One of the nowadays popular Texas Hold'em simulations, Poker Superstars incorporates great graphics, but dumb AI players
The graphics and sound are the best thing about this game. The felt of an online-poker-like cardroom table is a well-placed relief from the mostly ugly and disastrous 3D simulations of real casino poker tables. The sound of stacking chips and betting by selecting chips adds to the live poker feel. With a standard 2D interface, the game doesn't look outdated not even compared to today's poker simulations. The only downside is an annoying melody playing in the background all the time.
Single-player is pretty much uneventful. The tournament campaign consists of two rounds of semi-finals and a final and, as a relief, there is also a cash game. When using the right strategy, it is too easy to beat the game. The fixed icons of the poker pros around the table relieve you of having fun through spotting tells, which ultimately kills any gaming experience which could have existed.
AI is the dirty spot in Poker Superstars. I got the game long before I became proficient at online poker. As someone whose knowledge about Texas Hold'em rested on the belief that a straight beats a flush, the game looked fine to me. I even picked it out as difficult since I was losing all the time, until I found the game wasn't fool-proof. A simple "bluff, bluff and only bluff" all-in approach made the game mindlessly easy.
Later on, as I found this game on a shelf a few months ago, I analyzed the strategy from the point-of-view of a no-limit poker player: all tables in the game are total "rock gardens" (full of predictable players), all tight-passive. The lack of a random crazy fish makes the play even more boring. Players are using basic strategy (such as all-in with AA), not taking into account the occasional (better say: rare) slowplay, predictable bluff and the lack of continuance bets. I find play money tables harder to beat than these games.
What do we have here... Texas Hold'em, Texas Hold'em and Texas Hold'em. No 7-card Stud, no Omaha8, no Cali Triple Draw, no nothing. In the small repertoire of the game there aren't any side games available for entertainment when you get bored of Hold'em. Though, I'd hate to wonder what would the AI of a side game look like, considering how was it done in the "cadillac of poker".
The multiplayer is one of the major aspects Poker Superstars lacks. It is actually not present, nor LAN, nor internet. I'd have at least some comfort playing against random internet players for free money, if not organizing virtual tournaments for friends, but it's simply not an option.
Finally, has anyone heard of a showdown after everyone folds? Of course not. If possible, every good poker player prefers to keep his hand to himself. In this game, even after a series of folds, you get to see the blind stealer's hand. This definitely puts the last nail in the coffin.
Summary - Graphics and gameplay are thumbs up, but that's about it. Since the Gamespot review presents the Poker Superstars' AI as tough and good, I wonder what are other AIs like. Texas Hold'em has a long time to come even near the level of grandmaster computer chess and Deep Blue. In the meantime, I'll stick to real poker players.