@BLACKDOT.January 29, 2025
The bell rings at Bullworth Academy, and nearly two decades later, its echo still resonates in my gaming memories.
But like Jimmy Hopkins's relationship with the school administration, Bully's current state is... complicated. The official PC version is a mess of crashes, resolution issues, and audio bugs that make you wonder if Russell's been tampering with the game files. Their own tech support suggest players to install fan-made patches, rather than the company fixing the game themselves.
What made Bully unforgettable wasn't just its setting or story – it was how it balanced on the edge between satire and sincerity. The game captured the essence of school life: the cliques, the petty dramas, the small victories that felt like conquering the world.
Bully deserves a proper place on GOG. Unlike the current Steam version, GOG's commitment to preserving games in their best playable state could give Bully the care it deserves. A DRM-free version, properly patched and optimized for modern systems, would ensure that future generations can experience this classic without wrestling with technical issues or relying on community fixes.
The current state of Bully is a testament to both the passion of its community and the unfortunate neglect of its creators. While Rockstar focuses on their bigger franchises, Bully sits in a strange limbo – too beloved to be forgotten, too neglected to be properly playable without community intervention.