Carol Vorderman's Sudoku! Wait...who?

Carol Vorderman's Sudoku is a PS2 game I've been watching for awhile . It has more that a few odd angles to it, even more than just being a sudoku game for a home console that's arriving about two years late. Just trying to find a website and figure out the publishers and developers for the damn thing was a nightmare. Here's what I've been able to figure out.

The title was first published in Europe on August 25th of last year. Xplosiv is the company listed on the cover, but a bit of digging bring up the names of Empire Interactive and Atomic Planet Entertainment Ltd. After a bit, I was able to figure out that Eidos Interactive is the US publisher. On the official US site, Empire and Atomic Planet have logos appearing, along with(and this is where it gets weird) www.Puzzle.tv and Secret Stash Games.

www.Puzzle.tv has its name attached to two other puzzle games: Puzzle Challenge: Crosswords and More! for the PS2 and PSP and Sudoku Fever for the Game Boy Advance. Their website isn't too descriptive but seem to be a UK-based puzzle subscription service for various platforms "including traditional print, the internet, cd-roms, computer games platforms, interactive television and mobile phones".

Secret Stash Games, the only company listed on the US cover, is almost a complete mystery. A Google search on their name reveals exactly 3 unique results including the slightly unsettling fact that their official website is a badly designed MySpace page that doesn't in any way try to to suggest that they are involved in game-making. The other notable mention is in a review of Chili Con Carnage on a 1up journal. So off I go to the official Chili Con Carnage site and hey, whadya know, they're listed on the US version of the site and once again they have the only logo on the cover. From looking at the WHOIS info for www.secretstashgames.com(currently not being used!) the registrar is Eidos so I'm guessing that it must me some sort of imprint company.

I also noticed they've used a very different picture for the cover. Here's the Euro version:

I guess they didn't like the giant belt and bracelet combo.

We haven't even gotten to who Carol Vorderman is. I'm not sure why they didn't change the US title to something like "X-Treme Sudoku! featuring Carol Vorderman" because her name carries no recognition over here. From what I've read, Carol is a 47-year-old thinking man's crumpet, television presenter, Mensa member, sudoku expert, and who knows what else. She's most famous for co-hosting a game show called Countdown for the last 25 years, with mathematics being her specialty on the show. In 2005 she hosted game show called "Sudoku Live" in which 9 teams competed to solve sudoku puzzles...live! There are also many products with her name attached, many of them sudoku books, DVD games, detox diet books, handheld games, etc.

Of course, all of this doesn't mean squat over here...but she's easier on your eyes than Professor Kawashima!

I just don't understand why companies who is releasing a console game can't even get a cohesive online presence or promote a product well. I shouldn't have to fight with the internet just to figure out even the most basic information only to come up with dead ends and seemingly hidden websites. Of the five companies listed on the US version of this game, only two have any decent information. The secretive nature of publishers and developers seem to sometimes bite itself on the ass when it hinders the consumer from hey, you know...buying the product.

Unfortunately, although the release date is supposed to be today(only EB/Gamestop have it listed) I won't be able to pick up this title right away because as great as the novelty is, I just can't force myself to pay 30 bucks for a FMV sudoku console game. Instead, I'll be paying half price for yet another PSP to PS2 port.

I'll leave you with a handy tip from Carol that highlights the very British nature of the game:

"I use a propelling pencil with a rubber on the end - it has the thinnest nib."

Update 03/08/2007 - The price dropped to 19.99 the day before it came out. I could not control my odd-game-lovin' urges and have a fresh copy in my grubby little hands. The worst part? I paid for part of it by canceling my pre-order for God of War 2.