MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame 2nd Revise - Updated Images

A Few updated images for the MG Astray Blue Frame 2nd Revise.
Release Date: Oct. 09
Price: 5,040 Yen

Images from ToysDaily

MG 1/100 Guntank - Updated Images

Some updated images about the gimmicks for the upcoming MG Guntank.
Release Date: Mid Sept. 09
Price: 5,040 Yen

Images from ToysWorldForum

HG 1/144 GN-X III ESF Type - Completed (Work Logs & Action Poses)

My newly released HG 1/144 GN-X III ESF Type

Sold & Shipped! (Shipment to include the following color booklet)

I do hope to get a new camera so that I can take better photo, but for now, pls bear with the mediocre quality.

HG 1/144 Reborn Gundam - Released

Images for the newly released HG 1/144 Reborns Gundam
Price: 1,800 Yen

A must have for Gundam 00 fans. This month is really a great month for HG products.

Images from Hobby Search

PS3 - Gundam Vs. Gundam Next

In the 480th issue of Hong Kong's game magazine GameWave, the cover announced that Gundam Vs. Gundam Next (GVGN) will be the next Gundam game title for the PS3 console.

Gundam Vs. Gundam Next was an updated arcade version (released in Japan in late 2008) from the original Gundam Vs. Gundam (GVG) arcade game. While the PSP console was chosen for the distribution of original GVG, I am glad that Bandai is now expanding their Gundam games selection with GVGN for the thirsty PS3 gamers.

A release date / pricing have yet to be announced.

Image from SRWHotNews

MG 1/100 Guntank - Box Art & Images

Here are the box art & images for the upcoming MG Guntank.
Release Date: Sept. 09
Price: 5,040 Yen

Images from ToysDaily

XN Raiser - Arrived!!!

Thanks to ASM (An American Salaryman in Tokyo), my purchase of the XN Raiser has arrived!

An now I have a delimma..... Which kit should I attach it to? I have 3 options...

I can either attach it to the HG 00 Raiser, HG Cherubim GNHW/R, or the HG Gundam Throne Zwei. The Zwei might not be the best idea, but I like this MS & the conceptual design in my head seems to look good. While I consider the 00 Gundam to have the best configuration for the XN Raiser, but the Cherubim looks really tight with it too. Any opinion / suggestions?

I am currently thinking to build the selected kit w/ XN Raiser and sale it after a month or so of enjoying it sitting on my shelf. Currently I need to finish photo taking the GN-X III, and then work on the HG 0 Gundam (to repay the import game store owner for the Gundam Senki game).

Perfect Grade 00 Gundam - Offical Website (PDF Report)

Images from the PDF Report for the PG 1/60 00 Gundam from the Bandai Hobbysite:
http://bandai-hobby.net/pg/00raiser/index.html

Release Date: Nov. 09
Price: 26,250 Yen

What's cool is the spinning LED GN Drive gimmick.

Images from Bandai Hobbysite

SHCM-Pro Unicorn Gundam - Updated Images

Here are some new images for the upcoming SHCM-Pro Unicorn Gundam
Release Date: Oct. '09
Price: 10,290 Yen

Images from ToysDaily

HG 1/144 GN-X III ESF Type - Work Log 2

Here is my 2nd work log for the HG 1/144 GN-X III ESF Type to detail out the works done to the arms & legs. (I've included the 1st work log here as well)

One more work log to go.

Enjoy!

PS3 - Mobile Suit Gundam Senki U.C.0081 - Initial Thoughts

PS3's Mobile Suit Gundam Senki U.C. 0081 has been released for a day now. Although I am still a long way from playing enough to compose a genuine no bias review for this game. I thought it would be beneficial to people what has yet to purchase this expensive game to decide whether to buy or not. So here I will provide my initial thoughts on the game, follow later by a full review.

Most Gundam related games in the past are usually a hit & miss affair, plagued with more misses than hits. They all started out as good concepts, but most of the time failed miserably in execution. No one mention about Gundam Crossfire for the PS3 or Operation Troy for the Xbox360 anymore (evil grin). And the only worthy Gundam games was the original Gundam Senki for PS2 & Gundam Side Story: Rise from the Ashes, that one was a classic. And during the past few years, Bandai had been publishing more games that are of good quality, however, most of these games resided on the PSP console, with limted graphical abilities (Senjou no Kizuna, Gundam Battle Series, Gundam vs. Gundam, Giren no Ambitions..etc.). And the Wii console was graced with a pretty exciting MSG Sensen 0079 which is a blast to play on a big LCD screen. But we needed more, somethings that is equally fun in terms of gameplay as well pleasing graphic that would immerse us into the Gundam world. So is this wait over with PS3's Mobile Suit Gundam Senki U.C. 0081? Here is my initial thoughts on the game:

Presentation:
Game menus are mostly in japanese, but with enough english text to help foreigners navigate to where you need to go to enjoy this game. The game GUI (Graphical User Interface) are well done, is easy to tell the functionality of each menu screen. Actually the GUI is very (VERY) similiar to those found on Wii's MSG Sensen 0079. And because I played that game extensively, it took away all the 'Wow' effect, not that there were any 'Wow' moment to speak of. Overall, presentation is well done, and japanese novice won't get lost.

I was hoping for a big eye-popping opening intro for start of the Senario portion of the game. But I was greatly disappointed by how the intro was presented. It was not 100% anime... far from it; the intro was 50% moving comic book style storying telling (similiar to the PC game: Homeworld), mixed in 25% of character animation sequence that everyone had seen on the TV ads, and 25% cell shaded graphics when displaying the mobile suits sequence. But I was glad that subsequent anime sequence no longer display those terrible comic book style art, but that reminds unconfirmed until I play more.

Presentation thus far is functional.... The 1st senario intro was a bit of a disappointment, but subsequent anime sequence were pretty good.

Graphic:
The in-game graphic is surely a delight on the eyes, and definitely helps immerse player doing battles across the battlegrounds. While the graphic is not top notch when it compares to other top quality PS3 games, but good enough to be worthy for the PS3. In-game graphic suffers from very minor slow down when there are lots of stuff going on, and also minor clipping here and there. But none of it caused any major distraction, say compare to Gundam Crossfire.

Mobile Suits are very well done & detailed. They move pretty smoothly, and not jagged like Crossfire. When 6+ MSs doing battle on the screen is very exciting.

Explosions & Cannon Fire are all pretty well done. My only nags when MS are destroy, they all seem to be destroyed the same way...first they kneel then explodes. A bit more variety here would really help.

I would probably have more comments on the graphics as I playthru the game.

Gameplay:
I hate to say this, I usually has a saying, "Play one Gundam game, you played them all". Although there are a some new game functions, but basic gameplay is like any other 'Behind the back MS gameplay'. Eventhough I am having a blast playing the first few missions, but I expect the excitment will die down very quickly, because everything is just so similiar been there done that.

The controls are tight and responsive, squad command is quick and effective.

Squad AI are sometimes effective, and some time just down right dumb. They response to command and act appropriately. But sometimes you will see them shooting the ground & rock, because of line of sight issue. Enemy AI is pretty dumb on Easy & Normal setting. They pretty much just aimlessly run and shoot, there is 0 intellegence to them. While on Hard mode is a bit more challenging but still not quite the hard mode I was expecting.

Hopefully in later missions, a few surprises & gameplay variety will provide some needed punch. I do admit that playing the game with a vibrating game pad is rather fun.

Another thing I noticed was the long game load time. Is not that bad, but there will be a bit of waiting between missions & anime sequences.

Sound:
The game has a rather nice soundtrack, it has an epic feel to it. Cannon fire & explosion sounds nice but nothing too surprising here.

Anime sequence sound is top notch, character speaks just as you would expect from anime standards and definitely adds the excitment before playing a mission.

Multiplayer:
[Edited]
I was finally able to access a mulitplayer game. Load time is quite long though. I played a 4 player co-ops mission. Is pretty fun and fast paced action.

Tried 4 vs. 4... it is mayhem! Wow....just wow. Very fun indeed.

Graphic suffers from a little of of lag as expected on multiplayer games on the PS3. But otherwise the game runs very well.

More in my final review.

Replay Value:
Will conclude in my final review.

Final Thoughts:
Will conclude in my final review.


Some Screenshots of the game:


Game Start Screen

My GM took a bazooka blast when I took this pic

Later, my final review will tell if this new game is a mission success or failed.

1/100 Van Savior Gundam - New Images

Updated Images for the 1/100 Van Savior Gundam, showing a bit more detail on the back components. Still looking very much like the original Savior gundam, but I wonder what the color scheme will be.

Release Date: Nov. 09 Price: 2,940 Yen

Image from ToyWorldForum

New HG 1/144 Gunpla Released!

HG 1/144 Full Armor 7th Gundam
Price: 1,500 Yen

HG 1/144 Seravee Gundam GNHW/B

Price: 1,800 Yen

HG 1/144 0 Gundam (Roll Out Version)

Price: 1,200 Yen

Images from Hobby Search