Bully 2: 5 Things Rockstar Should Consider

Bully fans have been gnawing at Rockstar's heels for the best part of fifteen years now, still drawn to the hopes of seeing a reboot of the game come to fruition. And don't get me wrong, a remake would be a fantastic way to rekindle the Hopkins and Bullworth flame. But a sequel, on the other hand — now that's where the real fantasy lies. A fantasy that, despite having a huge support network, may never come to fulfilment so long as Rockstar keep their claws hooked to the flagship franchises.

With all of that said, we do have to clutch on to the possibility of Bully 2 eventually making its way to the spotlight. Although not set in stone, we're still inclined to chip in our ten cents worth on the concept. Specifically, we're talking about features we'd like to see explored should the game ever receive the green light. From the stage it could be set on to the branching cliques embroidered on the school crest — these are the five things we would love to see in Bully 2.

5. Customizable Students

Although Jimmy Hopkins was a well-rounded protagonist with plenty of likeable traits, there was also a lot of freedom that felt absent from the original game. Unlike other open worlds that would have you forging your own character and branching out in any way you see fit, Bully had us on one single track, following the narrative with very little wriggle room for customization. And that's something we'd love to change should the school grounds ever return under Rockstar's wing.

From the moment you set foot on campus, players should have the option to customize their character, right down to the very professions that drive them and attributes that mould their unique personalities. And, to be fair, that isn't exactly a great deal to ask — especially with Grand Theft Auto already harnessing a wealthy bank of customizable sections in its online world. So, to transfer that same level of freedom would only be a minor application, though one that would essentially give new players a lot more independence.

4. University Campus Setting

Ever since Bully: Scholarship Edition launched on Xbox 360, fans have kicked and screamed over a follow-up chapter, hoping that a university campus would be the next stage for Hopkins and his unruly antics. But sadly, nothing ever came of it, and the tale soon phased out with the 360 version in 2008. However, even with the flame well and truly stubbed, people still set their sights on a potential revival, proposing a college environment as the grounds for a sequel, with or without Hopkins as the leading student.

While Bullworth Academy was a pretty well-equipped boarding school with all the nooks and crannies one would hope to explore in an open-world game, there was a lot of untapped potential nested within. Potential that, honestly, would gel incredibly well with something like a college campus and a surrounding network of buildings and towns. Okay, so we're not asking for a map that falls under the same scope as Red Dead Redemption 2 — but more an expanded Bullworth, with a lot more to unearth than a carnival and an old fashioned 1920s asylum.

3. Course Choices

It's a funny thing — education. You'd have thought it would play a big part in Bully, what with the setting being in an actual school and that. And yet, it ended up being an afterthought in Rockstar's eyes, with classes pretty much following a mini-game structure, usually consisting of mashing buttons or playing Tron with a paintbrush. And while that was all fun and games for the first playthrough, it was also something that grew somewhat stale after the second time around.

But picture this: you've just enrolled at the college. You're on your way to orientation as your fresh-faced student when you suddenly find yourself locked between charters. You've got a path leading to the arts on one side, and another branching off to quantum physics on the other. What do you do? Well, for starters — you don't have to do anything. You're a rebel, remember? And as far as education goes, well — like the first chapter, it's not entirely relevant to your cause. But with that said, having the choice of course at the beginning of the game would make for an entertaining side plot, with a series of endings that correspond with your prospectus and grade.

2. Vehicles

After scrubbing the streets and stripping it of all its mopeds and go-karts, I think it's fair to say that we all felt a little worn out. And Bullworth? Well, that eventually spiralled into an enormous sandpit of bikes and skateboards, all while the motorists continued to cruise aimlessly, barely even batting an eyelid at our barren wasteland of scattered wheels and helmets. However, put the glove on the other hand and put us behind the wheel of a car — and you can only begin to imagine the carnage one could bring to the streets of Bullworth.

Jimmy Hopkins, being a fifteen-year-old punch-drunk teen with very little interest in transport, settled on the smaller things to get by — like a BMX and, at a push — a go-kart from the local carnival. But an eighteen-year-old freshman with a license, on the other hand? Now that's something worth pondering over, and, sure enough, something that would amplify the temptation to explore new surroundings. Even if it's a beat-up car pulled straight from the scrapyard in the dingiest part of town — it's a small piece of freedom that could quite easily pave the way to some genuinely entertaining segments on the road. Even if it is to roll into pedestrians and skateboarders.

1. Faction Story Arcs

The several cliques of Bully truly are the bread and butter of the franchise, with all featured boss battles from the first game being the faction leaders themselves. As Jimmy, of course, our main goal was to collaborate with each division, put a stop to the petty violence between other networks, and ultimately unite the school nexus under one banner. But, as you know, putting a lid on the turmoil meant having to become the double-edged sword — sacrificing one clique in order to establish ground with another. And, fair enough, it all paid off in the end, though it sure did require a lot of legwork in order to complete the circle.

With that said, we do have to gloss over the thought of cutting out the middle man in the scenario. And by that, I mean splicing out Hopkins, and essentially having the option to pursue a single faction without having to fix so much as a food fight in the process. Whether it be a nerd or a jock, a greaser or a prep — each clique could hold an individual story arc, with the option to either hold the position and ascend the ranks for the school year — or divert the course and enrol in another group altogether, effectively betraying the previous link and, as a result, spoiling your reputation and waging war between two factions. Just a thought.

So, what would you like to see in Bully 2? Let us know over on our social handle here.

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