Reviewed by Paul Stuart

I confess. I have no clue who the hell Carol Vorderman is (apparently she’s a British media fixture), neither have I played a single grid of sudoku (a Latin…turned Greek…then Japanese numbers game) before reviewing this title. Thus – in all honesty -- a devil’s advocate might proclaim this review glass as preconditioned toward half empty based on such ignorance. Similarly, a sudoku-phile reviewer could be pre-critical of  ‘Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku’ (CVS) for lack of authenticity.

The goal of this review, however, is neither to praise nor denounce CVS on whether I turned off my PSP hours later an instant sudoku addict or ‘playa-hata.’ The more pressing question, quite simply, “is ‘Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku’ worth $20?” The answer is a surprising yes.

Arguably the most pleasant aspect of CVS is how polished Eidos Interactive’s offering is. The history of sudoku that greets the first time user is actually interesting. Ditto on the tutorial and tips videos where a simultaneously perky and articulate Carol Vorderman – backed by strong, clear visuals – outlines the steps needed to both play and master this (to a newbie) complicated game.

Truth be told, I sat through every one of these 12 videos to yield a decent analysis on whether its content actually impacts gameplay. Yes, indeed, Ms. Vorderman. In no time I was semi-capably – albeit with some mental struggle – conquering basic sudoku puzzles. The tips outlined in the tutorials began to emerge within grids as possible options.

Related, the sudoku boards themselves are crisp, easy to read and make sense via a semi-intuitive control scheme. Ditto on the much-needed completion graph outlining mistakes made along the way. Supporting visuals are dramatic when displayed, but limited mainly to color flashes backed by mild audio punch. Menus are likewise sharp and easy to navigate.

Arguably the biggest test of this genre is replay-ability. I can honestly state (albeit with minor embarrassment), that  ‘Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku’ will be in my PSP travel bag for the near-distant future. The game’s three sets of difficulty tiers ensures at least a few months more before the numbers 1-9 become anguish-inducing.

Are there more exciting $20 options out there for your PSP? Yes, indeed. In fact, I could easily conjure up a half dozen options off the top of my head that provide better entertainment value plus less public humiliation. Still – and perhaps a reach – even sudoku veterans will likely find much to love in ‘Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku’ and its quirky host. Newbies might be similarly surprised at how playable this wacky numbers game really is.

SUMMARY: ‘Carol Vorderman’s Sudoku’ is a robust – albeit pricey at $20 – representation of the world’s numbers game phenomenon. For suduko fans, a solid purchase. Newbies, you could do worse in this genre.

CONCLUSION: 7 [TWINNINGS TO COMPLETE YOUR GRID] OUT OF 10.