Bully: Scholarship Edition was released for the Wii on March 7, and with that noted, is this version better than the original? Here’s what Rockstar Games changed about this edition:

• Better graphics. They’ve tweaked here and there to make it passable (at least more improved than the original PS2 version), and you’ll notice a slight difference. Just not a lot. It’s still a bit glitchy in some areas, but it’s not distracting.
• Controls. They’ve adapted the controls for the Wii, and it’s actually better than expected. Wiggle the Wii remote to fight against bullies. It just seems to make more sense, and it’s a helluva lot more engaging than a plain PS2 control.
• Multiplayer mode. You know you’re excited. Instead of playing it solo, play with a friend and compete against each other.

New missions and items. Of course this had to be added (and frankly, if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be worth anyone’s time). You’ve got 8 new missions to play with unlockable items, mostly clothes. It’s still worth the play through, and you’re going to have more to explore.

There are very little gripes about this upgrade, and they’ve really tweaked Bully in the right way. Some mini-games are missing — which isn’t such a big deal, because they weren’t important mini-games to begin with — and the environment still feels too closed. For something that’s similar to Grand Theft Auto, it’s missing that freedom of exploration. However, you will have a lot more to explore, not in terms of space but in quantity, and you’ll barely remember that detail once you get into it (hello nostalgia!). Bully is definitely something to check out, even if you already own the original version. If you are not thinking of buying it, rent it out. It’s worth a good play or two.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Game Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.