A new promo video for Super Robot Wars Neo is now online. This video is particularly noteworthy as it shows the new non-grid based map setup and how that interlinks with the battle system. In short, it looks to be masterfully fluid in terms of how the strategy will work out. Naturally, this is ideal for Neo as it’s being clearly aimed at a younger audience due to its slightly kiddy mecha show line-up. That said, having a similar setup for the subsequent Super Robot Wars games would also work extremely well as it would add more tactical intricacy and depth if handled well. The game’s release is still scheduled for the end of October in Japan.

Courtesy of our good friends at HobbyLink Japan, we’ve been sent a kit from Armored Core 4 and For Answer to review. Specifically, Kotobukiya’s 1/72 scale Noblesse Oblige. This is an important design, as it was originally used to promote the original Armored Core 4 before its release (specifically in two trailers here and here). It also heralded the shift in mecha design towards the very talented Yuzo Kojima.

Our review only covers the kit in its out of the box and unpainted form (however, we have also included painted photos towards the end). In addition, to give the kit some context, we’ve also captured some HD gameplay footage of the design in action from Armored Core For Answer.

A new promo video was released over at the official site for Armored Core 3 Silent Line Portable today. It highlights the original AI functionality from the PS2 version as well as clarifying the compatibility of game saves with Armored Core 3 Portable. What’s nice about the video is how it uses one of the in-game tracks, specifically that of “Rise In Arms”. As Silent Line’s score, penned by Kota Hoshino, was remarkably well wrought (so much so that on its release it was encased within a hardback artbook).

To tie in with the release of Super Robot Wars Neo at the end of this month, Banpresto are launching their ad campaign. Normally, these have involved the indomitable Shoko-tan for the past few iterations but this one is especially endearing as it’s portrayed as a mock newsreel with obligatory helicopter reportage. There’s a nice bit of coverage over at 4gamer, which shows the making of as well.

For those that have yet to play and finish the wonderful Armored Core For Answer, here is a video from one of the various end game missions where you face multiple Nexts at once. The mission in particular is called the Occupation of Arteria Carpals and I’m playing it on the Hard difficulty on the first Regulation. It’s generally regarded as one of the most challenging missions in the game and as a consequence forces the player to utilise all manner of functional nuances at their disposal. This video has also been encoded in HD. Enjoy!

The official Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus site got updated again today with a new promo movie showing off the various aspects of the game. A nice little touch is that both Toru Furuya and Shuichi Ikeda reprise their roles of Amuro and Char respectively to narrate the video. The game is still on schedule to be released on December 3rd in Japan.

One of the most renowned and influential mecha of all time, that of Tetsujin 28-go, has been given the life size treatment in Kobe. The reason that it’s been erected in Kobe rather than Tokyo is because the creator of the series, Mitsuteru Yokoyama, was born there.

Tetsujin 28-go is also the first real Japanese mecha series, pre-dating the likes of Gundam by almost quarter of a century. Naturally, the series has seen many remakes and sequels over the years, with a new CG film very likely on the way courtesy of Imagi (the same studio behind the upcoming Astro Boy remake).

Personally, my favourite interpretation was the 2004 TV series, as that retained the stylistic overtones from the 50’s and 60’s whilst keeping contemporary production values in terms of the animation. It was also decidedly bleak in terms of the narrative, much more so than the original. The 2004 series also received a video game tie-in (which we’ve reviewed). Interestingly, Tetsujin 28-go has never been featured in a Super Robot Wars game.

Unlike the recent and temporary RX-78-2 Gundam that was in Tokyo, this statue will be a permanent fixture next to Shin-Nagata Station.

The SRG-03D Ryukooh from Super Robot Wars Alpha and Alpha 2 is getting the toy treatment courtesy of Volks. This was the OG mecha piloted by Kusuha Mizuha and is not to be confused with the later version Shin Ryukooh. The toy of Ryukooh will be available in February next year for a pretty steep 15,750 yen. To see the mecha in action, here is a compilation video of it from Alpha 2.

It’s a giant RX-78-2 head, what more could you ask for? Anyway, despite the regal majesty that is the Kunio Okawara’s timeless Gundam design 4gamer has some nice coverage of Bandai Namco’s games at this year’s Tokyo Game Show.

In addition, someone was nice enough to upload a video of the head in action. Specifically due to the fact it moves, which indicates that this is probably the disembodied head from the Odaiba 1/1 scale Gundam that was recently taken down.

Famitsu recently posted an interesting piece of coverage for Front Mission Evolved, most probably to tie-in with its presence at the Tokyo Game Show. Despite the fact that the in-game screenshots look better than expected, the refreshing thing to see is that you can also get out of your wanzer and take on enemies as a mere human. This is something that was recently utilised in the fantastic Yuke’s developed VOTOMS game (which we’ve reviewed in case you’re curious) and naturally there are a large number of thematic links between the narratives, especially as to the scale and technical depiction of the mecha themselves.

That said, the video below doesn’t exactly bode well on how it might actually play…