Let's put the controversy aside, shall we? The game is called Bully, it's set in a high school, and it's made by Rockstar, the house that Grand Theft Auto built. It's pretty obvious why there were concerns the moment the game was announced. The Jack Thompsons of the world were drooling at the mouth thinking that this would be the game to end all games. In the end, it's hardly that objectionable.
Bully places you in the role of Jimmy, a troublemaker that's been through more schools than head lice. He's not bad, per se, but he's not exactly one to play by the rules. Bullworth Academy, a boarding school set in a fictional New England town, is his last chance...but it ain't gonna be pretty.
The game opens up with your drive up to the front gates. Rather than license music, Rockstar opted to orchestrate a wholly original score, giving the game's music a Rushmore meets Harry Potter vibe. As you approach the gates, the school's theme kicks up, and you're immediately lead into the headmaster's office to learn the ropes of the school. After that, you're free to cruise around the halls, checking out the student body and learning all the good hiding places.
Much of Bully is mission-based, not unlike GTA. Of course, the content of these missions is very different, so don't expect to be cooking up any hallucinogens in chemistry class. Instead, you'll be doing activities more appropriate for your age, saving geeks from bullies, getting in good with the girls and, of course, going to class. All of these missions introduce you to the varied student population, who are as interesting as some of the characters you met in Vice City or San Andreas. There's the disgusting cafeteria cook, the power-hungry student, the dumb-as-a-rock head of the bullies. All of these are individually voice-acted and unique to the point where you won't see a single "clone" walking around school.
Classes obviously play a big part in Bully, but thankfully they're not quite the drag they are in real life. Each of the game's classes, from phys ed to English to chemistry, is basically a mini-game. English, for example, is a version of the popular online game, TextTwist, making a certain number of words out of a set of letters. Chemistry is more of a rhythm game where you'll hit certain buttons as they scroll across the screen to add different ingredients. Succeeding in classes isn't just for keeping out of trouble. You'll actually unlock new abilities. For example, acing English allows you to apologize more effectively, getting you out of trouble when you're caught. Chemistry unlocks the ability to create firecrackers and other useful tools in the comfort of your dorm room.
The main story mode of Bully is separated into several chapters, with the entire game taking place over a single school year. As you start out in fall, you'll see Halloween signs and fallen leaves, but once winter kicks in you'll have to deal with snow and cold weather. Progressing in the game also unlocks new parts of the map, allowing you to explore the town outside the school grounds. Many of the game's missions will take place here, and you'll also find clothing and barber shops to give yourself a new style.
As for actual bullying of weaker, more helpless students, the game definitely discourages it. You can still give nerds wedgies, but punching a girl or throwing a firecracker at a teacher will result in immediate capture and punishment. Punishment, in the game as in real life, is grueling. Bully features a series of mind-numbingly dull mini-games for punishment, such as shoveling snow (repeatedly hitting the square button for five minutes) or mowing the football field (going up and down, up and down, over and over). You do not want to cause trouble in this school...or at the very least you don't want to get caught.
Despite all the flimflam about Bully and its potential bastardization of society as a whole, it's really just the story about a kid fighting for those that can't fight for themselves. There's very little violence (no one actually dies), and what is there is limited to the why-are-you-hitting-yourself variety. Overall though, it's unique and has the Rockstar polish, which is unrivaled in the gaming industry.
