Bully

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 711 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 623 out of 711
  2. Mixed: 53 out of 711
  3. Negative: 35 out of 711
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. AkramA.
    Dec 30, 2007
    10
    One of the most enjoyable original PS2 games ever... Excellent soundtrack... and a game worth playing for years!
  2. DeathDrager
    May 4, 2016
    10
    Summer 2007, a full week with my cousin playing this game.
    We finished the game 7 TIMES on that week.
    Oh man, good memories :') This game gives you the feel of the school, the diversity was awesome. And the feeling when you go to chapter 2 and you realize the gate gets opened, and YOU CAN CRUISE IN THE WHOLE MAP! I don't know what's with RockStar and carnivals, but IT IS    Summer 2007, a full week with my cousin playing this game.
    We finished the game 7 TIMES on that week.

    Oh man, good memories :')

    This game gives you the feel of the school, the diversity was awesome.
    And the feeling when you go to chapter 2 and you realize the gate gets opened, and YOU CAN CRUISE IN THE WHOLE MAP!

    I don't know what's with RockStar and carnivals, but IT IS AWESOME!
    So many weapons, so many characters with their own name, everyone has special voices!
    This game is WAAAAY ahead of its time.    … Expand
  3. Master_Valtr
    Dec 18, 2018
    10
    I have been waiting for More than 10 years for another bully but damn on Rockstar
    There nothing like this Game in The industry,And there will never be exept for bully 2,MOST UNDERRATED GAMR
  4. Freakersoft
    Oct 24, 2006
    10
    "Bully" is that kind of game that when you start playing you cant stop. There is so much to do in this game. It's fun, good graphics, good story and easy controls. This game is absolutely a wanna have!
  5. KeithH.
    Nov 5, 2006
    10
    I love Rockstar Games, and this was well worth the wait. It is so interactive. I starts out a little slow at first, but then really gets fun. It makes messing with people fun! Don't hesitate to buy this one.
  6. Captain_Morgan
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    Outstanding game. It has a unique atmosphere to it. The music, the characters, the school and town of Bullworth, the playfulness... everything blends together and creates one of those games you fall in love with and never forget.
  7. XsanderCage
    Sep 14, 2013
    10
    This is the BEST Rockstar game. And Yes, I write this in 2013. Developers extremely clearly bring the School Spirit in this game. And this is one of the best PS2 games.
  8. kev_i_n
    Jul 12, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Summary
    +Great levels of originality, making it much better than a “San Andreas without guns” as some have claimed the game is.
    +Excellent variety of characters weapons, clothes, vehicles, activities etc.
    +Good voice acting giving the characters depth.
    +Great levels of humour making Bully one of the most enjoyable games Rockstar has made.
    +Interesting story involving great interactions with MPC from different fractions, with each character feeling individual.
    -Story while good ends on a non-ground-breaking note.
    -The game is too easy, as the enemy A.I isn’t that smart and the use of upgrades and weapons, help make combat a bit of a breeze.
    -Weak graphics by modern standards, but that is to be expected from a game this old.

    Full Review
    One the great things that you will notice about Bully is how the RPG like elements help to make Jimmy(your character) feel more alive, as he progresses gaining skills as the story progresses. This is particularly true after completing individual classes, e.g. in gym class you can unlock new attacks like head-butt etc. Speaking of classes on the great things is how all of them are unique requiring different skills. The only class I found to be particularly difficult is that of English, because I suck at speaking England. Other activities that provide unlocks etc. is that of racing which eventually led you to unlock a go cart which activities also help you earn money you can use to buy clothes, haircuts ,tattoos (on the last section of the map). Unfortunately you can only date girls in the game once, but it’s not major issue as they remain present within various sections of the story. Such activities help to make Bully feel more special than just a “p***y version of San Andreas”.

    The next great thing about Bully is the funny elements of the game. It is so satisfying to get prefects (who are the police of the school) and dunk them in toilets and dump them in garbage bags. My personal felt thing to do is too walk behind them and crank them in the back of the head with a baseball bat, (I am normal honestly). However unlike other games with such humour, Bully mixes in features that help remind you that you are not un-punishable e.g. detention. Such features help maintain a beautiful balances between humour and realism.

    The next great thing about Bully is that of levels of variety. This can be seen by how each student MPC is unique and differently voiced helping them feel like different characters rather than simple copies of each other. This is especially true of MPCs within the story, e.g. Russell, Gary etc. Other variety includes how the environment, while small compared to other open world games, is full of detail and interesting locations, e.g. the mental asylum, the fair ground, the slaughter house etc.

    As far as I can see there are only two sources of concern within the game.

    The first is the combat. This is a really fun feature of the game, with the use of unlocking new moves and weapons e.g. the rocket launcher (not that good due to accuracy issues); help to enhance combat make it feel fresh. What is also good is how the comical nature of the game helps to provide a nice contrast with the really violent nature of the game. There are however two major issues. The first is that the melee combat is too simple, as most moves require pressing square multiple times and holding it. The second issue is how the combat is too easy because the enemy A.I isn’t too sharp, meaning in the whole game I never once got knocked out (in GTA terms “died”). Such features remove tension in battle.

    The second possible issue is that of story. The story is by no means a bad story, as you gradually progress via chapters, in which you fight the leader of each fraction and gradually climb the ladder of popularity. While at first this seems repetitive, it actually proves no to be so, because within each chapter Jimmy takes a different approach to beating each fraction, e.g. in the 4th (Spoiler) he uses the nerds to help beat the jocks. This is lack of repetitiveness, is helped by the variety of characters, missions, but mainly because of Jimmy himself being portrayed as the only sane character in an otherwise insanity filled school. Unfortunately though the ending is not cinematic enough, because while it provides a nice completed ending with no unanswered questions, it is very predictable and the final boss battle, in many ways is worse than the fights with the faction’s leaders.

    Nevertheless these issues are not enough to prevent Bully being one of the greatest games Rockstar has ever made. If you can I would advise getting the ps2 version, because unfortunately the XBOX 360 version has few bugs, not many improvements in graphics, and not enough added in other than 4 new classes (that are mostly pointless) to make it a superior version. Nevertheless the XBOX version will still have great value.

    Let’s hope Bully 2 is going to be just as awesome.    … Expand
  9. laymonage
    Nov 29, 2013
    10
    So much fun, like a teen version of Grand Theft Auto games. Good soundtrack, nice story, and great gameplay. I had a lot of fun with it. Definitely worth playing.
  10. ApocalypseB.
    Jan 4, 2008
    9
    Its not as big or expansive as San Andreas, but I enjoyed this almost as much as Vice City, and both games I enjoyed far more than SA. This game virtually has it all for an Sandbox game: Constant humour, excellent fighting system, well scripted storyline, a fully interactive and enjoyably assessable world and of course, the prefects/police. This game is so enjoyable, anyone who had a good Its not as big or expansive as San Andreas, but I enjoyed this almost as much as Vice City, and both games I enjoyed far more than SA. This game virtually has it all for an Sandbox game: Constant humour, excellent fighting system, well scripted storyline, a fully interactive and enjoyably assessable world and of course, the prefects/police. This game is so enjoyable, anyone who had a good childhood at School will derive their own memories of rebellious behaviour and naughty pranks while carrying out our young Jimmy own experiences. There is so much to tell, so I'll just say go out and play this masterpiece! But there are faults, like the classes you attend get very boring, and are ultimately pointless. But there are things where, if you are smart enough to get away truanting, you don't have to go through, giving it that extra special feeling. Brilliant!… Expand
  11. JohnB.
    Oct 18, 2006
    10
    "Bully" has the potential to be even more immersive than any of the GTA games, but I've only been playing it for 3 hours and have yet to leave the school grounds. So far it's a must-buy.
  12. ElliottBolton
    Aug 29, 2005
    10
    I have to give this game a rating of 10, I mean come on! The potential for it to be one of Playstations 2's best games is second to none. Just think about it, roaming around the school doing what you like when you like, earning a bit of extra cash for yourself to upgrade your equipment. Think GTA but with a boy who doesn't take s**t from no-one. In my opinion it has got to beI have to give this game a rating of 10, I mean come on! The potential for it to be one of Playstations 2's best games is second to none. Just think about it, roaming around the school doing what you like when you like, earning a bit of extra cash for yourself to upgrade your equipment. Think GTA but with a boy who doesn't take s**t from no-one. In my opinion it has got to be one of the PS2's best games ever when it comes out.… Expand
  13. BirdMan
    Dec 13, 2006
    10
    This game is worth it just for the stellar mini-games. from arcades about monkey feces to boxing matchs to dodge ball to running paper routes to bike races to word scrambles to betting on freak shows (midget boxing, to name one) to just playing catch with random people (be careful not you hit `em in the head or you`ll start a fight) just to name a few. this is like Grand Theft Auto: This game is worth it just for the stellar mini-games. from arcades about monkey feces to boxing matchs to dodge ball to running paper routes to bike races to word scrambles to betting on freak shows (midget boxing, to name one) to just playing catch with random people (be careful not you hit `em in the head or you`ll start a fight) just to name a few. this is like Grand Theft Auto: Bullworth Acadamy! I can`t wait for Bully 2: Vice City High!!!… Expand
  14. StephenS.
    Oct 26, 2006
    10
    Love this game! My PlayStation had been collecting dust for the past few months, but because of this game, it's hard for me to ever turn the damn thing off!
  15. GabyG.
    Nov 12, 2007
    9
    I give this game a 9 becuase i though this game had a great story-line. It a combo of a first person action game such as GTA but with a PG13 rating. This game was very entertaining and lots of fun for everyone.
  16. Ps3blaze22
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    Bully is by FAR.. The BEST game on xbox 360, its by far the most underrated game ever... The story is AMAZING!!! Ø
  17. Seryin
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    In a nutshell, this is "GTA Jr."
    Instead of a city setting, it takes place at a large school campus. Instead of controlling a thug or gangster, you play a troubled teen. Instead of rival gangs, you have rival "cliques" like the jocks, nerds, preps, bullies, and greasers. Police presence is replaced by campus security and faculty, and cars are replaced by bikes, skateboards, and mopeds.    In a nutshell, this is "GTA Jr."
    Instead of a city setting, it takes place at a large school campus. Instead of controlling a thug or gangster, you play a troubled teen. Instead of rival gangs, you have rival "cliques" like the jocks, nerds, preps, bullies, and greasers. Police presence is replaced by campus security and faculty, and cars are replaced by bikes, skateboards, and mopeds.
    Rockstar did an amazing job turning this into an amazing alternative to their GTA genre.
    I hope to see more of Jimmy Hopkins.    … Expand
  18. eduardohhonesko
    Mar 12, 2019
    10
    bully is one of the most fun games i ever played. combat system is great, good graphics, the gameplay is easy to adapt, and the characters are well made, the game aged really well. just like the grand theft auto series and red dead redemption series this game is a masterpiece from rockstar
  19. XBONE
    Feb 4, 2014
    10
    A school-version of Grand Theft Auto, nothing more to say, just buy it period. Even if it's an old game, it's better than half the new games there are.
  20. blub75
    Jun 12, 2016
    10
    one of the best games ive ever played, great story, excellent soundtrack, memorable missions and character, fun minigames and gameplay as well as a great artstyle, seriously addictive. best game on ps2!
  21. HBK101
    Aug 27, 2016
    10
    My all time favourite ps2 game a all time classic ps2 game many years from now people will say you heard the game bully and people will say oh yeah i know that game
  22. AKthaBeast
    May 4, 2018
    9
    Just like the majority of anything Rockstar games touch, this game excels in many different ways.
  23. BenDavies
    Sep 20, 2018
    9
    The main protagonist - Jimmy Hopkins is something, he isn't like any other main protagonists in GTA, he's a school-kid. But to be fair, this game blew my mind. Who knew that you could've got the experience of GTA in a style of school life? Pretty well made Rockstar, forget the GTA games Bully 2 is what I need.
  24. Castlevaniaboy
    Dec 18, 2018
    10
    Oh God,Rockstar this Game is amazing so when Bully 2?!
    The story is good not That Great,The Gameplay vry fun and the Atmosphere is strong and you really fell like you are in school
  25. psmoon21
    Jan 18, 2021
    10
    I played this game quite late and I was impressed by everything that can be done and a theme that in principle does not attract in a game to be something unique in its generation

    The chapters are a bit repetitive, only that can be negative

    what is rockstar waiting for to release a new one
  26. DanThePerson
    Aug 27, 2022
    10
    One of the best PS2 games out there, always fun (even to replay or just messing around). This game is just simply amazing, great story, fantastic soundtrack, fun af gameplay, weird but cool atmosphere, and just overall pure fun. 10/10.
  27. Mohammad22
    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!
  28. MaxieZeus
    Sep 2, 2022
    8
    A classic open world game with an unique school setting with unique combat and unique characters. Overall a really unique game.
  29. ccrogers15
    Nov 22, 2011
    0
    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.
  30. 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!
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PS2 Game of 2006
3
#3 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2006
5
#5 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 69 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 69
  3. Negative: 0 out of 69
  1. The A.V. Club
    83
    The first few minutes of Bully are claustrophobic and off-putting, but as soon as you and Jimmy settle in, the game becomes surprisingly endearing.
    Read full review
  2. PSM3 Magazine UK
    93
    Immaculately designed and an absolute joy to play through. The best game of the year so far. [Dec 2006, p.22]
  3. Games Master UK
    90
    Characters are brilliant parodies of people we all know from school - the fat kid who smells of wee, the flirty art teacher, geeks who greet you with the word "salutations." The attention to detail and the jokes are what makes it so good, along with its "GTA"-like gameplay. [Dec 2006, p.80]
See all critic reviews »