If you can get past the dreadfully awful porting job, this game can actually be pretty fun and entertaining.
+ Basically this game takes Rockstar's GTA open world sandbox style of gameplay and applies it to a high school setting. It doesn't quite have the length or scope as a Grand Theft Auto game but I think what it offers fits the style of game.
Let me start by saying that the porting job is really bad. And at times it almost makes it unplayable. The controls are very awkward to use. It's hard to target someone when you're trying to fight them. The mouse becomes way too responsive when you try to move the camera during certain activities like riding a bike. And the mini games in class are often cumbersome when using a keyboard. If you think you can't get over these problems then this game is probably not for you. But if you are a slightly more patient and forgiving gamer, then when you stick with this game it might actually surprise you how fun it can be.
Again, the gameplay is a lot like GTA. You are able to wander around and complete different tasks or sub-tasks, or you are even able to go off and do something completely unrelated. Since you are part of a school, there are two times during the day in which you are supposed to attend class. You have the choice to attend these, but if someone catches you skipping class then they'll chase you down and reprimand you.
The classes are short mini-games that really try to capture each specific high school subject. I found one of the most interesting was Biology in which you have to dissect different animals. But other classes include English, Math, Art, Music, Chemistry, Gym, Geography, etc. Each time you successfully complete a class you gain a specific perk that is associated with the subject.
A little more about the people who will reprimand you...they are called prefects. And if you happen to do something frowned upon (picking fights, running into people on a bicycle, skipping class, trespassing, doing graffiti) then they will chase you down, sort of like the cops in GTA. But you are able to outrun them or hide from them as well.
When you are attending class then you're probably doing quests for the main story. These are diverse, fun, and stay true to the style and theme of the game. They are believable to a high school setting. And just like GTA games they are varied from races, fighting people, collecting stuff, and so on.
The combat in the game is not really great but again it fits the game. In general you will be fist fighting but you are able to unlock new and more powerful moves throughout the game. Your assortment of weapons you can pick up include a slingshot, potato cannon, marbles, itching powder, stink bombs, firecrackers, etc. Typical things you expect a high school prankster to own. You are able to pick up weapons here and there but that will result in a higher danger rating of a prefect catching you.
There are also a bunch of other small things that can fill your time in the game. There are bike races and jobs you can take. You can customize your clothes with tons of different outfits to unlock. There are collectibles along the lines of rubber bands and trading cards. There are subtasks like destroying lawn gnomes. So if you ever want to stray from the main story and wander around the town near your school, there is still plenty to do.
Story/Presentation: 4/5
+ Even though the name of this game is Bully it's not as clear as you may think. You play Jimmy Hopkins, a kid who has been expelled from 7 schools already and whose mom has had almost the same number of husbands. A troubled kid. You are dropped off at the school and slowly make new friends.
As you go through the game you encounter different factions that have their own specific problems. Like the nerds, the preppies, the greasers, the astronomy club, the jocks, and the townies. Doing certain quests related to each will raise your reputation with them.
But ultimately what ends up happening is that you must be the person to stand up to everyone. You either bring their social status up or bring their social status down. Either way, by the end everyone is on the same level and getting along. You essentially bully the bullies and make it so that everyone is part of the same group. While the story may have a roundabout way of expressing it, the moral of the story is actually supposed to be good. Jimmy may not be an angel, but at least he's trying to bring peace to a really screwed up school.
What I really liked most about this was how it captured and portrayed high school life. From the classes to the quirky teachers to the groups of students to the quests. They all stay true to the game. And what's even neater is that you actually go through the seasons like a normal school year. There's a Halloween event, then there's a phase where it's winter and there's snow on the ground and there's a Christmas pageant, and then by the end it's Spring again and everyone is wearing short sleeves. If you've ever been in high school you can sort of catch that nostalgic air that Bully presents.
Graphics: 3/5
+ The graphics themselves are kind of messy by today's standards. When this game was first released it may not have been that bad, but the porting to the PC happened years later and by 2008 the graphics of this game are obsolete.
But still, I'm able to forgive that. And you are still able to play and enjoy the game with the visuals that are in there. What I can't forgive is the unexplainable choppy framerate that sneaks in at random parts of the game. It's clearly not a hardware problem because my computer can easily handle what it's offering. But during the Chemistry minigame, the game beings to chug real slowly which makes it obnoxious to actually complete the minigame. It doesn't happen too often, but often enough for it to be noticeable.
Value: 4.5/5
+ I managed to beat the game in about 13 hours. But I mostly stuck to the main path, only going off occasionally to look at a few things. And I think I ended up with about 70% completion. So I was actually very satisfied with the length of the game. If you really like the game you can probably extend that to beyond 20 hours, either running around GTA style or by trying to get 100% completion. But in the end it was still a fun and enjoyable game, and better than I had expected.
If you can get this at a bargain price ($5 or less) then I would say go for it. That is, if you can overlook the crappy controls and the poor porting job. But once you get into the game it might actually surprise you how good it is.