Governor of Poker 2 isn’t a game for the hardcore Poker fan. It’s quite enjoyable but distinctly casual in nature, and there’s that sneaky sense that the cards dealt are more random and unlikely than they should be.

The key original feature behind the game is that there’s a basic story to link everything together. The Governor of Texas believes that Poker is a game of chance not skill, and it’s down to the player to convince them otherwise by playing through a series of tournaments. Along the way, it’s possible for players to buy up properties to boost their income. Indeed, it’s needed to progress in certain towns in order to increase one’s reputation level. This can prove quite valuable when struggling to raise the funds needed to join an important tournament.

The crux of the gameplay, however, is clearly the poker itself. Card play is simply done with a clear and extensive tutorial explaining all to newbies. At all times, it’s possible to hit the relevant button and see what hands the player currently possesses, reducing the need to memorize the possibilities and immediately making things more accessible. Supposedly, players can also keep an eye on the competition to see them getting increasingly nervous or confident, but I struggled to notice a difference in attitude.

Governor of Poker 2 isn’t quite as skilful as it would like to be, either. There was a distinct sense that it was easy to psyche out the opposition by raising bets to silly levels of money. It also seems to take a much larger number of hands to eventually get a good set of cards which seemed a little unusual for Poker.

These illogical moments aside and Governor of Poker 2 does offer some fun. That fun depends on how accustomed the player is to regular poker, however, as more experienced players might find themselves frustrated. For the newbie just looking for some fun, this is a worthy and lengthy title. Just don’t expect it to turn anyone into a poker master.