In an interesting move, Arc System Works have announced a new mobile game called Damascus Gear. With a large amount of customisation involved, the game sounds like something akin to classic Armored Core (with similar fantastic mecha design work). The in-game shots looks pretty amazing in fact and we’re surprised that a developer with a track record of awesome 2D fighters could pull something like this off.

What with this year’s Tokyo Game Show under way, Bandai Namco have finally announced the big Macross game they’ve been funding over the past few years. Titled Macross 30, not much is known about it as yet (just that it’s out next year and will feature a theme song song by a Miss Macross 30 contest winner). However, we’re betting that it will be developed by Artdink and be a PS3 exclusive (with maybe even a Vita version too). Considering the fact that Bandai have effectively been financing Artdink’s tech R&D with the various Blu-Ray Hybrid games it would make a lot of sense for them to capitalise on that investment. Anyway, we’re excited about this and as soon as we know more we’ll be sure to report it.

Shown on Hideo Kojima’s Twitter account (as well as on Konami’s own Tumblr), we now have the inevitable Revoltech of Naked Jehuty. This being the final form of the orbital frame as seen at the end of Anubis (as shown below). This particular toy is a prototype that will be shown at the forthcoming Tokyo Game Show, so no news yet on a release date or price. As with all the Revoltech Jehuty toys, this is the one we’ve been waiting for and the sculpt and paint job look excellent.

We now finally have a nice artbook for Armored Core V on the way. Released at the end of this week, it comes in at 224 A4 pages and only costs 2,940 yen. Considering that the game has a pretty interesting mecha design background it will be great to finally have a decent collection of the game’s concept artwork. If you’re interested in picking one up, then you can buy it here.

If you were wondering why the Western PR for E.X. Troopers hadn’t kicked off yet, well that’s because Capcom aren’t planning on release the game outside of Japan. So whilst we will be getting the decidedly meh Lost Planet 3, the only way gamers will be able to play E.X. Troopers is by importing it. This is something we will be doing at the end of November. If you plan on doing likewise, then you can buy the game here. Regardless, this news is just wholly depressing and reinforces our opinion that publishers are gutless bell ends.

We now have a new Border Break on the way. Effectively Version 3.0, Border Break Union will continue the series and feature new parts and now airborne enemies by the looks of it. There’s a nice shiny new opening movie too (shown below). Interestingly, the game will be shown at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show along with an iOS app. Anyway, we’re just glad that the Border Break games have been doing so well and that SEGA have decided to take them further.

With the Zone of the Enders HD Collection set for release next month, Konami are beginning to start their endgame PR push. Part of this is the release of the HD version of Anubis’ opening (linked below). This is the exact same opening that was on the 2003 PS2 game, so they’ve basically re-done the exact same game capture footage from the new HD version. Whilst that may sound trivial, it’s really very not. That aside, it did make us feel that this generation hasn’t really done very much when a game from 2003, that we didn’t overly enjoy in the first place, made us feel excited just from its opening movie.

Following on from Macross Last Frontier, Bandai decided to fund yet another mini-game for the suitably epic Macross Do You Remember Love BluRay release. Entitled My Boyfriend is a Pilot 2012, the game covers the events in the film and takes Artdink’s PS3 tech forward a bit further. What follows is our hands-on impressions with the new game.

Whilst we meant to review the awesome PC version of Gunhound we never got around to it (it is awesome though). However, we now know that there will also be a PSP version released in December of this year called Gunhound EX. Sort of a remake(ish), it’s being co-developed with G.Rev this time. In addition, it will still feature music by the lovely Kinuyo Yamashita as well as new tracks from the pretty mad Hyakutaro Tsukumo. The game will also be released on PSN but a limited edition box set will also come packaged with cels and an all important soundtrack CD. We’ll be picking this up though and definitely reviewing it this time.

Our good friends at HobbyLink Japan have sent us the Play Arts Kai Sam Gideon from the suitably brilliant game Vanquish. Whilst we have talked about the game on the site before we haven’t reviewed it, as it’s not really a full on mecha title. However, its mecha heritage in terms of the design is pretty interesting. In addition, we’ve also included some game footage at the end of the review.