Bully: Scholarship Edition

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 484 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 314 out of 484
  2. Mixed: 131 out of 484
  3. Negative: 39 out of 484
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  1. Elementis
    Apr 30, 2012
    7
    I give this game a seven because after tweaking around with some notably uncomfortable pre-set control schematics and mouse sensitivity, i found this to be an enjoyable game.

    I really cant see what the others talk about when they say that the game crashes and whatnot, because it plays perfectly fine in all areas for me, and im on a laptop. The storyline is mildly entertaining, only    I give this game a seven because after tweaking around with some notably uncomfortable pre-set control schematics and mouse sensitivity, i found this to be an enjoyable game.

    I really cant see what the others talk about when they say that the game crashes and whatnot, because it plays perfectly fine in all areas for me, and im on a laptop.

    The storyline is mildly entertaining, only look at it from an adolecent perspective, and dont expect any fludity throughout the game's story, Rather;look at each mission as it's own seperate story, with a few chaining together.

    Overall its a goofy game with some serious porting issues, but once you hack and type through those issues, Bully:scholarship edition is an okay-game to pass the time.    … Expand
  2. EastonReviews
    Mar 29, 2012
    3
    This should be a movie, not a game; and it would still be pretty bad if it were a movie. The problem is that it's based on school cliches and as a result of something boring, the gameplay was sloppily put together. I recommend this to someone who wants something new but isn't very critical. However, anyone else stay away.
  3. Gerp
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    It's rare that a developer goes from make a adult game about crime with very adult themes. To making a game about a high school kid who moves to a school for child delinquents and socially challenged kids, but in a lot of ways Bully is like a GTA. For example Bully is a giant open world with stuff to collect, bike races to do, arcade games to play, and much more to just kind of find.TheIt's rare that a developer goes from make a adult game about crime with very adult themes. To making a game about a high school kid who moves to a school for child delinquents and socially challenged kids, but in a lot of ways Bully is like a GTA. For example Bully is a giant open world with stuff to collect, bike races to do, arcade games to play, and much more to just kind of find.The mission structure is very similar to GTA, you do a bunch of work for one of the factions;like the jocks or the nerds, and the more the more you do work for one faction it can effect your standing with others. Which in turn can effect the way some of the people treat you at school. The combat is very similar but instead of machine guns and rocket launches. Your playing with slingshots and stink bombs. There are also a lot of things that are different about Bully that really makes it feel like your in high school it feel very structured, but that's not a bad thing at all. Like you have classes two times a day everyday until you pass the highest level of that class, and of you don't go the prefects or any adult of authority. All the classes have there own perks like one of the classes shows you where all the collectibles, and unlike the protagonists in GTA jimmy is 15 and needs his sleep so if your out past 2 you just pass out on the spot which can make some night missions feel a little too time restrictive.
    The story starts you out in a car ride with you and your mom and what seems to be your new stepdad. They then drop you off in the front of Bullyworth academy where you meet the principle and some of the teacher, but the fun starts to come in when you go to your dorm room and meet your new friend Gary, who is a sociopath, i don't know how else to put it.You soon start to become manipulated by him, and you two soon go your separate ways and you start to see less and less of him. You then start to do work for the other factions of the school. Playing Bully it kind of puts you back and makes you think about your time in high school, I know the archetypes aren't as plain and simple as they are in Bully but it does a great job of boiling a lot of the high school experience down to a 20 hour game.
    Then there are a few technical issues with bully I didn't really have too many other then the game crash on me a couple of times, and that just sucks after that happened for the first time a started saving much more frequently. I can't really say definitely how the game will turn out for you, but it didn't seem to bad. From my experience with it. Over all the game is well made but parts of it just seem kind of repetitive and broken;overall though I think it's a great game.    … Expand
  4. BoltzmannBaby
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    Bully is not GTA in a school campus just like RDR is not GTA in the old wild west. Bully is it's own game, and it's story plays out remarkably well. There is only one bad thing about this port: the control scheme. It is one of the first, if not the first game where Rockstar implements the XBox360 controller alongside keyboard controls, and it shows when trying to play with the keyboard.Bully is not GTA in a school campus just like RDR is not GTA in the old wild west. Bully is it's own game, and it's story plays out remarkably well. There is only one bad thing about this port: the control scheme. It is one of the first, if not the first game where Rockstar implements the XBox360 controller alongside keyboard controls, and it shows when trying to play with the keyboard. But apart from that, is a gaming experience not to be missed. The world doesn't feel as big and complex as it's contemporary GTA games (San Andreas), but there's a lot to do in it, even with the lackluster number of vehicles (a few types of pedal-bikes, a kart and wheelboard). The weapons in other games here became improvised "tools" like marbles, rotten eggs, fire-crackers and spud-guns, and the campus is just part of the game, with a (small) city waiting for Jimmy to evade into.… Expand
  5. Ps3blaze22
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    MOST UNDERRATED GAME EVER!!!!!!

    One of the BEST games ever.. Simply AMAZING! The story is really, the characters are really likeable, and the game is FUN,, i recommend this game to EVERYONE!
  6. AwesomeGamer
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    MOST UNDERRATED GAME EVER!!!!!!

    I just dont get how can people dislike this game.. It AMAZING! The story is really, the characters are really likeable, and the game is FUN,, i recommend this game to EVERYONE!
  7. ccrogers15
    Nov 22, 2011
    2
    Horrible graphics, lacking plot line, bad character developement is what makes this horrible game an outcast of all Rockstars products. And whats sad, is i heard number 2 is coming. OH GOD NO! Please do not buy this trash of a game. Use the money on obscure 1 or 2, gta IV, or something decent.
  8. AlienSpaceBats
    Jul 24, 2011
    4
    A nasty port, I did attempt to play Bully despite its technical flaws but got so irritated by the characters, story and, well, everything ... that little remained to warrant continued investigation.
  9. Azzam
    May 7, 2011
    5
    If you ever think to buy this game simply because it came from Rockstar, and you're expecting a deep, engaging plot like in the GTA and Max Payne series, or maybe a Crows Zero style storytelling, don't buy this game. This game has an absolutely ridiculous plot. It's fine if you just want to play as a weekend time-waste, but generally there's little reason to play Bully. After playing theIf you ever think to buy this game simply because it came from Rockstar, and you're expecting a deep, engaging plot like in the GTA and Max Payne series, or maybe a Crows Zero style storytelling, don't buy this game. This game has an absolutely ridiculous plot. It's fine if you just want to play as a weekend time-waste, but generally there's little reason to play Bully. After playing the game I ended up thinking who should be playing this game. Adults? No, it's too childlish. Small kids? The game's too rough for them.… Expand
  10. spydercanopus
    Apr 23, 2011
    2
    Poor port. Can't setup my controller. It doesn't have calibration settings at all. There are also fewer buttons on a "PS3 style" controller than what are needed to perform all the actions, which is very strange... Expect to use the keyboard and mouse if you get this..
  11. NormalGuy1996
    Feb 22, 2011
    8
    Grand Theft Auto, but with kids. Sure, the classes are a pain in the ass, and I'm still stuck on English 4, but the missions are funny, and there's a bunch of things you can do besides go to school. The graphics are dated, but keep in mind that this is an old game. All in all, this is a must buy for any Rockstar fan.
  12. K.Richardson
    Oct 2, 2009
    7
    It's true the port is terrible, and the opening movie broke up several times on my ATI Radeon HD 2600. But the graphics problems did not continue into the game.

    I actually removed the game from my computer after being soundly beaten by bullies, struggling with difficult controls, etc. Then overnight, it grew on me, and I put it back, deciding to explore and go to class, rather than    It's true the port is terrible, and the opening movie broke up several times on my ATI Radeon HD 2600. But the graphics problems did not continue into the game.

    I actually removed the game from my computer after being soundly beaten by bullies, struggling with difficult controls, etc. Then overnight, it grew on me, and I put it back, deciding to explore and go to class, rather than face my assigned "activity". So far, it's nicely unpredictable and amusing. Since it's being pretty heavily discounted in stores, I'd say it was a reasonable deal. It's certainly "different".    … Expand
  13. johnathanhellbourne
    Aug 16, 2009
    8
    It's a GTA themed game except that the pistols are slingshots and the protaganist is having puberty but It feels better than the GTA series main reason is tha I don't have to spend half the time going to point A to B just for an stupid race ar an gunfight, this game has a small map that can reduce the freadom but because you can stray of the path and dying is sometimesIt's a GTA themed game except that the pistols are slingshots and the protaganist is having puberty but It feels better than the GTA series main reason is tha I don't have to spend half the time going to point A to B just for an stupid race ar an gunfight, this game has a small map that can reduce the freadom but because you can stray of the path and dying is sometimes impossible, and seriously if you complete art class you can kiss a girl and get health (or body armor) but still it has some probles most boss characters from the factions(bully, nerd, preps, greasers,etc) the camera angle is stucks and especially the nerd boss the camera angle is very horrible I died three times, and also the overall camera angle is sometimes anoying when you ride a bike the camera autolocks on the back, that restrains you to fire projectiles at enemys, and geography class it's really horrible and besides what does it unlock? I don't kno and I don't care and math class it's practically useless it just gives you clothes I expected better than that, an graphic textures is a bit low(for the PC) anyways the control may be sometimes a pain because of the combat that lacks depth, and an anoying camera it's still fun… Expand
  14. ChuckBeef
    Dec 21, 2008
    2
    The control scheme is garbage, to say the least. Being able to remap the keys doesn't really help. There are just too many different keys that are expected to be used in tandem, when there should be only a few which are more context-sensitive. The game looks like crap, and even on a modern system, RUNS like crap. There's no excuse for it, really. This was a low-budget consoleThe control scheme is garbage, to say the least. Being able to remap the keys doesn't really help. There are just too many different keys that are expected to be used in tandem, when there should be only a few which are more context-sensitive. The game looks like crap, and even on a modern system, RUNS like crap. There's no excuse for it, really. This was a low-budget console port like so many games, and like so many games it is crappy as a result. It's like developers have forgotten how to make PC games in the last 10 years.… Expand
  15. JonasNielsen
    Nov 22, 2008
    5
    This is probably the worst port I have ever played. Every single aspect of the game has been ruined by this. The graphics performance is terrible compared to other games of the same quality, the controls are horrible and it is obvious that no Rockstar Games has put no effort whatsoever in making the gameplay just the least fit for PC.
    That put aside, the game is very entertaining, but    This is probably the worst port I have ever played. Every single aspect of the game has been ruined by this. The graphics performance is terrible compared to other games of the same quality, the controls are horrible and it is obvious that no Rockstar Games has put no effort whatsoever in making the gameplay just the least fit for PC.
    That put aside, the game is very entertaining, but it's just not worth it to put with the terrible port job.    … Expand
  16. KamilP.
    Nov 22, 2008
    9
    It is a wonderfull game from masters of GTA style games. It has bad controls but they are easy to redifine.
  17. RaymondF.
    Nov 2, 2008
    0
    Utter garbage. Glitches a lot, and freezes near the start on a loading screen. It isn't my system, people on the Steam forums have the same issue. This has to be the most incompetent pc port of the year. How this ever got past QA in the form it shipped in is a mystery. I hope GTA4 is a lot better on pc then this disaster. Plus the textures look extremely poor on some parts,(at least Utter garbage. Glitches a lot, and freezes near the start on a loading screen. It isn't my system, people on the Steam forums have the same issue. This has to be the most incompetent pc port of the year. How this ever got past QA in the form it shipped in is a mystery. I hope GTA4 is a lot better on pc then this disaster. Plus the textures look extremely poor on some parts,(at least the part I was able to play) very blurry and washed out. they didn't spend enough time improving the pc port.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PC Game of 2008
21
#21 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
20
#20 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. 1UP
    42
    Bully's biggest problem is that it's a shoddy port job, rife with technical missteps that wouldn't warrant comment if they weren't so profoundly damaging to the game.
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  2. IGN
    78
    Uninspired classroom minigames and PC-specific porting and performance problems continue to frustrate our experience with the game, but never so much that we weren't willing to load it back up again to uncover the next chapter of the story.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    84
    Welcome to Bullworth Academy, a melting pot of high school stereotypes. Outsiders are making plans to rule the world, teachers terrorize their pupils, sports aces and rock 'n rollers try to impress the girls while the posh students wrinkle their nose. While the GTA-style game itself is well done, the technical conversion to the PC is a bit sloppy. Should you ever be asked why video games are a cultural asset, show them Bully.
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