There's certainly an eclectic crowd out there that savors any sort of representation of their sport in a video game. For instance, the paintball world got turned on its ear by not one but two new offerings for the Xbox last week (which will be reviewed shortly, I assure you). And now we have the upping of the poker games on the marker. First Activision got into the action earlier this fall with World Series of Poker, a solid representation of the sport that managed to get past its average presentation with some great tactics. And World Championship Poker 2 from Crave Entertainment looks like it'll have its moments, as well as the unknown newcomer Stacked. In the meantime, though, we have 2K Sports giving their take on the whole poker spiel with World Poker Tour, and it doesn't disappoint.

Well, okay, I take it back, in some aspects it does disappoint. This isn't the poker game that's going to turn on the poker world on its collective ear, as it comes up short in a couple of key areas where it could have easily won the house. But, rest assured, if waiting for the river card is anywhere in your blood, or you live to build the essential three of a kind that will shut down your opponent's two pair hand just for the sake of a few thousand dollars, you'll find plenty here to hold within your grasp.

The game is based on the TV show license, so with that you'll see plenty of familiar faces, including several pro players. The likes of Evelyn Ng, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, and Phil "Unabomber" Laak are at hand, along with a few others and some fictitious faces. Rounding out the fame in the likes of this game are the broadcasting team of Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, who guide you along with comments throughout each match that, well, seem like comments in a poker game. Like I need to be REMINDED that I just screwed up on upping an ante. Really. It's like having my mother in the room to swat me on the arm and remind me that I'm still paying for a college education.

The game, let's face it, looks about as basic as it can get. The graphic representation is a strange one, detailed to the point that you can recognize such famous casinos as the Commerce Casino or the Aviation Club, but also lacking to the point that some characters just look downright fugly. At least the actions on the table can be recognized and pulled off with ease, so you don't have to worry about seeing your cards properly or being able to signify if a card is a spade or a club. I just wish that a little clean-up went into play. After all, Coresoft is dealing with good system architecture here, not a SNES.

The sound isn't entirely better. As I've indicated, the commentary team of Sexton and Van Patten, while trying to lend professionalism to the mix, just can't come across that right. Repetition slowly sets in and soon you'll be reaching for the mute button in hopes of regaining some silence. The ambience in the casinos isn't too bad, but you'd think that something would give to make it a bit more livelier. Oh, well, it's sound in a poker game. You can't go too nuts if it's not your speed. What do you expect, car engines roaring?

I also noticed a little irritance with the AI's play at times. Sometimes these computer opponents merely live for the checking game, even if they're holding the crappiest hand in the world that, all of a sudden, becomes the basis for a three-of-a-kind that miraculously shuts you down. Sometimes they'll react pretty smartly, but other times you wonder just what they were thinking. If your friends tried to do some of this crap at the friendly Friday night game, you'd slowly wonder if they were still your friends. I wish a little more focus went into this.

Not all is lost, however. The game features a solid career mode that does allow you to build your own player from scratch and then take them on a tour complete with numerous casino visits, a legacy to build, and bonus chips to earn upon the successful play of certain hands. Sometimes it's a pain to gather these chips, but it does make you a better poker player for it, so at least there's some objective. There's also tutorials to check out, so if you want an idea about the game you're playing and how to get better at it, these are worth looking into.

On top of this, there's a variety of games to play through, as well as certain rules that you can set up for play if you're one of those pros who can't live without customization. There's also plenty of pre-set games to check out, including Shanghai, Double Flop Hold 'Em (sounds like a move in a porno flick, but oh well), Billabong, and, my personal favorite, the traditional Texas Hold 'Em. Best of all, multiplayer can come into play with these, either offline with friends in the same room or online via Xbox Live (or PS2). The game also fully supports voice chat and USB support, as well as EyeToy support for those over on the PlayStation 2. Finally, you'll be able to see your opponent for what they really are. Hmmm, maybe that's not a good thing.

No, World Poker Tour is not an essential. It lacks the clean-up of a top-caliber game and has enough AI flaws to make you question if the game even went through quality testing. However, for $20, you do get all the basics of poker you'll need, as well as the chance to build up a player with credibility and gusto. And that certainly beats cleaning out a bank account in Vegas for the real thing. If you're a poker enthusiast, check right in.