Pure Hold'em™ provides gamers with a next-gen gambling experience for Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X consoles. Luckily, the online poker game does not require a credit card, and your scores aren't expressed in any currency. Despite the fact that players are given free credits at the start of the game, this release does have microtransactions that allow players to purchase more credits.
Microtransactions vary in price from $2.99 for 10,000 credits to $19.99 for ten million credits. The rules for dealing cards to the participants at the table are described in the Tutorial. The player's cards are presented after the "River" has been dealt, demonstrating the many potential hands and the value of each one of them.
A game is played against seven computer controlled opponents in single player mode. You can keep playing until either the lobby is closed or all of the credits have been used up. Once you've located a table, all you have to do now is wait out the current round before you can join in and start playing. You’re free to join and leave games as you please, since tables are accessible as long as there are players in it.
Then there's the Multiplayer Tournament gamemode. The game has a beginning and a conclusion in a Tournament. Until the eight-player maximum is achieved, the table serves as a lobby. Players are then eliminated when they lose all of their chips, leaving just one player as the winner with all of the losers' bets.
There are six distinct tables in all modes, each with a higher Buy In amount as the table's skill level grows in difficulty. Players are on a fifteen second timer to select what to do when it is their turn in multiplayer, which keeps things moving along well. When the time limit is reached, the player's hand is automatically folded and their bets lost. This keeps the game moving along quickly and keeps it from turning into a snoozefest. The player's style can be reflected in the deck, chips, and table, which can all be customized with a variety of colors and patterns.
Gameplay
The game uses a first-person perspective of the table, which is the first thing that sticks out. Other players in the lobby are shown by their gamertag and picture. There is also a free camera that can pan around the table.
There are few distractions because the background is designed to look like a casino, but without any movements in the background to distract players from the action at the table. The soundtrack is excellent, with various types of music contributing to the game's atmosphere.
Sound effects also greatly contribute to the experience, such as players knocking when they check, the clicking of chips, and the shuffling and dealing of cards. To help new players, the game highlights winning hands at the end of a round and the hand's name is provided, such as Royal Flush. This can help new players improve in future games.
Final Verdict
Pure Hold 'Em is a fantastic poker game. It's executed very effectively and can stand alone without being part of a set. It is simple enough for a newcomer to Texas Hold 'em to understand, and experienced players will recognize it as a well-thought-out game.
