This week Rockstar’s Bully hits stores.  So far, it’s been receiving very positive reviews (gamerankings.com score: 89.3%) based on its deep storyline, good sense of humor, and its alarming… lack of violence?  Worry not, virtual car-theft enthusiasts - you still fight in the game.  There’s still combat.  However, the game was rated Teen by the ESRB and all reviews have been talking about the elements of the game that are more important than the combat: kissing/dating people, escorting, delivering packages, and even attending class seem to be more important than throwing down.  Even then, there’s no blood.

And yet, because the game takes place at a school, people have immediately taken aim at it.  Last week Jack Thompson attempted to ban the game from the state of Florida, calling it a “Columbine simulator.”  The case was thrown out.  In the UK, two stores have banned it and Tony Blair has promised the public that he will spend a few hours playing it to make sure it is fit for children.

Wanting to educate yourself as to the content of a title is fine, but immediately jumping to the conclusion that a game is harmful to supposedly impressionable youths because of the title and the company that made it is a bit extreme.  Rockstar is, after all, the company that brought you Table Tennis as well as GTA.  Several news reports have quoted reporters and even a judge as saying that the game has content no worse than prime time Television.  If you think that is too much for your children, then don’t let them play it.  It’s not nearly the same thing as Grand Theft Auto though.

Bully carries a suggested retail price of $39.99 and was released to stores yesterday.