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Bully: Scholarship Edition

50 Games like Bully: Scholarship Edition that you should try

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Bully: Scholarship Edition is hard to replace: few games combine adventure storytelling, strong narrative focus and open world exploration in quite the same way. The NextGameLike team compared Bully: Scholarship Edition against over 6,700 titles across 11 gameplay attributes and found 50 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City lead the list, with Grand Theft Auto III reaching a 91/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Bully: Scholarship Edition special.

NextGameLike81/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action
Tags
NarrativeDarkSolo
Year 2008Dev Rockstar New England

Quick answer

The closest game to Bully: Scholarship Edition is Grand Theft Auto III — scoring 91/100 on our similarity scale. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Bully: Scholarship Edition

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Bully: Scholarship Edition. Each one has been evaluated across 11 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Grand Theft Auto III

91
NGL89
Grand Theft Auto III
Closest overall match
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2001Dev DMA Design · CapcomPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Bully: Scholarship Edition does: dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals: an isometric view.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Combat74
2

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition

80
NGL79
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition
Closest on combat
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2021Dev Grove Street Games · Rockstar GamesOn Xbox · PS4 · Android

Of everything here, this is the nearest thing to Bully: Scholarship Edition — the two agree on genre, combat and game mode. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Its own ground is shooting mechanics and horror setting.

Released 13 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100
3

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

76
NGL93
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2002Dev Rockstar North · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Bully: Scholarship Edition is strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, tone and world. To that it adds a third-person camera and single-player focus. Its own ground is third-person shooting and ranged combat.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode85
4

Destroy All Humans!

74
NGL80
Destroy All Humans!
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2020Dev Black Forest Games · THQ NordicOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Bully: Scholarship Edition on genre, combat and game mode. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on tone: this one brings shooting mechanics and a sci-fi setting.

Released 12 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
5

Just Cause 4

78
NGL65
Just Cause 4
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2018Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Bully: Scholarship Edition on genre, combat and tone. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. It sets itself apart with shooting mechanics and co-op play.

Released 10 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
6

Grand Theft Auto IV

72
NGL90
Grand Theft Auto IV
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev Rockstar Toronto · Rockstar GamesOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Bully: Scholarship Edition worked for you because of strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, the same is here. Both also lean on a third-person camera and single-player focus. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is multiplayer gameplay.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100Combat73
7

Vangers

70
NGL87
Vangers
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration
Year 1998Dev K-D Lab · KranX ProductionsPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

It shares the essentials of what Bully: Scholarship Edition does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings punishing difficulty and an isometric view.

It predates Bully: Scholarship Edition by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone56
8

Amnesia: The Bunker

70
NGL87
Amnesia: The Bunker
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration
Year 2023Dev Frictional GamesOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

It comes from the same genre as Bully: Scholarship Edition and shares strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and combat — its own ground is punishing difficulty and stealth mechanics.

Released 15 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Game mode100World100Tone59Progression56Combat47
9

Mafia II (Classic)

69
NGL85
Mafia II (Classic)
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev 2K Czech · 2K GamesPlaytime ~13hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Bully: Scholarship Edition is strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, world and progression. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in combat — its own ground is stealth mechanics.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode87Tone84
10

Mafia III

75
NGL61
Mafia III
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2016Dev Hangar 13 · 2K GamesOn PS4 · PC · Mac

If Bully: Scholarship Edition worked for you because of strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, the same is here. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. What it adds of its own: shooting mechanics and stealth mechanics.

Released 8 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode79
11

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

69
NGL81
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2014Dev Kojima Productions · KonamiOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

If Bully: Scholarship Edition worked for you because of strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, the same is here. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on combat and visuals: this one brings stealth mechanics and a first-person view.

Released 6 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone80Visuals65
12

Just Cause 3

69
NGL80
Just Cause 3
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2015Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

What brings it close to Bully: Scholarship Edition is strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, combat and world. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is multiplayer gameplay.

Released 7 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100World100Progression100Visuals100Tone72
13

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

68
NGL86
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration
Year 2013Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC

It shares the essentials of what Bully: Scholarship Edition does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and combat: stealth mechanics and a first-person view.

Released 5 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone72Combat56
14

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

71
NGL70
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2015Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

The resemblance to Bully: Scholarship Edition is about as close as this list gets: they line up on genre, combat and tone. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is game mode: multiplayer gameplay.

Released 7 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
15

Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition

66
NGL91
Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration
Year 2016Dev Avalanche Software · Disney InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS

It shares the essentials of what Bully: Scholarship Edition does: a sandbox world, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery. Its own ground is multiplayer gameplay.

Released 8 years after Bully: Scholarship Edition.

Genre100Combat100World100Progression100Game mode73

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Bully: Scholarship Edition by category

If Bully: Scholarship Edition left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the sandbox or the narrative that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Bully: Scholarship Edition look-alike but simply the best Open-World Action Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Action Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.