About Kirk Hiner

When I start a new retro RPG from the KEMCO / Exe Create combo, I do so with the knowledge I’ve likely been here before. Their games tend to be cut from the same cloth, but the better ones bring enough twists and charm to help them stand out. Spirit Valor, unfortunately, did not.
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Did you get your pre-order in for the Nintendo Switch 2 last night / this morning? If you were one of the lucky ones, you may be pleased to learn that Sonic will now be amongst the popular characters making an appearance on drop day.
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There’s a lot I want to say about The Hundred Line: The Last Defense Academy, I just don’t know how to say it. This is partially because the premise and gameplay are so off the rails that it’s hard to wrap your head around everything. But good Lord, what fun it is to try!
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Retail pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 are set to open on April 24, 2025, in the U.S. and Canada. The other good news is that the prices remain unchanged. The same can’t be said for accessories, however…or for the future.
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If you anticipate needing a firmer grasp on the Switch 2 Joy-Con when the new console is released this June, JSAUX is adding the JoyVerse Series Joy-Con Grip for Switch 2 to their lineup.
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Take a look at the provided screen captures for Everhood 2 and you’ll know there’s something more to this game. Well, there is, and that “something more” never quits surprising and challenging.
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Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a remarkable achievement on the Nintendo Switch. This isn’t a surprise; the original was a remarkable achievement on the Wii U. Some original development decisions, however, still prevent it from becoming a series best.
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No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES is coming to Nintendo Switch on July 25th. And if you’re not familiar with the series, Spike Chunsoft is providing some financial incentives to help you catch up.
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A surprise entry in today’s Nintendo Direct was ATLUS’s announcement that Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army is being reborn as RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army.
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GDC 2025 was held in San Francisco last week, and First Break Labs was there to show off their upcoming releases. Pure Nintendo wasn’t on hand for a visit, but we did hop onto Discord for a demo of two games they’ll be sending our way: ILA: A Frosty Guide and Baseless.
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Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a step forward in the Atelier series, but not everyone’s going to like the direction it’s taking. It feels like it’s starting to leave certain core elements—and Nintendo hardware—behind.
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Kamikaze Lassplanes—thus named because the planes are the lasses and the…well, I’m not sure about the kamikaze part—leans heavily into its visual novel gameplay and ecchi art. It also serves up an engaging story and fun shoot ’em up combat throughout.
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There are a lot of words one feels compelled to use when covering an announcement such as the remake of Tony Haw’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Those words all feel wrong coming from me, so I’m going to let the official press release do its thing.
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It’s hard for me to shake the stereotype that visual novels tend to be romances. Take a look at the eShop screens for this game, and you can see why that would be the case. But believe me, the HD remake of Ever 17 – The Out of Infinity is much more than a romance.
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The first thing that struck me while playing WARRIORS: Abyss was just how fond I’ve grown of these characters. I mention that because you get over 100 characters from Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors. Unfortunately, you’re not given much to do with them.
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It’s not really a trailer, right? It does a lot more than just promote the game; over the course of 6-1/2 minutes, it details game features, provides more story information, digs deeper into the environment and customization options, and…gives us a few key hints of things to come.
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Search levels for potion ingredients, collect them while avoiding deadly enemies, and mix them in a pot to save your daughter from an evil dragon. Such is the premise of Freddy Farmer, a throwback to ’80s and ’90s gaming.
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We’re exactly a month from the March 21st release of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land, and what better way to build hype than with a closer look at the continent of Aladiss?
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