Game Diary #10: Bully

Welcome to episode ten (yes, ten) of Game Diary: Bully -- the journal of my experience with Rockstar's controversial boarding-school sandbox game Bully. It's been a long and entertaining journey up to this point, and I hope you stick with me as I enter the home stretch. That's right, the journey is almost over; I will soon complete the game. And, barring some horrible misfortune, you will get to read all about it.

Last time, Jimmy’s hard-won kingdom was falling apart, spurned by some mysterious force. I also met a new and scary glitch that resulted in a heavy fall from the top of a ladder, took some yearbook pictures, and got blamed for everything going wrong -- my people were so insolent that one remarked “some king you turned out to be!” But I’m not one to hold grudges or give up at the first sign of trouble, so it’s time to win back the school.

For my previous adventures in and around Bullworth Academy, check out the links below.

31 March 2010
I have a new look. The bull mascot head just wasn't sophisticated enough, so now Jimmy is sporting a stylish pirate hat with matching eye-patch and earring. He also has black boots and three-quarter denim pants. Completing the outfit is a red ninja jacket, proving that you really can have the best of both worlds. Jimmy is a ninja and a pirate. Beat that.

I put my new look to good use and picked on someone bigger than me. I went on one of my now customary rampages against authority, but this time a very special opportunity popped up. I pushed a prefect into a garbage can. I got busted for bullying, but it was worth it.

My future fights with friends, enemies, strangers, and just about anything hit-able will be a little easier since I completed two boxing challenges in the Preps' boxing club. They taunted me and bet money against me, and I really should have been knocked out, but somehow I came out triumphant. And I never want to play the boxing mini-game again.

It feels like Rockstar were conflicted between ripping off Punch-Out and making a generic boxing game. The result is an oftentimes frustrating experience that suffers from a lack of depth. As it is, I probably would have enjoyed myself if my opponents had gone down quickly, but the first challenge took more than five minutes and saw me survive against all odds, while the second took two or three minutes even though I dominated from start to finish.

Anyway, this was followed by the discovery that the preppies' trophies had been stolen. As before, Jimmy took the blame, even though it was the townies that were responsible. The poor kid can't catch a break -- everyone hates him for trying to end the constant warring between cliques.

As an upside, I got to visit the docks and watch the townies set the trophies on fire. Who doesn't like a good bonfire?

In other news, the gym teacher that got on my back about the fire in Game Diary #9 got his just desserts for mistreating a former student. I knocked him down a hill. In a por-ta-loo. It was surely one of the most entertaining cut-scenes in the game so far.

It turns out the townies are responsible for the crazy stuff happening lately, but there's someone else involved who is pulling all the strings. I think it's almost time for the return of the school's resident sociopath, Gary.

Bully screenshot

Random quote of the day: “You spend too much time lolly-gagging in class, young man.” I sure do.

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