Poker Night 2

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,502 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Poker Night 2 Game Cover
Poker Night 2 isn't deep, but it offers an excuse to play with a bunch of beloved goofballs
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"Poker Night 2" is a sequel to the original card game, featuring popular culture characters such as Sam from "Sam & Max," Brock Samson from "The Venture Bros," and Claptrap from "Borderlands." The game offers Texas Hold'em and Omaha Hold'em poker games, with the main objective being to beat the AI opponents. Interesting dialogue and unique character interactions add to the overall entertainment value.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,502 reviews
humor780 positive mentions
stability45 negative mentions
  • humor794 mentions

    The humor in "Poker Night 2" is widely praised for its witty dialogue and the entertaining interactions between beloved characters from various franchises, such as Claptrap and GLaDOS. While many players find the banter genuinely funny and engaging, some note that the jokes can become repetitive over time, diminishing their impact. Overall, the game's humor is a significant draw, making it a fun experience for fans of the characters and casual poker alike.

    • “Overall, 'Poker Night 2' is a knee-slappingly funny and enjoyable game that'll have you rolling on the floor and coming back for more!”
    • “🤣 The game's writing is so hilarious, with witty one-liners and clever jokes popping up left and right.”
    • “The characters interact in mostly funny ways, and simulate 'real' poker game banter between them.”
    • “Unfunny and unlikable characters.”
    • “Characters insulting you when you play a card is not funny; it is annoying because we know the play better than the AI and you cannot skip it.”
    • “Since you cannot skip the overly long, highly repetitive unfunny dialogues, this game is about being tortured by a cruel designer at Telltale.”
  • gameplay272 mentions

    The gameplay in "Poker Night 2" is primarily centered around poker mechanics, specifically Texas Hold'em and Omaha, which are straightforward and accessible for both novice and experienced players. While the game features engaging character interactions and humorous dialogue, many players find the gameplay can become repetitive and slow due to unskippable conversations and perceived AI cheating. Overall, the game is enjoyable for its casual poker experience and character charm, but it lacks depth and variety in gameplay mechanics compared to other poker simulations.

    • “The dialogue, scenario, and gameplay (even though you're playing poker) are incredible and very unique. During your playthrough, you can really connect to the universe/scenario and forget that you're playing a game with a dog that is a detective alongside his bunny partner, a time traveler that fights demons, a robot that everyone hates, and a brute that works for a crazy scientist.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable on a casual level, but it's really the characters you're playing against and their distinct personalities that make Poker Night 2 worth experiencing.”
    • “The gameplay itself is fun and always engaging, using features like 'tells' and 'bounties' to create another layer of challenge and play style that is beyond awesome.”
    • “The character dialogues are at first a nice distraction from the mediocre gameplay, but you quickly realize that there's only a small handful of dialogues in total, and that they're all inherently sophomoric and uninspired, and after the first 20 minutes you'll be dealing with non-stop repetitions of aggravatingly dull character interactions, on top of the incredibly dull poker gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay itself is slow and frequently slowed down even more by the sometimes long conversations the characters have with each other that you can't skip.”
    • “The ai feels like it's cheating; I may not be an excellent poker player, but getting -300k in 2 hours of gameplay is kind of statistically bullshit. I haven't won one full tournament even though I did pretty good in Poker Night 1.”
  • graphics99 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally well-received, featuring a colorful, cartoony art style that appeals to players and holds up well even in higher resolutions. While many appreciate the improved visuals and character animations compared to the previous installment, some users report occasional animation bugs and performance issues, particularly with lag during certain interactions. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's humorous and engaging atmosphere, despite some minor technical drawbacks.

    • “I like the graphics, and I feel like they still hold up today.”
    • “The graphics got a nice bump as well as adding skins for the chips, cards, and table felt.”
    • “The graphics are smooth and appealing.”
    • “Given how limited a poker game is graphically, there is no reason for it to have such delays.”
    • “The graphic engine is not optimized.”
    • “The game is also rather buggy and riddled with graphic glitches.”
  • atmosphere67 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, featuring witty banter and interactions among beloved characters that create a cozy, relaxed poker night vibe. While some players note that the dialogue can become repetitive over time, the overall charm and presentation, including unlockable themes and music, contribute to a fun and enjoyable experience. However, opinions vary, with some feeling that the sequel lacks the warmth of its predecessor, suggesting that the first game may offer a better atmosphere for those seeking a more intimate poker experience.

    • “Great atmosphere, very fun conversations and dialogue.”
    • “Poker Night 2 has a great atmosphere, with an incredible library of banter from all of the characters, making you feel like you're just shooting the breeze with some old friends.”
    • “The fact that they were able to gather a wide variety of interesting characters with comedic personalities is great, and the conversations between the characters really set a great atmosphere.”
    • “Every time this happens, I am immediately yanked out of the atmosphere of a cozy poker bar.”
    • “First off, the atmosphere seems a bit less cozy; the amount of chatter can't be changed, nor can you skip the chats.”
    • “The only things that will change the boring atmosphere come in the form of unlockables, which only provide visual changes and do not affect the core idea of a repeating poker experience.”
  • story66 mentions

    The game's story is generally perceived as minimal or lacking depth, with many players noting that it primarily serves as a backdrop for character interactions rather than a central narrative. While some appreciate the humor and character backstories, others find the repetitive storytelling and lack of a cohesive plot detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is more about enjoying the characters and their dialogues than following a significant storyline.

    • “The first season was a lovely, self-contained story about a father and his adopted daughter, getting to know each other and growing as people in the face of adversity.”
    • “Poker Night 2 is a deceiving game in that you think you've downloaded Poker Nights, but actually this game is eager to tell a rich story and take the player on a magical adventure through a distinguished world set up in the first game, successfully enriching Poker Nights lore while delivering an entirely unique experience.”
    • “Their care with regards to character, storytelling, and good writing really shows and makes this game the standout that it is.”
    • “✅ this game has no story”
    • “It may be fun to listen to the characters' blabbering the first time around but when you hear the same long-winded story that interrupts the flow of the game for the third time in a short play session, it's not so fun anymore.”
    • “Seeing two characters talk in between hands and such is cute at first, but then later on it just gets annoying hearing the same story over and over again.”
  • music56 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its relaxing jazz soundtrack, which complements the atmosphere and enhances the overall experience. While some users noted that certain tracks feel out of place or are recycled from other games, the majority appreciate the quality and variety of the music, especially the smooth jazz that sets a comfortable tone for gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The music is amazing, especially the slow piano version of 'Still Alive', and the variations on all of the theme tunes, like the opening theme to Borderlands 2 'No Heroes'.”
    • “The banter between the characters, combined with the environment and the smooth music, makes this game fun.”
    • “With captivating conversations between the players, a tantalizing soundtrack, and lots of unlockable content, this game turned out to be money well spent.”
    • “The rest of the music is just stuff ripped from things like Portal and boringly lazy.”
    • “The music is alright and so are the sound effects for selecting options and showdowns, but I prefer the sound effects from the first game.”
    • “Sound/music: decent enough but repetitive voice acting and lack of Bruce Campbell makes it lacking.”
  • stability48 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezing issues, and various animation glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some players have noted that it runs well on specific platforms like the Steam Deck, the general consensus is that the game is plagued by bugs that can lead to lost progress and frustrating gameplay. Despite a few users mentioning minor glitches, the overwhelming feedback points to a need for significant improvements in stability.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck!”
    • “It's not buggy; the stories and interactions work.”
    • “No matter what PC I play this on, it always freezes and makes me lose all progress about 10 hands in.”
    • “This game is a buggy, broken mess.”
    • “Unfortunately, the PS version of this game is unforgivably buggy and likes to crash constantly.”
  • replayability42 mentions

    Replayability in this game is a mixed bag; while many players find it highly replayable due to engaging poker mechanics, unlockable items, and entertaining dialogue, others note that repetitive conversations can diminish the experience after a few hours. The presence of customizable elements and achievements adds to its longevity, but the inability to skip dialogue is a common complaint that affects overall enjoyment. Overall, it offers a decent replay value, especially for casual play sessions, but may lose its charm for those seeking extended gameplay.

    • “Even after putting 196 hours into it, the replay value remains exceptional.”
    • “With great commentary from all NPCs and customizable tables and unlockables, it has tons of replayability.”
    • “The all-new cast is entertaining in their own right and played off of each other; the dialogue is interesting and full of references to each character's universe, the poker play is much more consistent, and the unlockables give the game some replay value.”
    • “No ability to skip dialogue makes it have really low replayability, especially if you're only playing for unlocks.”
    • “You'll probably play 5-10 matches before the dialogue starts to repeat, so the replay value here is limited, but the price is fair.”
    • “However, the replayability is not great because you'll have heard the dialogue quite a bit after only a few hours.”
  • grinding33 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over unskippable dialogues and limited character interactions that quickly lose their charm. While some players note that grinding is not strictly necessary for progression, achieving full completion or specific achievements can require extensive and monotonous gameplay. Overall, the grinding experience is described as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding isn't necessary to progress.”
    • “Too much grinding.”
    • “These are the key draws to a game with horrifically slow and tedious gameplay, no multiplayer, and poor UI, not to mention the mandatory internet connectivity.”
    • “The limited number of character dialogue conversations and responses can get a bit tedious.”
    • “It's sorely missed, as the dialogue becomes too repetitive after several games, and full completion in this luck-based sport requires a lot of grinding.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has seen improvements compared to its predecessor, with many players reporting smooth performance on various systems. However, issues persist, such as unoptimized graphics and audio glitches, including repetitive dialogue and sound stuttering, which detract from the experience. While some players enjoy the charm of the voice performances, the optimization still leaves room for enhancement.

    • “No issues with performance!”
    • “The performance seems to have improved significantly over the last game.”
    • “Way better optimization than the previous game.”
    • “Cons: the graphic engine is not optimized.”
    • “- not optimized (keeps running around 200fps here and no options to limit that)”
    • “- optimization isn't great.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits strong feelings of nostalgia and attachment, with players expressing a deep sense of loss over its potential demise and a desire for its revival. Many reviewers highlight the blend of humor and heartfelt moments, noting that interactions with beloved characters can provoke genuine emotional responses, including laughter and tears. Overall, the game resonates with players on a personal level, making them reflect on their experiences and connections to the characters and humor.

    • “I don't think I'll ever mentally and emotionally recover from this blunder.”
    • “10/10 would cry again.”
    • “When Brock f***ing Samson 'go team venture!'ed me, I think I cried.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy is viewed as less exploitative than typical cash grabs, as it targets franchises that are considered deserving of such treatment rather than relying on overhyped ones.

    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze every last penny from players.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a money-making scheme than a game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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Play time

14hMedian play time
16hAverage play time
5-27hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 19 analyzed playthroughs

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