Bully is an open-ended mission-based game, but don't mistake open-ended for a lack of structure. This is school, after all, and you're expected to attend two classes each day.

By fulfilling missions, you'll progress from one chapter to the next, alternately gaining sway over one social circle while alienating another. One of Bully's many brilliant aspects is the variety ...

"Bully" borrows elements from "Grand Theft Auto" by letting you roam around a huge map and take on dozens of missions as you work your way up to ruling the school. You also can use transportation ...

They take me around the game; we jump from mission to mission to make sure I've seen as much as I need to get a feel for the game. I play one of the five mini-arcade games in Bully, ...

The game is called Bully for a reason, so have at it. If you want to blow through Bully, beat the main missions, get through the story and then have a smoke -- you can do so in 12-14 hours.