The average video gamer has every reason to be skeptical about the plethora of console poker games out on the market, which often just seem to be cheap attempts to cash in on the global trend which Texas Hold’em has become. And, avid poker players can’t help but be frustrated at the lack of realism inherent in most attempts to try and recreate the game. So, it is with a measure of reluctance that virtually everyone greets the arrival of yet another poker title to add to a market already teeming with inferior products; and, that is basically how it was for the pre-Christmas release of developer 5000ft’s first poker game, Stacked with Daniel Negreanu.

Now that Texas Hold’em has entered our homes on such a massive scale and the best poker players in the world have gone from being relatively unknown dweebs to famous dweebs, the video game industry is rushing out to get the endorsements of some of the biggest names pro poker in order to legitimize their products. Daniel Negreanu – or Kid Poker as he’s called – is one of these poker celebs and he is the face (and the voice) of Stacked. Here’s how it stacks up.

Game Facts:

Platform: PS2, PSP, Xbox, PC
Publisher: Myelin Media
Developer: 5000ft
Genre: Card/Casino
Release Date: October 6, 2006

AI

If there was any hype at all surrounding the release of this game, then it was due to the announcement that it would feature brand new artificial intelligence software called Poki, developed by the University of Alberta. The new system would be able to learn from your style of play and make adjustments, just as a real player could. For example, if you play wildly and make big bets with weak hands, the AI opponents will soon come back at you and make you work for future pots. This all makes for an intelligent opponent who can really help you improve your game, for the players are designed as those who really want to win, unlike real online counterparts who generally don’t take non-money games very seriously. The competition generated by the new software is clearly the best feature of the game and accordingly it plays much smarter than most other console poker games.

Graphics

When you consider that all of the action really takes place sitting around a table, you can’t help but think that the presentation is a bit stilted. After all, the casinos are not as luxurious as you might expect and furthermore, for a game titled Stacked, the images of poker chip stacks are pretty low-rent. When it comes to the player creation segment, the limitations are immediately apparent and several times I found myself sitting across the table from myself, just in a different color sports coat! Kinda trippy. . .

Extras/Options

Negreanu’s presence is felt right through the game. You have the option to call on him for advice and often he gives it whether you ask for it or not. The advice is usually spot on, but there are a few occasions when he simply drops the ball. This can be quite annoying for someone who is new to the game as it sort of takes away from the point of having a feature with the advice of the a real teaching pro. Also, the online mode was slightly disappointing as I was seldom able to get enough people for a real game.

Overall Grade: B-

There are a few better poker games out there, and there are certainly some worse ones. We recommend Stacked with Daniel Negreanu as a valid educational tool to improve your game, but give it rather average marks in all other regards.

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