World Championship Poker 2: Featuring Howard Lederer

The long-time problems that do and will always hold gambling videogames down still exist here, mainly the fact that human emotion and reaction cannot be duplicated and gambling with fake money isn’t always satisfying when you can pull a real game together with your friends, but with all elements considered there simply isn’t a better videogame simulation of the popular card game to be found.

The career mode will suck a lot of hours out of your life as you try to get the best pad around.

Newcomers and poker addicts alike should all be pleasantly surprised by World Championship Poker 2‘s simple, easy to learn interface and addictive gameplay.

The best part of the game by far is the career mode. [May 2007, p.82]

World Championship Poker 2's offline play is the best you'll find amid this year's competition, and the online play is still pretty engaging.

The best poker video game available for home consoles. Sure, it'd be nice if the presentation were flashier, and if the game offered more configuration options, but the poker itself is damn near perfect. That's what matters most.

As solid as it is, this is just not the game for me. I view the title as ideal as an introduction for the novice to a plethora of different poker games prior to that intimidating first live experience.

WCP2 features nice AI and a healthy singleplayer career plagued by many presentation issues and a lack of second year polish. There's also a run-of-the-mill multiplayer game.

Although the game's overall look is best described as "functional," and in spite of the card dealing just looking weird, what really matters with a poker game is its fun factor, and that's where WCP2 puts forth a solid effort.

Probably not worth much more than a simple weekend rental.

The AI has no qualms with calling you on your bluffs and aggressively checking, creating a believable experience that is fresh and unique each play.

The most challenging poker game yet - so newbies beware! [Jan 2006, p.95]

The game has its flaws, especially in the design and in some parts of the Career Mode, but it also serves up some mighty fine aspects that could serve the series better in its obviously-coming third incarnation.

When the pickings are slim, you gotta take what you can get. [Jan 2006, p.80]

Online mode is fine if you can find the players. It’s compatible with EyeToy and the USB headset, and matches are easy enough to set up and play. But for all that hassle, why not just get a deck of card and have some friends over?

However, WCP2 is a disappointment for people who are looking for an entertaining simulation of poker. WCP2 lacks imagination, quality graphics, and the "fun factor" which is required of any successful game title.

Even with the tutorials WCP2 is still quite dense if you come to it as a poker virgin (there’s no glossary of terms, for example) and for that reason, along with the drab, sometimes thoughtless presentation and subsequent lack of glitz and glamour, WCP2 can be thought of as little more than above average.

Dodgy implementation lets down some genuinely nice ideas and shark-like AI in one of PS2's better gambling games. [Nov 2006, p.106]