In the audio department voice acting is easily some of the best heard in a game to date. The often cartoonish voices compliment comically over exaggerated stereotypes. The game also features a rich original score that is not only pleasant to listen to but also relays audio cues pertaining to your current status is game. When the music races you know either an authority figure or a punch to the jaw is soon to follow.
If you stick to the main missions you can power through everything in about 15 hours. If you take your time and enjoy all the game has to offer it can easily take you three times as long. Even though the main storyline is comprised of five chapters there is a sixth chapter appropriately titled “Endless Summer” which allows you to tie up any loose ends for as long as you want. You may just want to pop in from time to time to rough some kids up and let them know you are still the boss. You can also challenge a friend to some of the mini-games in multiplayer mode.
It should be noted that upon release there was a rather large issue with random lockups while playing. Rockstar acknowledged this problem and issued a patch within a couple of weeks. The patch seems to have addressed that particular issue but it has produced some less than desirable side effects such as audio stuttering. Most likely this will also be addressed in yet another patch.
Bully has set the bar high in both story and gameplay. If you already experienced the PlayStation 2 version the added content is enough to make another romp in the schoolyard worth your time and money.