If you're tired of playing poker without the fun banter at the table, Poker Night at the Inventory is your game.
Lately people have been tending to play casual Texas Hold 'Em Poker games on several website's, including Facebook and Telltale Games had seen the increase of regular people wanting a go at casino games and took the opportunity to make something out of it. This is where Poker Night at the Inventory jumps in.
While I generally don't tend to spend any money on games like Poker Night at the Inventory, the fact that it has four different character from different games certainly did the trick for me. In the game itself, you get to play Texas Hold 'Em Poker with Max from Sam and Max, Strongbad from homestarrunner, Heavy Weapons Guy from Team Fortress 2 and Tycho from Penny Arcade – each of these characters are completely the opposites from each other which leads to various and hilarious conversations during the games. However, once you end up playing against one character because the rest is busted out – the conversations tends to dry out as every few rounds the same will be said over and over again. A downside is that you cannot create your own character which could have brought slightly more diversion in the game as they could have added a few characters which you could choose from and gave them their own voices and lines.
The game-play is what you should expect from a typical card game, you get to see the cards in your hand and when it's your turn, the buttons will appear for you. In the meantime the characters are all jabbing at each other or telling stories. However, the longer you play, the more known you will become at the way the character plays and you will be able to read from their faces wether or not they have good cards or are simply bluffing. One thing you should know is that there is no multiplayer option in Poker Night at the Inventory, nor is there an option to invite your friends. While I do understand that there are multiple players who prefer to play alone, I'd rather play some fun games with friends from time to time as well. Another downside of the game is that there is no option of changing a few rules or even playing some of the games that are inside the Inventory. A few mini-games could have been added to change the scene from time to time but you're stuck with playing Texas Hold 'Em Poker.
As for the graphics, they are certainly not bad for a game that purely focuses on the card game itself and the conversations being held. However, Tycho seems to be out-of-place as he is more cartoonized than the other characters. The building and the room itself are decent enough as well and when a character is busted out from the game, you can see them running around in the room or playing other games – which certainly gives some depth to the room you're in. Even if you will be paying more attention to the cards being dealt.
Quick Review
Pros:
+ Cheap game
+ Play Texas Hold 'Em Poker with characters you like
+ Hilarious
Cons:
- Certain conversations get tiresome
- Cannot create your own character
- No multiplayer or inviting your friend options
- Not much diversity
Conclusion
Even though there are several things that could have been added for some diversity and more fun into the game, overall Poker Night in the Inventory is a fine game for such a cheap prize. You should expect to play the game for quite a few hours but really no more than 50 hours unless you're a die-hard fan of Texas Hold 'Em Poker and you don't like to play against others at all.