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Bully vs. Harry Potter

Posted by Zonk on from the you-don't-have-to-like-me dept.

Via the ever-enjoyable GameSetWatch, a post on a blog for the development house Surreal Game Design. Surreal is a Midway division, and it's interesting to see a company blog actually ponying up opinions on the work of other designers as they do in this discussion of the unlikeability of Bully's setting. They discuss the problems with setting the game in a boarding school, the protagonist's sniveling classmates, and the unfavorable comparisons between Bullworth Academy and the halls of Sunnydale High or Hogwarts. From the post: "A while ago I was talking to Director of Design Richard Rouse along with some of the other Midway studio creative directors about our experiences with Bully. In both our cases, we really, really wanted to like it, but only played a few hours before giving up. Since it was blessed with many high reviews, we were left wondering 'What were we missing?' ... Harvey Smith of Midway Austin (and Creative Director of Area 51: Blacksite) rightfully pointed out that high school has been a successful setting of great things like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Ultimate Spiderman comics. Richard noted that the high school of Buffy was populated by attractive, always-witty teenagers that killed freakin' vampires. Those California high schools you see in TV and movies are probably some of the most idealized environments you'll ever see."

2 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. It's easy by Higaran · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Those guy's are obviously geeks, and the couldn't handle putting thier minds back in that kind of settings. Once they saw what the nerds in the game, they started to have flash backs, went into panic attacks and couldn't play anymore. Hey it brought back some similar memories for me, but when I hit the first jock with the sling shot it all went away because I finally felt redemtion, I'm jokeing of course. Or am I, to tell the truth it isn't much of a stretch, I can remember someone in my life that was similar to each caracter in the game.

  2. Bully v Harry Potter by deniable · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The Order of the Phoenix game is often compared to Bully, as in "It's like Bully, but at Hogwarts." In other words, a big sanbox with some quests thrown in. This whole 'article' sounds like someone doesn't get it.