Title Bully: Scholarship Edition Date 03.21.2008 Genre Action Platform Wii Developer Rockstar Games Publisher Take-Two

Bully: Scholarship Edition is a remake of the PS2 game, Bully. In this version, however, the nice people at Rockstar provided extra content and some decent Wii style gameplay to make this version that much different from the original. Now, the Wii has suffered a barrage of below-par remakes and "substitute" games, such as Mortal Kombat and Soul Calibur: Legends, so it's expected that Bully: Scholarship Edition may not be so anticipated or welcome. But man, was I wrong. Rockstar Games definitely shaped Bully into a game that was perfect for the Wii without overdoing its motion aspects. They also gave Scholarship Edition additional content that only the Wii can pull off. Overall, this game is a good buy for a fan of the original, but practically a MUST for those that didn't, but are interested. It does not fail to disappoint.

GAMEPLAY
You play as Jimmy Hopkins, troublemaker and new student at Bullworth Academy. You are free to roam around the campus or around town, and pretty much do whatever you want (as long as you don't get caught!). He fights with "primitive" weaponry, such as eggs, firecrackers, stink bombs, and slingshots. You use your Wiimote and Nunchuk to control Jimmy, and to my surprise, the controls are very smooth. You swing both the Wiimote and Nunchuk to punch, or use the Wiimote to aim your ranged weaponry. You also get on-screen prompts for special techniques, such as resisting the watchful Prefects or passing your classes. For example, if a Prefect tries to "arrest" you, you swing the Wiimote to get away from him and counter. Another is during Biology class, in which you use the Wiimote to dissect your experiment. It's very smooth and very similar to the Trauma Center games. Or take Music as an example. You use both the Wiimote and Nunchuk to play an instrument such as maracas or a cowbell. This use of motion sensors is pretty good, and does not make motion seem like a hassle. Though the learning curve is a bit steep, even if you've played the original, but it will become very comfortable after a while.

Now, I do have one gripe about the gameplay. That is fighting. Like said before, you swing the Wiimote to punch right, and the Nunchuk to punch left. Simple, right? Well, it may get a little stressful, as even the slightest of swings with either accessory may cause an unwanted attack and seriously mess you up at the most inopportune moments. Sometimes the accessory might not respond or even be delayed in acting. But even with that in mind, it's not really that bad.

Oh, and hey, you also get multiplayer in this version. Not something to get all excited about, but it has its share of fun and worth. If you've got friends over, give it a shot. It's pretty fun playing as Gary Smith for once.

GRAPHICS
The graphics are somewhat improved from Bully in the PS2. A good thing to know about Bully is that no two characters are the same, giving a better feel of community than in the Grand Theft Auto games. Even with individual character models in mind, all of the characters graphically look very detailed, from how they dress to facial characteristics, such as zits or wounds. Characters also speak in sync with their speech. The environment is very well drawn, too. Objects don't look clunky, weather effects and decorations add a nice touch, lighting has improved, and the overall design of everything is just so appealing. It truly gives off the boarding school look, complete with individualized students and outlying citizens. Sure, they are not as detailed as the 360 version of this game, but the graphics is simply good enough to not have any complaints whatsoever.

SOUND/MUSIC
Let me just say that the voice acting in this game is incredible. Every single character matches their respective voice, from Gary's psychotic ranting to the crazy old hobo's comedic drunk speech. The delivery of the dialogue is flawless, credit to Rockstar's superb writing. Sound effects aren't so bad either. They don't get annoying, nor do they possess any problems to state. Now, as for music, it's a different story. The music for Bully is for the most part decent. There isn't a track that will really stand out to you, except for perhaps the "theme" that plays every day at school. This brings me to my next point: Repetition. You will hear the same song many, many times throughout the game. A song changes from when you are attacked by someone of a particular clique, or when you enter a new area, in which the song simply repeats after either event is over. Not that I hate the music, it's just the repetition that may get on your nerves.

REPLAYABILITY
The main story isn't all that long. Expect only a few hours of gameplay, depending on how often you attempt the missions. After beating the game's initial chapters, however, you can pretty much free roam wherever you want, collecting new items, unlocking all of the unlockables, and beating old records. It's very time consuming, but the open-ended gameplay and multitude of things to do will keep you occupied. And the game's fun story may drive you to complete the game again if you desire.

BOTTOM LINE
Bully: Scholarship Edition, at the time of writing this review, is around $50 American. Is it worth it? My answer is yes, especially if you have not played the game before. For those that have, it's worth a shot as well. The addition of new content such as classes, areas, missions, and multiplayer is generous and is far from unnecessary. But the inclusion of Wii style gameplay is what seals the deal. The Wii style gameplay is near-flawless, minus the controller problems I mentioned earlier. The gameplay makes everything seem more engrossing than it has been before, and will keep you from just sitting around, simply pressing buttons. But at the same time, it doesn't keep you waving your arms around, trying to keep up or tire you out. It's a nice balance of the two, which is exactly what the Wii should have in its games. If you have the money to buy Bully, I strongly suggest adding it to the collection. Its longevity will keep you entertained for a while, and it really does give you that feeling of satisfaction once you beat down those bullies. Kind of makes you wish real life school was like this.

Game Score

B+

Reviewed By: Contributed