Over at GA Graphic there’s a nice preview of the upcoming 1/72 scale Unsung kit from Armored Core For Answer. Whilst based on the same frame as the Aaliyah the design is different in several respects, notably that of the legs and weapon load out. The observant will note that the Aaliyah kit is actually representative of the Supplice design from Armored Core 4 and was used extensively to promote the game in Japan (so much so that it’s emblazoned on the box art). The Unsung kit will be available in December for 5,200 yen, you can get it here.

As part of the already solid customisable AI setup in Silent Line, From Software are extending this functionality on the PSP port to allow players to exchange AI data online. As part of their AI Battle Arena, players will be able to upload their AI data to the web to share. This is a very similar service to the one that was also offered for Armored Core Formula Front, in the guise of their Formula World site. The upside of this is that lots of remote AI tournaments were held with Formula Front, so expect something similar to happen with Silent Line Portable.

Hobbystock has some lovely coverage of the recent Bandai Collector’s Division Meeting, where lots of toys and kits were showcased. Such as the above 1/100 scale VF Hi-Metal Fire Valkyrie from Macross 7, which was recently featured in Macross Ultimate Frontier. The Hi-Metal range was very popular during the 80’s for the original Macross series and movie. Since the franchise’s recent resurgence, Bandai have decided to reboot the toyline (though at a smaller scale). Naturally, there are lots of other lovely toys on display as well. So feel free to have a good gander.

Over at the Rookie Borders blog on Famitsu’s site, there are a fair few interesting videos of Border Break’s network games in action. For those curious as to how the game plays and who already read the hands-on impressions we posted not that long ago, then these videos are well worth a look. In addition, a Ver. 1.0.5 update was released a few days ago. This patch improves some of the matchmaking and addresses a few minor balancing issues.

The Super HCM Pro line of toys has had a new addition, in the form of the Hajime Katoki designed RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. The Super prefix denotes that the toy is of a larger scale than the normal line, as they’re normally 1/200 scale rather than 1/144 in the case of the Supers. The detailing and articulation is also considerably more advanced than the smaller HCM Pro toys but that comes at a considerable price increase. In the case of the Unicorn, both Unicorn and Destroy modes are catered for (with some parts removal) but the technical nature of the transformation has meant the price is even higher due to the increased engineering costs. Considering that the Gundam Unicorn anime is around the corner and Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus is released at the beginning of December, you may want to wait for the larger GFFN toy. As the new Gundam Fix toys use more diecast in the joints for stability. In any case, you can buy Super HCM Pro Unicorn Gundam here.

GA Graphic has a really nice bit of coverage on the upcoming Cougar kit from Border Break. Like with all other Kotobukiya kits, the sculpt is really impressive and the articulation looks suitably comprehensive too. The kit is scheduled for a Japanese release in January next year for 3,675 yen. You can pre-order it here if you’re curious.

Over at the official Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus site, some new videos have surfaced. One being a TV commercial and the other an extended promo video. The latter is similar to the original video we linked not that long ago except that it shows a lot more gameplay footage and it covers pretty much every Gundam series featured in the game. What’s especially interesting to see is how the Trans-Am abilities for the Gundam 00 mecha are handled, notably that of the 00 Raiser. The game is still scheduled for Japanese release at the beginning of December.

On top of the addition of the Victoria AC, more unique Ranker opponents are on the way for Silent Line Portable. This means that new parts will also follow suit, specifically the MHD-72-50 head, which is an original design that was featured in the pages of Hobby Japan. The AC that adorns this new head is called “Focus” and is separate from the Brave New World narrative arc. In addition the Japanese PlayStation Store has a few Silent Line Portable wallpaper images available (for free) to help promote the upcoming release.

The official site for the Xbox 360 port of Oratan 5.66 has recently been given an update regarding the HORI TwinSticks. It seems all is on track and that feedback was positive at this year’s TGS, where the sticks were first displayed to the public. In addition, there is apparently an interview with the team in the December Xbox 360 specific Famitsu. The November release of the sticks is still on schedule as well apparently.

The Escapist is currently running a feature called I, Robot, that covers mecha and its affect on gaming. My personal favourite piece is the Pilgrimage to Mecha as it’s rare to see Gundam covered in a truly culturally sympathetic sense within the Western press. I’ve also contributed a piece as well, entitled Mecha Magnates it covers the most influential games that have shaped the genre over the years.