When was the last time you played a console title on your smartphone? It might be something that you are doing every single day with the number of Final Fantasy ports to the Android platform, or the answer could simply be never. If you have ever enjoyed the PS2 classic called Bully from Rockstar Games, and wished that you could relive those moments while you are on the move, good news. This oldie but goldie title from Rockstar Games has been ported over to the Android platform, and it is certainly looking good.
Bully proved itself to be quite the popular title, although you can be sure that when it comes to Rockstar Games and their offerings, things can get rather controversial. No doubt Bully did raise some eyebrows when it was released back in the heyday of the Sony PS2, but at the end of it all, the slow march towards desensitizing the gaming generation continues. The game studio that churned out Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption has finally made available Bully for Android smartphone owners, and they have decided to call it Bully: Anniversary Edition. Not because of some strange fetish to commemorate someone in the development team’s bullying experience, but simply because they are laying down a marker as to how fast tie flies -- with the game experiencing its 10 year anniversary since it launched on the Sony PS2.
Rockstar Games have always managed to create attention with their games, sometimes changing the way gameplay works, as well as tongue-in-cheek storytelling that are sprinkled with doses of humor. When you load Bully: Anniversary Edition, you will be transported into school all over again, playing the role of the protagonist 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins. Like all other 15-year olds, you are one mischievous dude who will have to find your way through what most pimple-ridden teens experience: settling for your place in the social hierarchy. Of course, the title alone gives the game away where not everything is going to be a bed of roses at Bullworth Academy. There are times when you would need to make a stand against bullies -- at a price, mind you, or find yourself getting picked on by teachers. You could also have a glorifying moment, albeit a temporary one as the jocks are beaten at dodge ball, while you enjoy pulling some pranks on your mates. And yes, there is also the matter of the heart, where you could either beam with pride for winning the heart of the girl you admire, or lose her in the school year.
Rockstar Games did mention that this mobile title will come with the full complement of features found in Bully: Scholarship Edition. Bully: Scholarship Edition was a re-release of the original title in 2008, as it hit the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii then. Multiplayer ought to be interesting with the addition of new Friend Challenges. Will the all touchscreen action gameplay appeal to those who are used to physical controllers? Perhaps, but only time will tell whether this will end up as a qualified success. Bully: Anniversary Edition will retail for $7 a pop on the Play Store.
