The new browser based Web Power Dolls will be getting a new mecha, as designed by ToMo. Above is a sketch of a lighter weight mecha with more hard points. Its primary functions are for quick surprise attacks and reconnaissance. For those unfamiliar with the Power Dolls saga, it’s been a pretty successful series of PC based mecha turn based strategy games that were birthed in the mid-90’s (with a tie-in anime OVA to boot). Whilst this new game is browser based, it’s still being handled by the same Kogado Studio. This new mecha will be in-game around the 8th February apparently. We’ve included the current game’s promo video below too.

Towards the end of last year an alpha test was carried out on Mobile Suit Gundam Online. Today, we received the results. Of those that signed up, 1,269 opted to play in the Federation whereas 1,320 chose to join Zeon. Despite the slight numerical advantage, the Feddies were more often than not victorious over the Zeeks (Go Feds!). There are also a fair few comments from the testers asking for various features, though whether any of these come to fruition remains to be seen. Another test phase is planned for the end of February apparently and no final release date has been set.

Despite a somewhat unfortunate release date, sharing it with Armored Core V of all things, Gundam Mokubo no Kiseki will be gracing Japanese shops sometime today (as it’s already “tomorrow” in Japan due to the time difference). 4Gamer commemorates this brave release date with yet another update about the game. We’re definitely interested in picking this game up eventually and review it but we’re going to be pretty busy with Armored Core V for a good while. In the meantine you can still pre-order the game here.

With a new Super Robot Wars Mobile brand on the way, Banpresto have kicked this new series of iSuper Robot Wars games off with Super Robo M released yesterday for 525 yen. On the GBA-end of the SRW graphics spectrum it’s not overly new in terms of animations and sprites but it is an awful lot cheaper than the GBA games were. Currently the game is only available on Docomo phones via the simulation submenu in the games section. The roster of mecha series is pretty classic but we’re just happy to see Dancougar featured again. Considering Banpresto are turning this into a brand it will be likely we’ll see something similar on Android and iOS devices too.

Rather shrewdly, From Software have announced that there will be a support app for Armored Core V on both Android and iOS devices (with the Android app already out). The app will allow players to view the game’s parts list and mull over the complex vagaries of their respective stats. Whilst this doesn’t allow you to customise your AC away from your console as yet, that would be a pretty sweet update. In addition, the app will also feature an RSS feed on things like server status and other player related news. From Software are keen to update the app over the course of the game’s life, so we may get more features as time goes on. It’s also entirely free.

Following the recent promo video, we now have a slew of new screenshots for the upcoming Gundam Unicorn game as developed by From Software. In addition to the shiny new screenshots there are some interesting tidbits too. Namely that the previously mentioned DLC for the Hyakushiki-esque MSN-001 Delta Gundam (pictured above) will be available in the first pressings of an HGUC kit of the mobile suit this August. Not only will the mobile suit have its own mission but it also seems that it will be piloted by Quattro Vagina. Following on from this, in addition to the ability to upgrade your units you’ll also be able to customise their weapon load-out too. With some weapons offering a multi-lock feature. There’s also a slightly odd mention of using asteroids for cover, how this will work will be interesting to see as it sounds like it’s a similar snap-to affair as in Gears of War. Finally, emblems (with extra functional bonuses) will also be available in the game.

Whilst there was a bit of criticism over the graphical fidelity shown in the promo, we’re actually pretty impressed with the game thus far. Bear in mind the host work is animated, so a photo-realistic approach would actually be unfaithful and the game is also considerably cheaper than that of other PS3 releases. That said, we’re more interested in the way the game appears to be more manual in terms of control. So all this graphical willy waving is somewhat lost on us.

It’s sad to to report that since the release of Armored Core V’s demo, it has been plagued with problems. The most egregious of which is the inability to play the game online for the most part, something the demo was meant to offer (for a small time admittedly). To make matters more unfortunate, the game has trouble even running at 30 fps (with the PS3 version erring closer to 20 fps). Even with these faults it’s better than the likes of Front Mission Evolved, which is a pretty recent and relevant comparison (especially on the scale of the mecha). From what we’ve played though ACV is a lot of fun, with it handling a lot like a more deliberate Metal Wolf Chaos. The removal of the traditional weapon setup in favour of storing the weapons on the shoulders is an interesting development too, as you have to plan weapon switches ahead as the animation is quite long. In any case, a comparison video of the two demos (showing their respective framerates) is embedded below.

Over on Hideo Kojima’s Twitter account, he recently teased two shots (here and here) of the opening anime for the upcoming Zone of the Enders HD Edition. Whilst the shots are pretty blurry, the footage does look nice and we wouldn’t complain if another anime series came as a result. For ZOE fans in general, we also have a new toy review that will be posted in the next few days that might also pique your interest. So keep an eye out for that.

As expected, we now have the second part to the awesome Super Robot Wars Z 2. Titled Saisai-hen, it will continue the narratives of the multitude of mecha series featured in the first game (which we utterly adored). However, there is one new addition to the roster that has caught our eye, specifically that of Taiyo no Shisha Tetsujin 28-go from 1980 (pictured above). It’s an interesting choice and one we wholeheartedly approve of. Though to be fair, we’re more excited to play with the ATM-09-DD Burglary Dog from Shining Heresy, as many of the series involved will receive the latter part of their mechanical menu in the game. In terms of the game’s release, it’s still on the PSP and will be out on 5th April for the pretty steep price of 7,330 yen. For those that pre-order the game, they’ll also receive a lovely digest book for their trouble. In addition, your save data from Hakai-hen will net you more cash and other bonuses in Saisei-hen. Depending on your clear count of the first game, those bonuses will change too apparently. Considering that Banpresto are still pushing the whole 20th Anniversary of SRW (despite the fact that it was actually last year), expect big things for this release. For us though, April can’t come soon enough.

Famitsu has a preview of Armored Core V’s downloadable content, and it is not for the faint of heart. It appears there will be both regular DLC and a cross-promotion deal for the official strategy guide, which will net you some nice looking parts. The community is likely to be divided over the issue of DLC if the DLC-only parts convey a clear competitive advantage to the purchasers, and given Armored Core V’s multiplayer focus this is especially problematic. But we can also say that paid DLC might encourage From Software to continue supporting their product through updates, as Relic Entertainment has done, with the sale of DLC being used to fund entirely new features for all players.

What is somehow more worrying (horrifying, really) is what seems to be purely cosmetic DLC in the form of new pilots. It seems that under certain circumstances (such as when your AC has been knocked out, but your team is still in the fight?) you’ll be able to traverse the battlefield as your pilot, since human models running around in a mecha game has always gone over well. Being able to see human beings in Last Raven was a great change of pace, since it gave you a proper perspective on the sheer scale of the ACs, but the three pilots they’re showing to sell us on this idea aren’t what I would have expected. The first is a woman in a pink jumpsuit and overly large jetpack, and while bright pink doesn’t seem to fit my idea of a bleak and perpetual war for resources, in a wonderful show of constraint, she’s not in a miniskirt nor a bra, and there’s a good ratio of jetpack-to-woman, so it’s a Net Good. Next, we have a ninja flying around in the clutches of a giant raven. In a world exclusive, Mecha Damashii can reveal that Armored Core V will explain how the Raven’s Nest began as a school for ninjas with a talent for falconry. And then we have a giant skeleton with akimbo Uzis lazily soldered onto this 3D model. In case you did not realize that he was, in fact, a skeleton, he conveniently has two giant flaming skulls located next to his shoulders to reinforce the point home. Another world exclusive: the dead will rise from their graves to play Armored Core V.

While I see no problem in allowing other people to customize their own experience as they wish, an integral part of the appeal of Armored Core has always been its dark narrative of a future society which has lost itself to the commercialization of war. If ninjas riding on giant birds and skeletons from heavy metal album covers are buzzing around in my character’s campaign to express his identity as a merc-for-hire, I’d better brush up on my Dadaism before the game’s American release on March 20th.

Americans who preorder from GameStop will also be in on the DLC game, with the ominously capitalized “HEAVY ASSAULT PACK”. Who knows what horrors From Software will choose to include? Yesterday, I thought that weapons from the excellently absurd Metal Wolf Chaos or Solaire of Astora’s armor from Dark Souls was asking too much of the strait-laced Armored Core series. But today, we live in a world where anything–everything–is possible. A giant, ambulatory hot dog bun named ‘Herbert’ for your wingman could be a part of the “HEAVY ASSAULT PACK”. Can we, as a society, take that chance? Will you master the HEAVY ASSAULT PACK–or will it master you?