Telltale Texas Hold'em
- February 10, 2005
- Telltale
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Telltale Texas Hold'em" is a poker game that offers a single-player experience. It includes various difficulty levels, unique character opponents with different personalities, and the reproduction of a real-life poker atmosphere. The game allows you to improve your poker skills, unlock higher stakes tables, and win special achievements.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is very cheap and provides a fun way to learn the basics of Texas Hold'em poker.
- Characters have personality and the banter can be amusing, adding a unique charm to the gameplay.
- It's a decent poker simulator that serves as a nostalgic look at Telltale's early work, especially for fans of the Poker Night series.
- The graphics and animations are outdated, making the game feel rough around the edges.
- There is little replay value as the game lacks variety in opponents and gameplay modes.
- The AI is predictable and not challenging, which can lead to a lack of engagement during matches.
- graphics22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting they are outdated and plagued by glitches, leading to an overall negative impression. Some players appreciate the cartoony style and find the visuals pleasant, while others describe them as abysmal and unappealing. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may have been impressive at one time, they currently fall short of expectations.
“The graphics are amazing for its time, the voice acting is so crisp and clean it actually improves your hearing and the soundtrack is better than Beethoven, DJ Khaled, and IceJJFish combined.”
“The game offers some nice graphics, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
“+delicious graphics”
“Despite the outdated graphics.”
“No online tournaments, it is just only 1 tournament (a repeat tournament after winning). The graphics are awful, wouldn't recommend.”
“In short - abysmal AI, horrible graphics, unlikable characters, and dialogue that repeats two hands in.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is inconsistent, with some players finding it genuinely funny and others noting a lack of engaging conversations and stiff animations. While there are moments of laugh-out-loud jokes, particularly in the table talk, the overall atmosphere and delivery leave much to be desired. Some players appreciate the humor as a pleasant surprise for a Telltale game, but it often falls short compared to other titles in the genre.
“Also, the table talk (which you can shut off once you've heard it all) is actually pretty funny at times.”
“This is extremely funny.”
“Texas hold 'em has more silly humor than I can recall from Poker Night and Poker Night 2, like this quote by Boris which made me laugh that I got it stuck in my head: 'Prepare to be humiliated... I fold.'”
- replayability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, as it offers a simple, single-session poker experience without a scoring system, rankings, or additional content to pursue after completing a tournament. Players find it basic and short, leading to a quick sense of completion with little incentive to play again, especially when compared to more feature-rich alternatives like Poker Night 2.
“One problem that this game suffers is that it has no replayability value; when you win your first tournament, you're done.”
“This game has little replay value since it's so short, basic, and easy.”
“A simple single game of poker that restarts a fresh new game with no score system or ranking. Unlike Poker Night 2, which offers more replay value through trophies and customization, this game is very basic in concept.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is criticized for its reliance on microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience, especially for players seeking a quality Texas Hold'em game without intrusive ads and additional costs.
“It's impossible to enjoy the game without being bombarded by ads and microtransactions.”
“If you want to play a decent Texas Hold'em game, you have to deal with all the annoying ads and nonsense that come with free versions.”
“The monetization strategy ruins the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is noted as a testament to Telltale's storytelling skills, although it is primarily a poker game rather than a narrative-driven experience. Players should not expect a rich storyline, as it resembles a poker night format with limited character involvement.
“A true testament to the storytelling skills of Telltale as a studio.”
“Right off the bat, this is not a story-driven experience; this is a poker game in the style of Poker Night without the popular characters (excluding one).”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely criticized for being lackluster, with users noting a deficiency in engaging dialogue and stiff animations that contribute to an overall unpleasant experience.
“Barely any funny conversations, animations are stiff, and the atmosphere is horrible.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is often overshadowed by the overall experience of the game, suggesting that players may find more value in the immersive elements rather than the mechanics themselves.
“This game is definitely more about the 'experience' than the gameplay.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features appealing graphics, but players have reported encountering noticeable glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the experience remains enjoyable.
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development is criticized for its lack of inventiveness and creativity, with reviewers noting limited animation and amateurish character designs that detract from the overall experience.
“There is nothing too inventive or creative about the characters due to the limited animation and amateurish character designs.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users claiming it surpasses even legendary composers and artists, contributing significantly to the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as exceptional, enhancing the game's atmosphere alongside impressive voice acting.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its profoundly sad and heartbreaking ending, which resonated deeply with players, evoking strong feelings and even tears.
“The ending was really sad and heartbreaking... it almost made me cry.”
