I bought WSOP: TOC after a couple of my poker buddies said it wasn't a bad title. And I must admit, they were right. To me, playing a poker video game is all about one thing: gameplay. If the game plays a solid game of poker, then I really don't care about the other fluff (character customization, graphics, commentary, etc.) And WSOP: TOC plays a fairly decent game of poker. Let's start with No-Limit Hold 'em, the Cadillac of all poker games. Playing a No Limit tournament is a very immersive activity. The CPU is good about making certain players aggressive and others passive. There is a wide range of opponents at each table, and individuals tend to stick to a certain strategy. Many aren't afraid to put chips into play. Also, those who aren't recognizable pros are more likely to stick to their strategy and not mix up their play. While this is a bad strategy, anybody who's spent time in a casino knows that amateurs don't mix up their game as much as they should, so the game is fairly representative of what's out there. Also, amateurs are easier than pros to intimidate. An amateur will tend to back down to a large re-raise, even if they have more chips than you. A pro is more likely to look you up. There are some gameplay problems though, mostly within No Limit Hold 'em. Within No Limit, loose players are ridiculously loose, with no regard to starting position. It's not uncommon to see a player who is first to act continue raising and calling, only to reveal 8-high at the end. Not very realistic at all. Also, there are some completely stupid calls on the river. I've seen a player call (not raise, call) on the river with only 10-high in his hand and two aces and a queen on the board. Nobody calls a bet there, ever. In Limit Hold 'em, the game plays more solid, with fewer WTF raises and calls throughout. Same with Seven-Card Stud and Omaha, both of which are limit games. However, Pot Limit Hold 'em is a completely different story. The CPU seems to think that the object of the game is to bet the pot, without any regard to what is in their hands, what the pot odds are or what their position is. It's just a minefield playing Pot Limit on WSOP: TOC.
Really quickly, I'll cover the "fluff". The graphics at the table aren't bad. The only thing that makes you roll your eyes is when a player wins an all-in hand and acts like a punk. Yes it happens, but when you see a classy player like Jesus Ferguson doing it, it's a little over the top. Graphics outside of the table, however, are atrocious. There is no movement around the table, and the audience looks like it's just pasted onto a CG board. The commentary is not that good, even though it is Lon McEachern and Norman Chad. There are only a few comments that get recycled over and over, and the difference in tone and volume within the same saying is painfullly obvious at times. Also, what players say at the table sometimes doesn't sync up with what's going on. The game is a very long one. Playing a complete tournament with more than 30 players can take a while, maybe 3 or more hours. That seems long for many of you online players, but it's short compared to a brick-and-mortar tourney. Character customization is satisfactory. Online play isn't bad, there aren't that many slowdowns or connection problems. The biggest problem with online play is the idiots who just go all-in all the time. Finally, since the game is only 30 bucks, the value is definitely there.
This game is decent, but it lays a foundation for the WSOP franchise to build upon. Only a few tweaks are needed in the gameplay, and once those are fixed, a healthy overhaul of graphics and commentary can make this franchise a great one. For now, it's not terrible, but the 30 dollar price tag makes it worth checking out.
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