Even with the pulling power of Max, he of Sam & Max fame, Poker Night at the Inventory hasn’t done enough to win me over to be a dab hand at poker and finally open that packet of luxury, novelty playing cards that have been collecting dust in the cupboard since Christmas 2011. Yet, it’s one of the best renditions of the game thus far.
If you and I have an anonymous, lengthy relationship where you’ve read quite a bit of what I’ve written over the years, you’ll know that while I almost loathe the card game entries in the likes of The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2, I have warmed to deck-building games over the years and am eager to try many of these out. Which is the moment where I recommend Slots & Daggers…
You’ll also know that point and click adventures are my favourite, and who better to hold my hand, or play it, than Max? Not only does he offer great company, but Poker Night at the Inventory was originally a Telltale Games title that has since been revamped on the PS5 by Skunkape Games. Yes, those who did the excellent makeover on our beloved detective duo. As you might surmise, as I have no love of poker, I did not play the original, so coming into this fresh.
The premise is great. You’ve arrived, from a first-person perspective, at an exclusive underground club. You’re directed to a table where a bunch of familiar faces are mid-game. With the entry fee of $10k, you jump into a game of Texas Hold ‘em with Mr Rabbit, Strong Bad (remember him?!), some chap from Team Fortress 2, and Tycho Brahe from the excellent Penny Arcade. This is a fun cast and key to your wanting to play this game.
Have a fleeting interest in card games, and aware that they are typically simple ‘when you know how’, the tutorial was wasted on me – much like another betting game, DICE – so I found it was best to learn hands-on. Because you are effectively a member of this table, other characters will address you throughout and look your way, but you have the benefit of not having to play your face. It’s not real, hence a little less stress when playing. Note ‘less’ stress.
Poker players thrive on that cat-and-mouse style of play and all-or-nothing. High risks, high rewards, sure, but there’s a lot of squeaky bum moments – and that makes Poker Night at the Inventory an engaging play. You essentially call, raise and bluff your way through a game to ensure you leave the place with everyone else’s winnings, without having to donate the shirt off your back, handing over the key to your Porsche, or pimping your significant other to pay back your debt.
Now, when faced with this sort of gameplay, I found myself becoming very reckless – like Max – and raising bets all over the place. This wasn’t due to taking the risk, but being completely inexperienced. This resulted in more losses than wins, though when I did make it through, I won BIG. In real life, which we all must partake in here and there, I used to follow this strategy with my Texan friend and other buddies over a few drinks. My approach threw them all off guard as they couldn’t read me. Not giving anything away on my face was crucial to their terror. Inside, I was continually bluffing.
That doesn’t work in Poker Night at the Inventory, as you’re playing AI that can’t see you. I hope. So, while I could steamroll my way through, that wasn’t much fun and more of a chore. What makes Poker Night at the Inventory compelling is the characters you’re playing. While I naturally am fond of Max and Tycho, I didn’t get why The Heavy was in it. Sure, Strong Bad could easily fill the radio silence, but he’s a bit of a dick, right?
These work almost perfectly, and I found myself stalling or then taking risks as I soon learned how to actually hold my own, simply to get a rise out of them. Like my gung-ho stupidity, Sam is the same and changes up the game by being erratic. Old knucklehead will play aggressively, Tycho is hesitant, and Strong Bad is still a dick. A good dick, mind. The sound bites are undoubtedly the winner here, and the visuals are sharp, with a very cool atmosphere that sets the scene, but doesn’t distract.
There will be moments where you can win trophies when your opponents are on the ropes, plus a few other additional features, like adjusting how much they talk. That’s like removing a gun in an FPS. However, the spiel is the real draw here. No, that’s not a card pun in the chamber. At the end of the day, Poker Night at the Inventory is still poker (duh), and that hasn’t sold me enough as I indicated in the opener. Still, if you’re a fan of card games and have a well-endowed funny bone, may I say it might be worth placing a bet on it?
