A game which misses the mark completely.
This is difficult with Poker as of course it can prove quite expensive to play alot of games and the 'free' tables aren't usually played with the same caution as 'real money' tables. It's due to this that one might consider purchasing a Poker video game.
You start off this one by creating your character.
Now, no matter what options you select you will always end up looking like a middle aged male paedophile. Even if you choose a female gender the end result will resemble someone who's going through gender realignment. This aside it doesn't make much difference as there's minimal animation for your character at the table. You might assume they panic at a bad flop or get excited at a good hand, but then don't they just stare straight ahead and blink with robotic regularity. This makes crucial points of Poker gameplay - tells & bluffs - redundant (you can see where this is going already).
As for the AI, it's laughable. Whatever hand you play & whatever comes out on the flop there'll always be one person on the table who calls your all-in no matter what junk they have in their hand. They also very very rarely bluff, if they bet instead of check it's because they have two pair or trips. You might think that due to this it's incredibly easy to win. Unfortunately because they will play with just about any old junk it's all too often you find your A high straight beaten by a 7-2 suited or similar. Imagine playing with first time players online in a $1 table game and that's the kind of craziness you deal with.
There's no licensed tournaments, players or environments. The BG music which is compromised of about 4 tunes each a minute in length become beyond annoying over the space of an entire game. The commentary is also ludicrous with such over enthusiastically voiced information as 'We're going to see a flop!" no kidding?.
Having also played the sequel I can say that it's improved in almost every aspect which makes this game even more pointless to pickup now then it was originally. The only use this game has is to strategically place under the table so you can read your friends cards in a home game. That is if the blue undercoating hasn't already busted your first gen PS2's laser and you've destroyed it in a fit of rage.
If you want to practise poker the only real way your going to get better is to go on real money games. It's the equivalent to playing who wants to be a millionaire in your living room. If your money isn't on the line you just don't care.