My bad if people have already posted these, but i havent seen anything.
So here they are.
GamespyIn the wake of Saints Row's release (i.e. the most brazenly derivative Grand Theft Auto clone ever made), Rockstar seems to be feeling daring enough to borrow from itself a little bit with Bully. A far cry from the potentially dangerous peer-abuse simulator that certain alarmists had it pegged as, Bully looks like it'll be an altogether charming little game that, in regards to its design, puts the GTA model under a microscope, amplifying certain bits (such as interactions with AI characters), while reining in others (the sheer size of the "sandbox").
It all takes place in a quiet New England town, one that houses a prep school of some lofty repute, though to quote protagonist Jimmy Hopkins, is perhaps best known for churning out more than its fair share of "arms dealers, serial killers, and corporate lawyers." Though far from the vile tormentor that many assumed would define his character, young Jimmy does seem to be a bit of a problem child. The opening scene has him mouthing off to his momma and newly minted step dad moments before they dump him off at the gates of Bullworth Academy before embarking on a one-year honeymoon. At Bullworth, Jimmy will learn, among other things, how to navigate the hazardous waters of adolescent cliques, supplement his arsenal of mischief-causing devices by means of a chemistry set and perfect his "Indian burn."
Superficially, Bully is a lot like the Grand Theft Auto games. You're given an open-ended environment to run through, a set of factions whose favor you can curry, and a plethora of missions to complete to further the story. As in the source material, you can simply ignore the missions for however long you want, and partake of all the other elements built into the environment. The main difference here, though, is that there is a persistent clock ticking, as since Jimmy is a student at a preparatory school, there are certain places he has to be at certain times. Once the in-game clock ticks 9:00, Jimmy has to be in class until 11:00, and again from 1:00 until 3:00 with a lunch break in between. He's then free until 7:00 PM, though he has to mind curfew, which kicks in at 10:00. He's supposed to be in bed sleeping at 11:00, though if he chooses to go truant, he can hang around until as late as 2:00 a.m., at which point his adolescent body will start to shut down.
So what's so fun about going to class? That's where you'll "level-up," so to speak. Each class, in essence, is its own mini-game. In chemistry class, you'll have to perform DDR-style button inputs to complete experiments. If you get good marks, you'll unlock stuff to create in the chemistry set in your dorm room -- things like firecrackers and stink bombs.
If you choose to play hooky, you have to watch out for prefects. Think of them as cops in GTA, or Genome soldiers in Metal Gear Solid. They patrol the school's grounds looking for truants, and if they spot you somewhere that you aren't supposed to be, they'll give chase. Their ever-present gaze could also catch you when you're doing bad stuff as well, such as starting fights, rifling through other students' lockers, or hurling eggs at nerds (or jocks or preppies or whoever you have a beef with at the moment). If you're caught in the act, an appropriate meter that indicates your current level of delinquency will rise, and depending on the severity of your offense, the prefects will give chase. If you're caught, you can stomp on their toes to shake them off. If you gain enough ground, you can jump into a trash bin and wait the threat out. If you do end up getting busted, well, prepare for an exercise in tedium. The punishments you'll endure in Bully will be just as humbling as what you'll remember from your own school days. Stuff like mowing the green and cleaning chalkboards. Nothing as glamorous as outdoor suspension, unfortunately.
Ideally, you'll limit the potential for conflict by only pissing off one or two factions at a time. But Bullworth Academy has a very complex social ecosystem, so this may not be easy. There are five cliques that you have to pay mind to: the nerds, the preps, the jocks, the greasers and the bullies. Each one has a distinct uniform that allows you to tell them apart at a glance, and depending on how far you've gotten in the story, you'll be in with some, and on the outs with others. The most effective way to win favor is by performing missions for their representatives. Conversely, pounding in their faces is a surefire way to get them to hate you. Unlike in GTA, the relationships you make with certain characters in Bullworth Academy will have day-to-day ramifications throughout the school day. You'll actually encounter, say, Algae, the chubby nerd whose interests you defended, in the game world, and he'll remember and reference your relationship.
As anyone who went to school in America knows, though, fisticuffs are sometimes inevitable. For this unfortunate eventuality, Bully has a fairly full-featured system in place. It's a pretty simple system, though -- all attacks are handled by the square button, with the circle being reserved for the game's particular brand of finishers: humiliation moves like wedgies, Indian burns and the like. You can choose to talk your way out of potential altercations as well, but depending on A) your current level of favor with the faction in question and B) how diligent you've been in your English classes (seriously), your results may vary.
With so much derivative stuff both on the market and on the horizon, Bully, frankly, seems like a breath of fresh air. There are some truly amusing characters in this brightly grim world, and we can't wait to spend more time with them. The game is due out early next month, so expect an update soon.
http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/bully/730235p1.html
