May 2016 Community Playthrough - Bully

[singlebanana]

I'm 2.6% done, haha. It's alright so far. I'm not a huge fan of Rockstar, their games seem so mean-spirite, and running around punching people isn't really interesting gameplay for me. I like the mini-games for each class though. I'm going to be the bully with 100% attendance who never gets in trouble.

I can understand as the GTA games don't really appeal to me. However, Bully is a bit different in that while characters are mean-spirited, your character's attempt to aid the school and it's population give it a much more redemptive quality.  Sure, you gotta run around and punch a few people, but sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet.

Also, it's been a while since I played it, but I think my attendance was pretty good. ha ha!

[GrayGhost81]

Put in some time this morning. I love the GTA feel but without vehicles. Some of that Rockstar humor is a little annoying, but it's a school so at least it feels more appropriate for the setting.

I hate to say that one thing keeping me from playing the game for more than an hour or so at a time is the goddamned four second loops of background music. Doo doo doo doo doo doo.

[douglie007]

I hate to say that one thing keeping me from playing the game for more than an hour or so at a time is the goddamned four second loops of background music. Doo doo doo doo doo doo.

I have to agree, I think I will have to turn it off soon, what system are you playing it on?  I am using my 360 version

[GrayGhost81]

I am also playing on the 360.

[Pam]

There sure are a lot of load screens in this game. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the seamless open worlds on the newest gen of consoles?

I'm in Chapter 2 right now. I'm playing it through without doing too many side quests. I have to ignore all the people running up to me with arrows over their heads just desperate to send me on a fetch quest.

[GrayGhost81]

I have to ignore all the people running up to me with arrows over their heads just desperate to send me on a fetch quest.

Same here! Also ignoring all the fools who want to fight me constantly. I don't even have time to lay your ass out!

[Schlibby]

There sure are a lot of load screens in this game. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the seamless open worlds on the newest gen of consoles?

Weird. Apart from when I start the game I'm not getting any load screens on my slim PS2

[douglie007]

What is the main Quests? I seem to be doing 2 or 3 side quests maybe. 

Spoiler (hover to show)

do I have to help the guy from the library that needs to Pee when something bad happens or can I ignore him.

[Schlibby]

You probably have to do pretty much all the missions (shown by a yellow star)

[GrayGhost81]

What is the main Quests? I seem to be doing 2 or 3 side quests maybe. 

Spoiler (hover to show)

do I have to help the guy from the library that needs to Pee when something bad happens or can I ignore him.

You probably have to do pretty much all the missions (shown by a yellow star)

Yeah, haven't finished the game yet but that's how it is.

[Schlibby]

I finish this weekend at just over 50% in game competition.

I was focusing more on the side quests to start with (I'll be 100%-ing the game). However I've switched to focusing on the story missions to try and get the game story-completed during May.

[Boshamp]

Damn time got away from me over the last month or so...but I did start this one up last night so I could get some last minute points in for the GTASC...and I needed them. (I stayed up until the cut-off playing this game, finishing 10 people above the cut-off and only a few TA points away from elimination)

I have pretty much finished the 2nd chapter at the time of this posting. I have spent a lot of time with the mini-games at the carnival and out in the world as well as finishing most of the level 2 classes. Game completion sits at 18% and I must say that so far I am not impressed. I know it is an older title comparatively, but it seems to be a lot of repeating the same actions. I gave playing with sound a shot while my kids were still awake, and after hearing the soundtrack, I had no problem turning the sound off once they went to bed.

The go-karts were pretty fun though, and I have been enjoying the classes most of everything, but the repetition of so much really bothers me. I understand using the same animation for the same action within games is very common, but it feels worse in this title because it seems as though the game revolves solely around completing these types of actions repeatedly. If there was something else to draw our focus away from doing the same thing over and over again, it probably wouldn't be as noticeable. Plus, some of them haven't come with instructions before being given. (How do you stuff kids in lockers?)

The feel of the game is all right to me though. Wedgies and fistfights and stink-bombs and such remind me a lot of my childhood, before everyone became politically correct digital zombies and overreacted to seeing these types of things on the Internet happening hundreds of miles away from them and their children. I just wish it was longer or had more to do. This entire game feels like it could be a side-quest chain within a GTA game.

[Schlibby]

Finished this weekend at about 72%. Should be able to finish the story missions next weekend and meet the end of May deadline. Probably just 1 more weekend then to get the 100%

[Pam]

I played for a couple hours today. I feel like I've been in chapter 3 forever. I'm at 20% completion now, and the quests are wearing out their welcome.

[singlebanana]

I was finally able to pick up this game yesterday and worked my way to Chapter 3 last night.  I am playing this game on my PS2 and logged on to discover that my 92% file from several years ago was still on my card.  However, I started a new file for the playthrough of course.

I have to disagree about the repetitiveness of this game.  I think there are tons of things to do, especially after you hit Chapter 2 and get to go into the city. There are your standard fare of school, fetch quests for sure, but there are protection missions, bike races, carnival games, vandalism, boxing, and even special holiday themed quests (and this barely scratches the surface through Chapter 2).  To tell you the truth, compared to GTA games I played around the same time, the story and extras in this game helped propel me to the end. I can't say the same for those GTA games where I just put the controller down.  I think that the quests in Bully aren't as difficult as they are in GTA, and I believe this is a much welcome change (at least for me).

I love the various collection aspects of this game which includes not only items found all over the place (like the G&G cards and rubberbands), but also stuff like the transistor radios that you take to the homeless guy who teaches you how to fight.  Classes are pretty fun for the most part and I quite enjoy the mini games throughout.

I even think that the story is pretty good. Sure, the stereotypes in this game are to the extreme, but I think that watering them down would make them seem "too real" if that makes sense.  Having them over-the-top and ridiculous makes them much more comical. Even so, I think the strength of the message in Bully still holds true and that the developers to a great job of toting this line.  I played this game long ago, and I find that it still has some great charm.