Cavin-SmithThough the poker craze has plateaued for the time being, Texas Hold 'Em is still a respectable and fun card game. Several titles (some based on official tournaments and players, others not) have come and gone with a tepid response to their attempt to recreate the real-life experience.
Stacked's tagline is "Poker. Raised." and though there's not much to improve on, it does feature a patented "Poki AI" which detects player tendencies and adapts accordingly. The game also features an online mode so, if by chance you actually find people taking advantage of the Playstation 2's online capabilities, you can check and raise other poker fiends from around the country.
It might just be a better idea to gather up some local friends for a weekly game, but if you're willing to give Stacked and its cabal of poker celebs (like Josh Arieh, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Carlos Mortenson, Evelyn Ng and David Williams)a chance, then Stacked will be waiting for you on store shelves this week.