materials to target his
next victim. Not only stores,
but houses, graveyards and
even a massive carnival,
complete with playable
games and rides, to keep
the game entertaining.
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Despite having so much
to do, at the heart of “Bully”,
is a combat game. Jimmy
is very adept at hand-to
hand fighting, and will use
it many times to overcome
conflicts with other bullies
or enemies.
Jimmy can also learn
many fighting techniques, but
the game is not exceedingly
gratuitous on violence and
keeps the action down to
simple schoolyard scuffles
rather than the typical
disheartening use of firearms
and bloodshed.
Overall, the game is
very well structured and
created. The camera is
very solid, the action is fast
and enjoyable, and there
is nothing severely flawed
that comes to mind when
playing this game.
"Bully” serves as
a great reminder of the
good, and bad, old days
of high school without
the excessive use of
violence that Rockstar
Games is notorious for
implementing.
If gamers are looking
for a great trip down
nostalgia lane, with a great
concept and hysterically
over the top characters,
then “Bully” is well worth
the rent or purchase.
Waters liating
(out of 10)