The Blogtastic Blogfest That Is Getmeoutofthis.net!

That’s what the guy says, and then I’m like “Dude, I would like to get to class” and he’s like “No, I will punch you” so I beat the shit out of him. Then I’m late for class and people are trying to take me down and take me to class and I’m like “Chill out, I’m running to class right now, you don’t have to beat me up!” but they don’t listen.

So I listen to the Rebel’s FM from time to time, and I listen to their Game Club. I’ve been listening since it was 1up FM, even though I never even pretended to play along with them. (Granted, I had played Psychonauts before, but I mean, I have a copy of Shadow of the Collosus here. I could have tried to play along, but didn’t.) I just listened to their commentary because I am a fan of game commentary and podcasts. But they announced that their next game for the playing was Bully.
Now, Bully is a game that I’ve always wanted to play, actually. I’ve constantly been tempted by copies in bargain bins and stuff. It always seemed like a much more focused GTA, the kind of game I could get more into than thefting the autos. And I mean, damn, the only Rockstar game I had ever played was Rockstar Presents: Table Tennis, which barely counts. It seemed criminal for me not to give it a try. So I booted up the Prime account via the website’s affiliate link (Yay, they get a buck or something) and got a copy of Bully: Scholarship Edition on the 360. I played up through the first chapter last night (Which I think is where I have to be for the podcasts’ first week) and I wanted to lay down some impressions.

First off, the art in the game is really pretty. I wish the game itself looked a bit more like the concept art in the load screens. It’s awesomely stylized. I also wish there was more art in the load screens, as there is only like 4 different pictures.

Secondly, why the hell are all the achievements written IN ALL CAPS. Did someone leave the caps lock on? How unprofessional, Rockstar.

The gameplay itself is… okay? I’m beating the crap out of people all the time. I do like that I can either injure them or finish them off with a “Bully maneuver” like an Indian burn and send them crying away from me. I can’t control the Skateboard worth shit. It really doesn’t seem like that open an open world, but then again I haven’t left campus yet, so I assume, thanks to this map in the case, that I’ve only seen, what, 1/5th of the world? So I’m sure that’ll open up.

What really gets me is the narrative. I don’t like being Jimmy. I was hoping he would be like, I dunno, a tough guy who’s playing a bully, but really has a sense of justice about him? But he’s really just a mostly bad guy. At least so far. He listened to this Gary character for way too long, mindlessly doing the missions he gave, when I wanted to punch him at about the second cutscene with him. Granted, I think that’s by design. I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to hate him, and he’s well-voiced and stuff. But it was extremely frustrating. I felt more like the character I wanted to be in the non-mainline quests I’ve done so far, where people getting picked on would ask for help, and although I’d expect payment, I’d run around and beat the shit out of everyone who was picking on others.
Again, I’m only through chapter one. Maybe after this “betrayal” Jimmy acts more like I want him to all the time. His conversation with the huge guy at the end of their fight would suggest it being as such. We’ll see.

Anyway, I wanted to write some impressions. I’ll be sure to write some more if I keep up with Game Club all the way through the game. I hope to, but seeing as Tuesday is the day of my birth, it could get a bit unlikely, as I’m sure there will be many shiny new games to play.