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 a fun and quirky introduction to Texas Hold'em, making it suitable for beginners.
- It's very affordable, providing good value for casual poker players looking for a simple experience.
- The character interactions and humor add personality to the game, making it enjoyable despite its flaws.
- The graphics and animations are outdated, which detracts from the overall experience.
- There is a lack of replay value, as the game offers limited content and repetitive gameplay.
- The AI is predictable and not challenging, making it easy to win without much effort.
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them outdated and glitchy, while others appreciate their charm and quality for the time of release. Overall, the visuals are described as mediocre to decent, with occasional pleasant elements, but many users express frustration with the graphical issues and lack of polish.
“The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
“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.”
“+delicious graphics”
“Despite the outdated graphics.”
“So when you play it, the graphics and the interface will probably bother you.”
“In short - abysmal AI, horrible graphics, unlikable characters and dialogue that repeats two hands in.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is inconsistent, with some players finding it occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, while others criticize the lack of engaging conversations and stiff animations. While certain moments and table talk can elicit genuine laughs, overall, the comedic quality varies significantly, leaving some players disappointed compared to previous 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.'”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, as it offers a simple and straightforward poker experience without any 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 return.
“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 gives you something to aim for and much more replay value, this game is very basic in concept.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the monetization model, highlighting a lack of microtransactions and ads in the game, which they appreciate compared to other free Texas Hold'em games that are often cluttered with such elements.
“It's impossible to enjoy the game without being bombarded by microtransactions.”
“If you want to play a decent Texas Hold'em game, you have to deal with 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.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game showcases Telltale's strong storytelling skills, although it is primarily a poker game rather than a narrative-driven experience, featuring 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).”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is criticized for its lack of engaging dialogue and stiff animations, leading to an overall negative experience.
“The atmosphere feels lifeless, with barely any engaging conversations and stiff animations.”
“The overall ambiance is disappointing, lacking any sense of immersion or excitement.”
“The game fails to create a captivating atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected and uninterested.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay is often viewed as secondary to the overall experience, suggesting that the game's focus lies more in its immersive elements rather than traditional gameplay mechanics.
“This game is definitely more about the 'experience' than the gameplay.”
“The controls feel clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to play.”
“There are too many bugs that disrupt the gameplay, making it hard to enjoy.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the experience remains enjoyable.
“The game has some nice graphics, but there are ugly glitches here and there that detract from the experience.”
“I frequently encounter crashes that ruin my gameplay sessions.”
“The game is plagued by stability issues, making it frustrating to play.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is criticized for its lack of inventiveness and creativity, with reviewers noting limited animation and amateurish character designs that hinder the depth and engagement of the characters.
“There is nothing too inventive or creative about the characters due to the limited animation and amateurish character designs.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of them.”
“I found the characters to be one-dimensional, with predictable arcs that don't offer any real growth or change.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users noting that the soundtrack surpasses even renowned composers and artists, while the voice acting is described as exceptionally clear and enhances the overall experience.
“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.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % 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.”
“I felt a deep connection to the characters; their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”
“The story's emotional depth left me reflecting on my own life long after I finished playing.”
