Artdink, the developer behind Namco Bandai’s PlayStation Vita Gundam game and Macross Ace Frontier, also has their own mecha series. In Carnage Heart players create attack programs for Overkill Engines instead of directly controlling robots. Sony Computer Entertainment America brought over Carnage Heart for PsOne, but didn’t localize any other games from the series.

Natsume said to Siliconera they picked up the PSP game Carnage Heart EXA. This game has an expanded chip set with more robot programming options and a scenario mode that teaches players the basics.

I think the gameplay is kind of like Final Fantasy XII’s gambit system meets robot arena. Carnage Heart EXA will be released as a PlayStation Network download in North America in early 2013.