Canis Canem Edit Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 25 October, 2006

Bully for Rockstar.

Version tested: PlayStation 2

Once again, they've let me down. Honestly. I mean, I've played about eight Rockstar games now, and I'm still not a highly trained professional killer. Am I playing them wrong or something?

Oh well, let's talk about what Bully, or Canis Canem Edit, actually is.

Bully tells the story of a young chap called Jimmy Hopkins, whose dysfunctional family dumps him on the doorstep of the even more dysfunctional Bullworth Academy, where he's supposed to receive an education, but ultimately ends up fighting to unite all the rival groups of miscreants and carve out a relatively sane niche for himself, while the teachers get drunk, fornicate and generally worry about themselves.

The whole thing largely subscribes to the Grand Theft Auto template of game design (presumably it's worked in the past - someone check). So some things are the same (the slightly cockeyed in-game mission briefings with their convoluted exchanges, the basic controls, the bicycling, mini-map, side-missions, collectibles, wardrobe-changes) and some things are wrapped up differently (wanted ratings are now a 'trouble meter', in-school 'police' are burly prefects). But there are lots of new bits too, and these have the greatest impact. Bully's very much its own game, even if it draws on GTA for its technological base.

It's on a different scale, most notably. Since you're only little, there's no driving. You can pinch a bicycle or ride the skateboard you earn early on, but mostly you just run around pretty quickly by hammering the X button, and so the town of Bullworth is a bit more detailed and cluttered with interactivity than the worlds of Carl Johnson or Tommy Vercetti. Almost all of your missions are about doing things on your feet, too: collecting things, sneaking around, protecting people, causing mischief, picking locks, walking girls home, and so on. And the greater concentration of things to do works in tandem with a much greater variety of activities, keeping you occupied just as much as you were when you were messing about in Liberty City or San Fierro. You might be walking back to the dorm after gym class, for example, and spot an orange mission marker on the basketball court, and spend the next 20 minutes wagering money on a mini-game about booting a football at a cocky prep. Or you might spot the arcade machine near your save point and play some of the rubbish '80s-style driving game. Or you might just be walking along and spot a blue X on the mini-map, spin round and find another student asking you to do an errand for some extra cash - like stuffing people in lockers or egging them. There's tons to do outside hours.

'Canis Canem Edit' Screenshot 1

Getting around Bullworth's pretty easy. Jimmy runs surprisingly fast, can use bikes like this, and can always catch the bus back to the school gates.

"Hours" are another thing: you're a student, and there's a routine to this. You get up at 8am, and there are two class periods before you get to the end of the day, at which point you have a few more hours to mess around before you need to be in bed - and you do need to be in bed, because if you're not there by 2am you'll just fall over and wake up at home the next morning. If only real life were like that.

You can skip classes, of course, but you'll need to keep an eye out for the prefects if you do. If you're causing trouble or playing truant and they're alerted to it, their little Metal Gear-style cones of exploration will fire up on the mini-map and you'll have to stalk and evade, and sometimes leg it to get away from them, either by outrunning them or sneakily hiding in a rubbish bin or locker until the trouble meter subsides. And anyway, you won't want to bunk off, because the teaching mini-games are another layer of variety and fun (word jumbles for English, a Qix knock-off for Art, rhythm-response for Chemistry) and completing individual lessons unlocks things. English helps you apologise to rampaging bullies more effectively, avoiding trouble; Art betters your chances with the girls (or, as much publicised by giggling bloggers, the boys), Photography unlocks photo albums and Shop Class (Technology for me) unlocks BMX bikes. Plus, once you're done with a lesson's five levels, you don't have to bother any more.

'Canis Canem Edit' Screenshot 2

When cornered by a prefect, teacher or local bobby, Jimmy can usually break free by hammering triangle. If he's caught though, it's back to class or - worse - detention.

One thing you spend a comparatively large amount of time doing is fighting, and Bully does a good job in this area, drawing upon The Warriors as much for inspiration as GTA. You target people with L1, then hammer away with punches, grapples and throws on the face buttons - a repertoire quickly augmented with more elaborate attacks like uppercuts and kicks in the knackers, earned by attending Gym, or finding radio parts and swapping them for lessons with the demented homeless guy round the back of the school. You can also do a few finishing moves, getting the victim to slap himself in the face, or worse.

But, as previously mentioned, you could just apologise and get out of fighting at all, which might be an idea as too much violence not only incurs the prefects' wrath (and if they bust you enough, you'll end up doing detention mini-games, which aren't as much fun), but also affects your standing with the various cliques. These groups - the preps, the jocks, the nerds and the greasers - all play a part in the various chapters of the story, and throw up their own respective characters and objectives, so there's inevitably a bit of back and forward on the respect-o-meters. But you don't want to overdo it, or you'll end up getting jumped when you really could do without the hassle, like when you're in the middle of a mission.

'Canis Canem Edit' Screenshot 3

You end up in all sorts of locations, and they've all got a good few distinctive things to offer. Remember though: girls like flowers, and pressing X while holding L1. (Oo-er.)

Where Bully perhaps falls down a bit is in the writing department. I never thought Grand Theft Auto was as funny as it clearly thought it was, but you couldn't help but laugh every now and then, and the satirical bits and in-jokes - though a bit lazier in the later games - were often pretty memorable. Bully's main narrative doesn't stray much from the zero-to-hero recipe we're all very familiar with by now, and it's also a bit obvious in places. There's a drunk English teacher, who fishes another bottle of Scotch out of the desk drawer after you've forced him to give up the one he was drinking; there's a sandpaper-throated old cook who sneezes into the stew; there's the uptight headmaster and his fawning secretary; and the gym teacher who spends his money on dodgy tapes and magazines; there's the dunderheaded bully who needs re-educating, and the podgy squeaky nerd with the milk-bottle glasses, and the power-hungry posh kid with ADHD, and so on and so on and so on. Jimmy's likable enough, the cut-scenes are watchable and some of the NPC dialogue you hear thrown around the schoolyard and town makes you titter, but it's mostly easy targets.

Ultimately I didn't mind too much though, because there's an enormous variety of things to do, and they're consistently enjoyable. You can box Punch-Out-style, mess around on Halloween with eggs, marbles and flaming poo, and just gently terrorise people with mischief. It hits the early-GTA-game balance between things to do and toy around with and actual set-piece adventures to work through really well, and there are lots of collectibles too - rubber bands, radio parts, trading cards, and unlockable bonuses like pumpkin masks, new save locations (handy for staving off the pain of tracing a path back to the dorm at the end of the day, since you can sleep in these too), and special weapons. Nothing sinister, mind, with no blood at any point and no death either - even violent altercations, like the boss-fight climax to chapter one, come to a relatively benign conclusion.

'Canis Canem Edit' Screenshot 4

Situations like this are not uncommon.

Indeed, that's a fair comment on most of the game - there's nothing objectionable here on any level. The frame rate stutters now and then, but never becomes a problem, and the camera's a bit awkward and disorientating if you're trying to turn Jimmy and manoeuvre it at the same time, but it's nothing you can't cope with, and the difficulty curve never spikes the way GTA often does. And upon that base of competency, Bully builds an empire of fun, and hits some really high notes - with now perhaps a good time to mention the orchestral soundtrack, which is memorable from beginning to end, whether it's the twinkling school theme, the lively twangs that complement prefect and police chases, or the bassy after-hours accompaniment.

That, and many others, are lessons rival developers, keen to cash in on GTA's success, could do with absorbing. In recent years, they've declared open season on the genre Rockstar created and then propelled to infamy with GTA III, but even those of you who've become disillusioned after an endless barrage of games like The Godfather, Saints Row and True Crime will gain plenty of enjoyment from Bully. Not overly long and certainly not difficult, it nevertheless defies its ignorant detractors, and ultimately redecorates the house Rockstar built with flair and imagination.

Although it's bloody rubbish if you just want some help killing people like on TV.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (57) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • EmiliasHorse #1 5 years ago

    It actually does sound good. Bugger.

    Sod it I will give it a try.

  • Lukus #2 5 years ago

    Sounds like fun. Kind of like Harry Potter but without the magic and Posh Twunts.

  • Steroyd #3 5 years ago

    Wow so using the basis of GTA yet it feels fresh.
    Well only R* can make a decent GTA clone...

    Oh, and about that Fifa review...

  • tenma #4 5 years ago

    i'm still contemplating whether to buy this now or wait til it drops in price many months from now.

  • crazyhorse174 #5 5 years ago

    I hope all the idiots who were campaigning to get it banned read this review!

    Doesn't sound like much to get your knickers in a twist about! No worse than a lot of games that come out these days.

    Maybe originally calling it "Bully" (still is in the US) wasn't the best idea...although I suppose it generated a huge amount of hype about the game.

  • vane101 #6 5 years ago

    Yep, sounds all right!

  • Hench #7 5 years ago

    Whoah, a 9. I was expecting less

  • Murbal #8 5 years ago

    Hmm. From disinterest to top of the wishlist.

  • rinoaMW #9 5 years ago

    its out today isn't it? i thought i saw copies for sale in my local GAME? Broken street-date?

    /rubs eyes incase i'm seeing things...

  • jellyhead #10 5 years ago

    No, it seems the streetdate was brought forward. Something about a footie game being out soon or something. Hopefully my copy is sat in my hallway awaiting my return home.

  • Sid-Nice #11 5 years ago

    Everybody loves a bit of Bully.

  • crazyhorse174 #12 5 years ago

    I see what your saying about not being able to blame the idiots and Rockstar courting contraversy...but at the same time, its the same idiots time and time again who try to blame videogames for all of the worlds troubles.

    This game was really just an excuse for them to vent their narrow opinions.
    Edited by 1 at 25/10/06 @ 14:59

  • jellyhead #13 5 years ago

    yup, and R* played 'em like a violin maestro.

  • Darren #14 5 years ago

    I watched the GameSpot video review and the game looks excellent fun to play. Shame that I no longer own a PS2 or that there isn't an Xbox or PC version forthcoming. I guess I'll have to wait until I buy a PS3 before I get the chance to play it...

  • UncleLou #15 5 years ago

    Situations like this are not uncommon.

    Heh. :)

  • Kiigan #16 5 years ago

    Anyone know if the Xbox version works on Xbox 360?
    Edited by 1 at 25/10/06 @ 15:10

  • Psi #17 5 years ago

    damn after the liksang thing im sure i said id never buy anything sony again

  • JetSetWilly #18 5 years ago

    Genuinely surprised to see a 9 at the bottom of the page after reading the review. As each paragraph progressed it sounded more and more like it had 8 written all over it.

  • Foxclose #19 5 years ago

    A great game is a great game no matter which platform it is on.

    I'll buy this! :)

  • dbeamish #20 5 years ago

    yeah but you can kiss other boys in it..! Jack will have a field day:
    [link url=http://gaygamer .net/index.php?id=1609
    ]http://gaygamer .net/index.php?id=1609
    [/link]

  • space_ace #21 5 years ago

    girls like flowers, and pressing X while holding L1.

    :)

    did i mention eg is the best?
    or it would be, if it made game titles in italics...

  • stx #22 5 years ago

    Kiigan, there isn't an Xbox version.

  • Tomo #23 5 years ago

    Good. Looking forward to my pre-order coming thro.

  • Dirtbox #24 5 years ago

    Must. Have.

  • Pastici #25 5 years ago

    Sounds boring to me =/. Although there hasn't been a game in a long time that looks good. The balance thing sounds nice though, and kinda proves all that space in GTA SA wasn't needed.

  • Muddtallica #26 5 years ago

    Hmm..it sounds somewhat interesting, but to me this whole situation reminds me a little too much of that Simpsons episode where Marge can't persuade the kids to do yard work, yet when they subsequently go to the carnival, they're calmoring to get a turn on the virtual "Yard Work Simulator". Yes, the game sounds well put together, but going to school was a bit of a chore in real life. Why do I want a game that simulates it? :S

    Also, I must confess that the teacher in the second screenshot in this review actually IS my old chemistry teacher. Which is a bit creepy.

  • mingster #27 5 years ago

    after all the pre-release hype and Mad Jacks rantings i was expecting somnething totally different to this.

    i hasn't lived up to the violence simulator it was supposed to be and sounds boring.
    Sounds exactly like i imagined boarding school to be.

    \is disappointed

  • jgoreham #28 5 years ago

    I might get a PS2 just so I can play this game, and "The Warriors".

    The 1up Yours podcast recently had a guy from Rockstar Vancouver in the studio with them, and he had some interesting things to say both about 'Bully' and gaming/game development in general.

  • jimbob101 #29 5 years ago

    i'm still contemplating whether to buy this now or wait til it drops in price many months from now.

    £22.99 from HMV
    http://uk.games tracker.com/ps2/11034/

  • Decoded #30 5 years ago

    Having played for a few hours I'm not too impressed, although I expect things will improve once the 'outside world' becomes accessible.

  • MyPointIs #31 5 years ago

    I'm 10% in and it's really good so far. Have to disagree with the 'weak dialog' comment on the review, as I found it interesting, touching and very funny.

    Must buy +1

  • ManicDrunkMonk #32 5 years ago

    I'm gonna buy it, cos ManicMinerUK is so excited about it!

  • Hughes. #33 5 years ago

    Also surprised at that 9 at the bottom of the page. I was vaguely interested in this (tabloid baiting aside) but looks like it will join my to-get list. The PS2 is still getting some top-notch stuff, no doubt about it.

  • sonmi451 #34 5 years ago

    great game. instantly fun to play, and brilliant character designs.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #35 5 years ago

    "Having played for a few hours I'm not too impressed, although I expect things will improve once the 'outside world' becomes accessible."

    The thing to do is to burn through the opening chapter quickly (took me about two hours or so, with some intermittent faffing), because then it really blossoms.

  • seregrail7 #36 5 years ago

    Picked this up today in Gamestop or €40! GAME were selling it at €55.

  • AOFanboi #37 5 years ago

    XBox 360 owners who miss out can wait for their forthcoming dose of jelly tits instead...

    Hm. I must buy this once I've bothered completing Psychonauts.

  • yegon #38 5 years ago

    >>>Pastici: Sounds boring to me =/. Although there hasn't been a game in a long time that looks good.
    ----

    If there's nothing out, or on the horizon, you like the sound of, it appears you've lost your gaming mojo mate. I sympathise, been there several times. All it takes is one game to get you back into it though. The last two games to shake me out of my periods of utter disinterest were Darwinia and, strangely, Dragon Quest 8. Strange, because I generally loathe jrpg's....and I'm not really a fan of rts's either o_O.

  • captainrentboy #39 5 years ago

    Played this for an hour or so today in work and so far I'm absolutely loving it,even though I can't stand any of the GTA games,this one seems to have a certain charm to it(I think it's the whole gangsta thing in GTA games that bores me rigid very quickly)I thought the graphics were surprisigly good for a ps2 game,and like a poster above I'm finding the writing to be consistantly funny,then again i'm easily amused.
    Now i'm not a prude or anything else of the sort,but lil Jimmy certainly isn't the angelic lil lad who only has to defend himself against bullies throughout the game that a few website previews have made him out to be,infact he's a bit of a naughty,trouble making bastard so far(''Yes i'll follow you to go and beat up a homeless guy''etc),and I can now understand why a slight fuss has been made of the game elsewhere in the world,and I also agree that it needed a 15 certificate over here,infact IMO it's bordering on an 18 rating,as I could easily see some of the more impressionable stupid youths out there wanting to do some of the stuff the main character gets up to.
    Edited by 1 at 25/10/06 @ 18:27

  • CitizenGeek #40 5 years ago

    Hmm.....I might get this game after Phantasy Star Universe, Disgaea 2 and Dirge of Cerberus. With all the great RPG titles coming out (and KHII still doing well), Rockstar picked a pretty bad time to release a game if they want the RPG gamer to buy their game

  • ProtoformX #41 5 years ago

    The street date wasn't broken, it was just bought forward, from what I heard.
    I'm genuinely interested in this game now. You can't help but question the moral of the main theme, as no matter how smart we all are, there will always be some impressionable folk out there who decide as a result that bullying is cool.
    This reminds me of something I read in Edge - games are like food. It's not the ingredients that make the dish, it's the person they're given to.

  • spongebob #42 5 years ago

    I think it's not nice that they quit making the Xbox conversion.

    Guess I have to wait until I get my PS3 or something ridiculous.

  • seregrail7 #43 5 years ago

    The BBFC part states that the game contains "Impressionable Behaviour", or something similar.
    Edited by 1 at 25/10/06 @ 21:20

  • mkreku #44 5 years ago

    Gaah! Why do they have to review the game a week before it is even released? Annoying. It's not released until Friday here. Damn teasers.

  • J*C #45 5 years ago

    No xbox version means no sale for me, do you see rockstar?

    Idiots.

  • soanso #46 5 years ago

    looks good. brings back fond memories of SKool Daze

  • Reihn #47 5 years ago

    Lukus> "Sounds like fun. Kind of like Harry Potter but without the magic and Posh Twunts."

    You know, that's what my housemate said when I told him about Canis Canem - he was all like: 'It sounds like the game that they -should- have make for the Harry Potter setting, instead of all those pithy platformers..

  • AceMaCool #48 5 years ago

    Just heard on radio 1 this game is about beating kids up with baseball bats. Didn't take long for the publicity campaign to kick into action.

    Despite that it looks great and I will be getting.

  • Decoded #49 5 years ago

    You can beat up kids with baseball bats, but you don't have to. I, however, relished the opportunity :D

  • rattled_lobster #50 5 years ago

    Ban this sick filth!

  • pjmaybe #51 5 years ago

    it's fantastic. Got really hooked last night, big time...ended up playing till 2 am and that's rare for an old fart like me.

    It's absolutely not a bully sim.

    And it's absolutely not for kids, look see that 15 there, no it's not your IQ it's an age rating.

    Peej

  • jonsaan #52 5 years ago

    Sounds just like Skool Days and Back to Skool to me.

  • jonsaan #53 5 years ago

    Yes, why no XBOX version? Feck off.

  • AOFanboi #54 5 years ago

    <em>As it stands the style of Canis Canem Edit reminds of Harry Potter.</em>

    Um, that's because both of them have adopted the school uniform style of English boarding schools. :)

  • dcangel #55 5 years ago

    Just got this on Sunday. Very, very good, up to Chapter 2 and having a great time so far. As another poster mentioned, it has a charm that's suspiciously absent from the GTA series, and the protagonist is deceptively likeable. The "15" age rating is definitely justified, but the controversy... well, do I even have to finish this sentence? :)

  • wattoo #56 5 years ago

    Been playing this for a while now and I'm feeling unfulfilled. It's just too easy and I find I'm going through the motions playing it rather than having a a load of fun. There doesn't seem to be any challenge at all and the whole game seems to lack the personality of a GTA. I don't know if it's because they really tried to make the game as unoffensive as possible or because Rstar Vancouver is no Rstar North.

    Case in point being staying out after hours, I really wanted to feel like I was being naughty and the whole world would be trying to drag me back to school, but it's so easy.

    More challenge, more humour, more fun please.

  • Speedwolf #57 5 years ago

    I had a week off when this came out and sat and did this in two sittings.

    Easy, but I loved every minute of it and am still going back to try and get the collection quests and races finished. 87% done so far.

    Definitely deserves its 9/10 rating.