RATING: (M) “Mature”: Content suitable for persons ages 17 and older.
CONTENT DESCRIPTOR(S): Strong Language; Violence
Your choices from the MAIN MENU are NEW GAME, LOAD GAME, and OPTIONS. Use the directional pad to highlight OPTIONS and press the X BUTTON to raise the OPTIONS MENU. After all your adjustments have been made use the directional pad to highlight EXIT and press the X BUTTON to return to the MAIN MENU Use the directional pad to highlight NEW GAME then press the X BUTTON advance through the prologue to begin the game.
USING THE CONTROLLER(s)
L1 BUTTON- Lock-On Target R1 BUTTON- Block
L2 BUTTON- Take Out/Put Away Item R2 BUTTON- Not Used
START BUTTON- PAUSE / INVENTORY MENU X BUTTON- (hold) Jog / (tap repeatedly) Run
O BUTTON- Grab TRIANGLE BUTTON- Use Item
SQUARE BUTTON- Attack (Pressure Sensitive- press harder or softer and longer or shorter for different effects)
LEFT ANALOG THUMB PAD/DIRECTIONAL PAD + Movement / Navigating Menus
RIGHT ANALOG THUMB PAD- Camera Control
PLAYING THE GAME
In, BULLY you assume the role of Jimmy Hopkins, a student with a score to settle! During the game, you befriend fellow classmates and make enemies alike as you perform favors, take photos and run errands to get through each day (which at Bullworth Academy, a reform school run by the bitter and strict Principal Crabblesnitch, is not an easy task.) As Jimmy you will stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks on malicious kids, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to deal with the travails of being a student at Bullworth Academy. There are over 100 different characters for you to interact with, each with their own personality and needs, and a hectic and diverse schedule of school activities to keep you occupied. Bully is a single player schoolyard adventure that has a VIBRATION option and a SAVE feature for recording your progress in the game. As the game opens, you take control of 15 year old Jimmy Hopkins who has just been dropped off at the Bullworth Academy by his self absorbed mother. Here you will be met and escorted to your room. This serves as a basic TUTORIAL and will teach you basic gameplay elements. During the game your HUD (Heads Up Display) relates to you pertinent gameplay information. Your TROUBLE METER constantly gauges what kind of nuisance you are making of yourself. Visible at all times, the meter is divided into three different zones YELLOW (will attract a prefect’s glance if you get too close to one), ORANGE (a few prefects will chase you around the school until they catch up), and RED (prefects from all over the school will systematically hunt you down with reckless abandon). The moment you break a rule the Trouble Meter begins to fill. The HEALTH BARS for people will appear beneath their feet when you have Locked onto them (L1 BUTTON). When fights do break out they will range from one-on-one bouts to group encounters, but expect to be outnumbered the majority of the time (especially when facing the jocks). However you do not always have to fight and can talk your way out of a beating if you have learned how. Throughout the game you will be making your way all around Bullworth Academy and interacting with many fellow classmates and faculty. A lot of them will ask you for favors which they will reward you with information, money, or valuable items. In addition to the school you can take the bus into town where you can spend some of your hard earned money. Time and Seasons pass as you advance from day to day. A typical day at Bullworth starts at 8am where you must get up and attend BREAKFAST (8am-9am). 9am-12pm is FIRST PERIOD (attend one of the available classes such as English, Gym, Math, etc). 12pm-1pm is LUNCH (either attend lunch in the cafeteria or head out to the schoolyard). 1pm-4pm will be your SECOND PERIOD (again you will have a number of classes you can attend). 4pm-7pm is your sacred FREE TIME (explore the school grounds or head out of town for some shopping). 7pm-11pm is your EVENING FREETIME (restricted to the campus due to curfew). 11pm-8am is BED TIME (get caught out and you will be sent right to your room). To restore your lost health you must find and KISS A GIRL. Return to your ROOM to change clothes, grab items, etc. As you clear the various challenges, new more engaging challenges will arise such as increasing threats from your enemies. Each time that you complete a task, you will be able to SAVE your progress in the game. If you are injured, your Health Meter will diminish. When your Health Meter is completely gone, you will be unable to carry on.
GAMEPLAY TIPS:
Even if you do not want to, it is important that you attend your classes! Yes, you have the option to skip class, but if you do you will miss out on some very import skills. For instance: if you attend and do well in SHOP, you will be able to upgrade your bicycles, paint well in ART class, and you will become better at interacting with women (and thus increasing the likely hood you can score kisses.) Solve the word jumbles in ENGLISH and your apology skills will increase when confronted with bullies and teachers (a good thing to keep you out of trouble and fights.)
If your TROUBLE METER gets to ORANGE or RED, it is time to find a good hiding space and lay low until it goes down. If you get caught while in Red, you will be brought straight to Principal Cribblesnatch’s office for a lecture and harsh punishment. Avoid getting apprehended if at all possible!
It is inevitable that, on occasion, you will find yourself getting into a fight. When this happens, be sure to mix-up your techniques. If you use the same techniques repeatedly, your opponent will figure you out and counter your moves. Use combos to keep your opponent off-balance. Throw in a few cricket bat whacks to keep them guessing what you are going to hit them with next. Remember that your attack button (SQUARE BUTTON) is pressure sensitive (the PS2 Controller Buttons X, SQUARE, O, and TRIANGLE are analog and can register various degrees of pressure.) Pressing the attack button with light and fast force will provide different results than if you press it hard and slow. Mix up speed and pressure to discover new moves.
Be sure to talk to everyone (X BUTTON) at some point in the game. They will provide information that you will need (tips) and offer up many side quests. Keep in mind that your REPUTATION follows you around and some people will only react to you positively if you have the right reputation with their group of friends (sometimes you have to even dress the part.)
You will grow weary if you do not get sleep. If you stay out later than 2am, you will find the controls responding in a sluggish fashion and your vision will grow blurry. Make sure you get to bed on time!
Kissing girls will replenish lost health! However, not every girl is going to kiss you so be sure you do as many favors as you can for them when they ask. Also, the better your Reputation with the girl, the more health you will regain from locking lips.
Take the time to explore your surroundings! Many hidden items and opportunities are scattered all about the campus. With the open environment gameplay, much of the school is opened up to you.
©2006 Playcare 241 West 35th Street, Suite ‘C’, National City, California 91950
Bully is a trademark and ©2006 Rockstar
Sony and Playstation 2 are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
