Rockstar hits the schoolyard

Before those who presume themselves moral authority figures engage in a holy crusade against a video game, they ought to be required to understand the game's true content. Decried by fraudulent watchdog groups like Focus on the Family as a "Columbine simulator" before it even had a playable demo, Rockstar's "Bully" is actually an endearingly funny, thoughtful -- and yes, at times, mean-spirited -- take on life at a New England private school through the eyes of Jimmy Hopkins, a precocious 15-year-old trying to survive his freshman year.\nAs tempting as the analogy might be, this is not "Grand Theft Auto" in high school. Whereas other Rockstar titles like "Manhunt" and "Red Dead Revolver" turned wanton violence, gore and profanity into an art form, the most dangerous instruments of warfare in "Bully" are M-80s and itching powder, and the deadliest weapons are the taunts of Jimmy's peers.\nImmersion has long remained Rockstar's speciality, and "Bully" depends on a strong, nuanced story line even more than "GTA: San Andreas," so much so that "Bully" ends up feeling more like a role-playing game than an actioner. By the end of the lengthy Chapter 1 tutorial (roughly four to five hours in), players will have a deep knowledge of the Bullworth Academy campus and what makes it tick. Not long after, a gate to the surrounding towns is unlocked, expanding "Bully's" scope five-fold.\nGraphically, "Bully" isn't the industry's most polished product, but its slightly rudimentary look serves as quirky a purpose as its story line. The gameplay resembles "Grand Theft Auto" in terms of dynamics and physics, but in many ways Jimmy Hopkins feels more alive and organic than Carl Johnson ever did.\n"Bully" relies heavily on a throng of voice actors, and while a few seem to be phoning it in, the vast majority take their roles and run with them. Also of particular note is the original score by Shawn Lee, which synchs effectively with all the game's elements.\nIgnore any pre-release controversy and play the game for what it really is: an impressive effort by Rockstar Vancouver that's yet another installment in Rockstar's near-perfect track record. Jimmy Hopkins' freshman year at Bullworth Academy is one of the most lively and compelling stories told on consoles in quite some time.