Hard Rock Casino

If what happens in Vegas stayed in Vegas, do you really think people would go? People visit because they hear tales of what goes on when the sun goes down, thereby squashing the belief that whatever happens stays there.

Video games work the same way. Hard Rock Casino, a polygonal take on the big-win casino lifestyle, lets you jump into the shoes of a daring gambler. Male or female, ugly or…less ugly, these user-created players will walk through the casino doors with eyes wider than a kid at Disney World. One thousand smackers are at your disposal, allowing you to lose a little and stay in the game.

If you win, chances are your excitement will be regurgitated to everyone you know. But if you lose, forget about the silly Vegas promo line. Whatever happens at the Hard Rock Casino will stay there.

Time to Rock

Most card and casino games are very plain. Gameplay is usually conducted via bland menus that distance the player from the experience. Contrary to what some developers believe, there is more to a game than the X button.

Hard Rock Casino juices up this tired scenario with 3D interactions before arriving at a slot machine or card table. Whether taking on the Adventure mode, which doles out objectives on a per-game basis, or playing the Quick mode, which allows you to gamble without negatively affecting your Adventure status, Hard Rock Casino is about more than poker – it’s about the experience of being in a casino.

Blackjack, Casino War, Let it Ride, Big Raise Hold ‘Em, Pai Gow, Fortune Pai Gow, Craps, Roulette, No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha Hold ‘Em, 7 Card Stud – these are some of the games you get with this collection. Several slot machines are available, and you’ll have the option to place bets on sporting and horse racing events.

Given the lineup, Hard Rock Casino is not necessarily for people who have games like Grand Theft Auto and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops in their collection. It’s more for the people with World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker. Casino War, one of the newest casino offerings, is almost identical to the kiddie card game of the same name. I had fun playing it many moons ago and enjoyed the video game adaptation. But the average Liberty City Stories fan is not likely to find it amusing (or admit it if they do).

I like to gamble so long as money isn’t being wagered. POGs and Halloween candy are a great replacement. Since I don’t have to wager anything real while playing Hard Rock Casino, the game made it easy to take risks. The Adventure mode’s objectives are often as crazy as, “Win five times in a row.” When tied to Roulette, a.k.a. the biggest crapshoot in casino gaming, you find yourself in a bind that could cost you thousands. But it’s not possible to bypass any of the objectives – they must be completed in order to move on. What to do?

In most cases, the game goes easy on players when an adventure-altering objective is involved. I won several hands at Blackjack no problem – scored 21 multiple times, and caused to the computer AI to bust during several other hands. That was before the objective was met. Once completed, my luck went AWOL. The cards started moving in the AI’s favor. My motto is to fight until you’ve won back the bare minimum dollar amount that you brought to each particular game. It’s not guaranteed to work out, but again, the game isn’t too difficult.

However, I do wish they had excluded Roulette from the objectives list. It’s not a bad game, but it’s very hard to predict where that ball will land. I almost feel like I would have more control if I were at a real Roulette table. You could make what seems like the perfect prediction and lose. While the others are almost too simple, Roulette doesn’t really want you to win.

This is a tough genre for developers to master when casinos, cards, slot machines, etc., really exist, while most other genres are pure fantasy. Having said that, Hard Rock Casino is presented and implemented more efficiently than any other casino game collection. The games are simple, random fun; the graphics are more than eye-catching; and the replay value is higher than any standalone poker game. If you want the casino experience in virtual form, Hard Rock Casino is the place to visit.

Gameplay: 6.8
Slots, Big Raise Hold ‘Em, Pai Gow Poker, etc. – existing fans will love the virtual interpretations. The slot machines are just as convoluted as the real thing, while Big Raise Hold ‘Em is fun in any form, as is Blackjack.

On the down side, Roulette is super cheap, and the repetition factor on all accounts is excruciatingly high.

Graphics: 8.0
The attention to detail is very impressive. Excellent lighting, textures, camera work, etc. All PSP games should look this good (but with better characters – HRC’s leave a lot to be desired).

Sound: 4.0
So-so music and voice acting. The frequent and repetitive quips are insanely annoying.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Hard Rock Casino’s AI fluctuates based on the required objectives.

Concept: 7.9
A grand-scale re-creation of a real casino, complete with multiple game rooms and a wonderful 3D navigation view.

Multiplayer: 4.0
Not your best bet for a PSP multiplayer experience. Casino games are fun when playing solo, but why team up with a nearby PSP owner when you could whip out a real deck of cards?

Overall: 6.6
This is a great time-killer – the kind of game you can pick up and enjoy for 30 seconds without feeling the need to make a 10 or 20-minute commitment. But it’s not without its flaws and technical limitations. Remember that before walking through the Hard Rock Casino’s doors.