Parents' Guide to

Bully

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Intimidation game in a high school setting.

Game PlayStation 2 2006
Bully Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 20 parent reviews

Joshjeffords
Joshjeffords Adult
December 24, 2020
age 13+

Title says it all

So you play a bad kid in a bad school and the point is to be the bully. I found it to be dull and not worth wasting more than 30mins to feel it out. As far as a Rockstar game it is tame, compared to GTA or even later Red revolvers. The problem is there is very little in the way of options and it gives kids a bad perspective about bullying. I would not let my kids play this when they are 13. Far as I got it pretty much plays out like a PG 13 movie nothing to bad language wise or gory violence.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Caryum
Caryum Parent of 18+-year-old
January 15, 2020
age 12+

One of the best games I have ever played

This game is made by Rockstar Games the creators of Red dead Redemption and the Grand Theft Auto series. Know some of you parents might think I should not get this game for my child because it is a Rockstar game but this one is actually rated Teen and it has its rough spots like language and sex talk but it can be turned off just with a click of the button.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
See all 20 parent reviews

What’s It About?

BULLY follows a troubled teenager, Jimmy Hopkins, who's been expelled from every school he's ever attended; his mother and new stepfather decide it's best he spend a year at the toughest boarding school in the country. Fifteen-year-old Hopkins must survive at Bullworth Academy by climbing up the social ladder, avoiding bullies or confronting them with moves or pranks of his own, and outsmarting the corrupt Bullworth faculty and student body. Bully lets the player roam around a huge map (bustling with people you can interact with) and take on dozens of missions as you work your way up to ruling the school. As you protect yourself from bullying students who don't like the new guy, you can use fisticuffs or a slingshot or other weapons you may find on the grounds; the game contains no blood and victims, who usually instigate these attacks, lie moaning on the ground when defeated.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (20 ):
Kids say (62 ):

Hoopla aside, Bully is an extremely well-produced debut title from Rockstar Vancouver, but one main issue is the frequent and sometimes lengthy load times. This, however, is likely due to the technical limits of the aging PlayStation 2 platform.

Overall, Bully is a fun, fresh, and lengthy single-player adventure for older teenagers and adults. This "Teen"-rated game does contain some violence, as well as foul language and crude humor -- so it's not for young children -- but those overly concerned about this PlayStation 2 game need not be. While the game isn't as controversial as many feared it would be, it will still push a few buttons for its rebellious attitude. But, after all, this is what Rockstar Games does -- and does well at that.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about school violence. How should you deal with bullies in the real world? Should you walk away or fight back? If you try to be a good person in a world full of bullies, are you rewarded? You can ask your kids why they want to play a game that simulates rough behavior when bullying is a real part of daily life. Does it help them cope or give vicarious pleasure?

Game Details

  • Platform: PlayStation 2
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Rockstar Games
  • Release date: October 27, 2006
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • ESRB rating: T for crude humor, language, sexual themes, use of alcohol and tobacco, violence
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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