Poker Night at the Inventory

Story:

Okay, so the game is kinda doesn't have a story, but it sure as heck makes up for it with personality. The premise is that you’re a nameless player (unless you count "The Player" as a name) invited to play poker in a secret underground club with some of the most entertaining characters in gaming and webcomics:

- Max (from Sam & Max)

- Strong Bad (Homestar Runner)

- The Heavy (Team Fortress 2)

- Tycho (Penny Arcade).

There’s no grand plot beyond that, but the banter between these guys is absolute gold. It’s not about winning poker as much as just sitting back and enjoying the ridiculous conversations. Especially when characters find themselves on the losing side.

Graphics:

Visually, it’s nothing groundbreaking, it wasn't that even in 2010, but it does the job well and still holds up style-wise. The characters look like they’ve been pulled straight from their original worlds but still manage to fit into the dimly lit, cozy underground poker room. The animations are smooth, the lighting gives the place a nice underground club feel, and overall, it’s just a pleasant game to look at.

Audio:

That's where the game's main appeal lies. The voice acting is a chef’s kiss—every character sounds exactly like they should, and their interactions are hilarious. The background jazz soundtrack is chill and fits the whole secret club vibe, while the sound of chips stacking and cards shuffling makes everything feel authentic. Even if you’re not big on poker, the dialogue alone makes it worth playing.

Gameplay:

What do you expect from the title "Poker Night at Inventory"? It’s poker, plain and simple: Texas Hold ‘Em with a bunch of entertaining characters. But the fun part isn’t necessarily the game itself; it’s watching how each character plays. The Heavy is aggressive, Max is crazy and unhinged, Tycho is the smart, strategic one, and Strong Bad just wears his tough guy persona and bluffs his way through.

There’s also a cool bonus (and for some, this will be the main appeal of the game): you can win special items for Team Fortress 2, which is a nice touch and works like this: From time to time, there's a random chance of characters buying their way in with an item instead of money. If the player kicks them out by dwindling their funds and then wins the game, the item is yours. One at a time.

That said, if you’re looking for a serious, deep poker sim, this isn’t it - the AI can be a little wonky, and you can bluff your way through the game because it breaks AI for some reason. Just go all in and you're golden.

There also aren’t any other poker modes. Just the regular Texas Hold ‘Em with you and these other 4 characters.