FTS: Square Enix Reveals PAX West 2018 Lineup and Events

SQUARE ENIX UNVEILS LINEUP AND EVENTS FOR PAX WEST 2018

Game Demos for DRAGON QUEST XI, KINGDOM HEARTS III, LIFE IS STRANGE 2 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider Available on the Show Floor

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 23, 2018) – From August 31 - September 3, SQUARE ENIX® will host gameplay demos, giveaways, panels and a variety of interactive events at PAX West 2018, held at the Washington State Convention Center. At Booth #2141 attendees will be able to play DRAGON QUEST® XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age™, KINGDOM HEARTS III, LIFE IS STRANGE® 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider™, and THE QUIET MAN™. Advance tickets to play the KINGDOM HEARTS III demo will be distributed at the booth at 10:00 a.m. Pacific each day.

SQUARE ENIX will also host a series of developer panels and events at PAX West, providing fans with an in-depth look at the latest game developments and upcoming updates.

EXPANDING THE LIFE IS STRANGE UNIVERSE
Friday, August 31, 12:00 PM, Wyvern Theater
Join writer Christian Divine and key figures from the LIFE IS STRANGE 2 development team as they take you behind the scenes of their most ambitious game in the series to date. Discover how they apply the core concepts of the LIFE IS STRANGE franchise to bring the relatable characters and realistic environments in the LIFE IS STRANGE Universe to life. Learn how they tackle the challenges of telling a branching story of education and brotherhood within an evolving episodic narrative adventure.

LIFE IS STRANGE 2 FAN MEET UP PARTY with What’s Good Games 
Friday, August 31 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at  Unicorn 1118 E. Pike Street 
Relax at PAX with the team from What’s Good Games and developers from DONTNOD Entertainment to celebrate the upcoming launch of the first episode of LIFE IS STRANGE 2. Share your favorite moments from the series, enjoy refreshments and a chance to win games, SQUARE ENIX prizes and custom What’s Good Games items.

JUST CAUSE 4 SHOWCASE
Saturday, September 1, 11:30 AM, Hydra Theater
Join key members of the JUST CAUSE 4™ development team - Avalanche Studios - as they talk exclusively about the next game in the hugely popular, multi-million selling JUST CAUSE series. Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, JUST CAUSE 4 takes the incredible destruction and unique physics the series is known for to a whole new level with the introduction of fully simulated tornadoes and other Extreme Weather events. Rico Rodriguez returns in JUST CAUSE 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grappling hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customisable, making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.

SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER - Uncovering the Hidden City of Paititi
Saturday, September 1, 4;30 PM, Wyvern Theater
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is filled with many surprises and secrets. Perhaps the biggest discovery Lara Croft® will make is the hidden city of Paititi, a civilization untouched by modern culture and the largest hub ever created in a Tomb Raider® game. Moderated by Andrea Rene, join the team behind Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. The panel will feature Dan Chayer-Bisson (Game Director), Mario Chabtini (Senior Producer), and Rich Briggs (Senior Brand Director).

Creator of the legendary DRAGON QUEST series, Yuji Horii, will also be attending and participating in photo sessions at the SQUARE ENIX booth on Saturday, September 1, at the following times:

• Session #1: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Session #2: 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Session #3: 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

A limited number of tickets will be distributed at the DRAGON QUEST area of the booth starting at 10:00 a.m. the day before each session and the day of each session. Lucky attendees who receive a ticket will have the chance to meet the famed creator and receive one photograph together.

Other activities at the SQUARE ENIX booth include:

• Win a Shadow of the Tomb Raider inspired custom Xbox One X console by participating in an Instagram Relic Hunt
• Have a chance to win early copies of DRAGON QUEST XI for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system by participating in a photo contest on site
• Check out members of the talented FINAL FANTASY® XV modding community as they create mods for FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION live on the show floor
• Participate in a photo booth featuring backgrounds from KINGDOM HEARTS III, DISSIDIA®FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA™ and STAR OCEAN®: ANAMNESIS™
• View the KINGDOM HEARTS III Toy Story Keyblade and Shooting Star Keyblade on display

Daily giveaways at the booth, while supplies last, include: 

• JUST CAUSE 4 merchandise
• DRAGON QUEST XI t-shirts and double-sided posters
• KINGDOM HEARTS III PopSockets, each day at 11:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY™ hand fans
• FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS® bags
• DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA and STAR OCEAN: ANAMNESIS buttons featuring the characters of the game
• THE QUIET MAN posters

Fans can compete in the FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game (“FFTCG”) Crystal Cup tournament, held at the Westin Seattle Hotel’s Pine Ballroom on September 1^st & 2^nd. Players who pre-register for the tournament will compete for a seat at this year’s FFTCG North American Championship. New players are invited to visit the SQUARE ENIX booth for lessons, while experienced players can participate in Gunslinger Challenges to earn Premium Foil FFTCG Cards! Chocobo™’s Crystal Hunt card game demos and tournaments will also be available at the booth’s merchandise section. More information, including how to pre-register for the FINAL FANTASY Trading Card Game Crystal Cup tournament, is available at:fftradingcardgame.com.

The full lineup of SQUARE ENIX games includes:

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA 
Platform: iOS® and Android®
Developer: Square Enix, Koei Tecmo
Available: Now Available
DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY OPERA OMNIA continues the DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY adventure on mobile devices, where players can form parties from dozens of their favorite FINAL FANTASY heroes and villains and equip them with a variety of weapons from the series. The mobile game features an extensive story and strategic turn-based combat that the FINAL FANTASY series is known for.

DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Platform: PlayStation®4 system, STEAM®
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: T (Teen)
Available: September 4, 2018
DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age tells a captivating tale of a hunted hero and is the long-awaited role-playing game from series creator Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama, and composer Koichi Sugiyama. While it is the eleventh mainline entry in the critically acclaimed series,DRAGON QUEST XI is a completely standalone experience that features entirely new characters, a beautifully detailed world, finely tuned strategic combat, and an immersive story that will appeal to longtime fans and franchise newcomers alike.

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS 
Platform: iOS, Android, Amazon
Developer: Square Enix, gumi Inc.
Available: Available Now
Reaching its second anniversary earlier this year and recently surpassing 30 million downloads worldwide, FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS is a full-scale FINAL FANTASY adventure made for mobile devices. Fusing together the epic features of all FINAL FANTASY titles, including a captivating story and a classic turn-based battle system with a simplified mobile interface and pixel art style, FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS is an adventure appealing to both newcomers and long-term fans alike.

FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION 
Platform: STEAM, Origin, Windows 10
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: T (Teen)
Available: Now
FINAL FANTASY XV WINDOWS EDITION brings ultimate 4K quality to the acclaimed RPG along with add-on content and new features. Join Prince Noctis and his closest friends as they fight against the empire in an effort to reclaim their fallen kingdom. Players can now enjoy the FINAL FANTASY XV base game, all season pass content, all-new side quests and enemies, and more.

KINGDOM HEARTS III
Platform: Xbox One and PlayStation®4 system
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: Rating Pending
Available: January 29, 2019
In the upcoming action RPG, KINGDOM HEARTS III, players can join forces with Donald Duck and Goofy for the adventure of a lifetime traveling across worlds based on beloved films like Disney•Pixar’sToy Story, and Monsters, Inc., and Walt Disney Studios’ Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Hero 6, Tangled, Frozen and more. Attendees will be able to experience a boss battle against the Rock Titan from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Hercules and uncover the Toy Box world from Toy Story alongside Woody and Buzz.
 

LIFE IS STRANGE 2
Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation®4 system, Windows PC
Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment
ESRB: Rating Pending
Available: September 27, 2018
The award-winning LIFE IS STRANGE series continues with an incredible new 5-episode story from original developers, DONTNOD Entertainment. Experience an all-new journey into the LIFE IS STRANGE universe, a diverse world of storytelling that will solidify the franchise as a source of immersive narrative adventures for years to come.

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY 
Platform: iOS, Android and STEAM
Developer: Square Enix
ESRB: T (Teen)
Available: Now Available
MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY is an all-original FINAL FANTASY RPG game custom-tailored for mobile platforms, featuring in-depth character customization, ongoing live events, and HD graphics that push the boundaries of the mobile platform. The story centers around a man who wakes up in a world called Palamecia with no memories of his past, tasked with bringing hope to the world by unraveling a mysterious prophecy around the legendary warrior of light. Played by well over 10 million players worldwide, the game was created by an all-star development team including producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima.

SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER
Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation®4 system, Windows PC
Developer: Eidos-Montréal™
ESRB: Rating Pending
Available: September 14, 2018
Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

STAR OCEAN: ANAMNESIS 
Platform: iOS, Android
Developer: tri-Ace
ESRB: M (Mature)
Available: Now Available
A brand new journey in the popular sci-fi STAR OCEAN series, STAR OCEAN: ANAMNESIS, the mobile action RPG, puts players in the captain’s chair as they lead a squad of heroes across the galaxy. With fast-paced real-time combat, gorgeous 3D graphics, and a brand new co-op multiplayer mode, players have the freedom to build endless strategic and iconic teams with returning all-star characters from the beloved series.

THE QUIET MAN
Platform: PlayStation®4 system, STEAM
Developer: Human Head Studios
ESRB: M (Mature)
Available: TBD
THE QUIET MAN takes players beyond sound and words to deliver an immersive story-driven cinematic action experience, which players can complete in one sitting, seamlessly blending high-production live action, realistic CG and pulse-pounding action gameplay. The story unravels across a single night with the player taking the role of deaf protagonist, Dane. He fights through a “soundless” world to discover the reason behind the kidnapping of songstress Lala.

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Phantom Doctrine

We received this game from the cool folks over at Good Shepard Entertainment recently, and so far I can sum it up in one word, addictive. - Yang 

I didn't play it yet, but it looks badass. I hesitate because I suck at RTS games. This is turn-based but still, I get a little intimidated. It's all good, I can kick back, eat snacks and enjoy the gameplay. - Luis D. Lucha

Phantom Doctrine pulled me in from the jump, and after getting a taste of the tutorial... I was ready for action. Not to downplay this story at all, but I think the developer (CreativeForge Games) could also create a Hitman game with a similar feel. The adventure would be different... so it wouldn't be stepping on this IPs toes. Anyway, check out Phantom Doctrine's info below and look forward to the pending review... after I've gotten the opportunity to actually dive deep into the story + the other ins and outs. Game on! - Blu

Save 10% on Phantom Doctrine until... August 28th! (TICK TOCK) - RkRk

DESCRIPTION

Phantom Doctrine is a strategic turn-based espionage thriller set at the peak of the Cold War. Drawing on a wide variety of influences and capturing the subtle intrigue of classic spy films, the game thrust the player into a mysterious world of covert operations, counterintelligence, conspiracy, and paranoia. 

As leader of a secret organization known only as The Cabal, you are charged with preventing a global conspiracy that seeks to pit leader against leader, and nation against nation. By carrying out secret missions, investigating classified files, and interrogating enemy agents, a sinister plot is uncovered. With the clock ticking, it must be thwarted in order to save the world from an unthinkable fate.

Features

• A Deep Single Player Story Campaign: the 40+ hour Single player campaign mode features a rich gripping plot woven with numerous historical events and characters to bring the terrifying reality of the Cold War to life from a unique perspective.

• Next-generation turn-based combat: offers unprecedented flexibility of movement and actions, including variable Overwatch modes and assault-oriented Breach ability.

• Expanded battlefield: assets can be positioned around the world, enabling you to call for assistance in the heat of battle. But the enemy can also bring in reinforcements, including heavy weapons and even air support. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.

• Knowledge is power: Improve your chances of success by infiltrating mission locations with undercover operatives. Attempt to stay one step ahead of enemy agents, who are also preparing to spring their own devious traps.

• Lurk in the shadows with fully-fledged stealth gameplay: Clandestine operations can be completed with muffled weapons, silent takedowns and cutting-edge Cold War technology.

• Take charge of the crucial counterintelligence operation: Recruit from both the KGB and the CIA, the criminal fraternity, or even utilize the unique talents of subjects of secret government experiments. Weapons, resources, and contacts can be secured around the globe, enabling you to command from afar. But if the situation requires a hands-on approach, you will be locked, loaded and ready to fight.

• Innovative Investigation Board: Utilizing a classic pinboard and string approach, the Investigation Board is the hub from where cases, locations and individuals can be researched to reveal new missions, resources and technologies. In Phantom Doctrine, investigation and intel is an active and vital element of success.

• Multiplayer Battles: lose friends and make new enemies in ruthless online multiplayer matches. Experience the deviousness and lethality of Phantom Doctrine in accessible 1v1 skirmishes.

• Utilize ruthless Technology: New capabilities can either be stolen from the enemy or researched and then ruthlessly used to your advantage. Often experimental and morally dubious, brainwashing, interrogation, body engineering and chemical enhancement are all fair game as you extract information by any means necessary.

• Fully customizable character creation: Operatives can be customized each time they need a new identity. Change their appearance, forge their documents, train them in the deadly arts and send them back into the field.

• Carefully Designed hand-crafted levels: Combining the best of both worlds: the quality of large, hand-designed maps and meticulous, smart design ensuring visual and gameplay variety. Travel the world of the 1980s in the grip of the Cold War on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

• Replayable modular campaign: a wide array of mechanics ensures markedly different playthroughs. A unique experience is guaranteed by randomly generated character names and backgrounds, algorithmically populated and adapted maps and randomized intelligence snippets.

• A spy thriller from two different points of view: Play as either a former KGB counterintelligence operative or a renegade CIA wet work commando. Each has to come to terms with the truth and challenge the global conspiracy. Complete the campaign to be rewarded with an additional protagonist in Extended Playthrough.

• No mission is too big or too small: whether infiltrating a busy government facility to clinically assassinate a target, or mounting a full frontal assault on an enemy base. With optional objectives linked to a mission’s complexity, as well as loot and intelligence to collect, every decision has an impact.

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Top Audiences Last Week!

United States

Russia

Germany
China
Japan
France
South Korea
Brazil
Taiwan

Ukraine

United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada came close... game on!

          

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Watch This: Crop Circle Showdown

HELLO HELLO and... HELLO. I'm not usually the one doing these types of posts, but... it's all good. Check this one out and find out why this poor guy says "I need diapers". KA-BOOM!

          

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Watch This: That's Not SANTA

Duuuudddeee... watch this. We've been silent a few days, but content is cooking. The next tech review is coming soon and the continuation of last years "Night of the living Mannequins" is underway for October 2018. Gwahahaha! - Blu

I'd faint. I would literally faint. - Luis D. Lucha

Hahahahaaaa - Blu

You already know. I'd be gone... but there would be a trail of poop behind me. - RkRk

Coulda left that part out, we're about to eat. - Yang

What would you do? - RkRk

Run. - Yang

Remember you tried to run from that dog? LMAO OMG that was great. - Luis D. Lucha

That day... proved to me how fast you could actually run. lol Ahhhhahahaha - Blu

When you're scare you can do a lot of things. - Yang

That's the best and most hilarious response ever. - RkRk

It comes in second to your trail of poop. - Yang

I thought we were going to eat? - Luis D. Lucha

... - Yang

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This is for the Cosplayers! (Blood not included)

Top Audiences Last Week!!!

Shenmue I & II are available for pre-order here!

I wish the progress of 1 and 2 were able to be used in Shenmue 3! - Blu

United States

Ukraine

Russia
France
Ireland
Germany
Unknown Region (Oooohhh mysterious!)
United Kingdom
Taiwan

United Arab Emirates

China, Brazil and South Korea came close... game on!

          

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Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn... Dual Review!

This game was exactly what I thought it would be... and that's a good thing. A big diesel sized shout out goes to Saber Interactive and Big Deez Productions for supplying the game for this review!

Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn... is a side-scrolling Shaqtified arcade beat-em-up. Now... Shaq even admitted that the original Shaq Fu wasn't the best game out there (even though I played it faithfully on GameGear), but I think he redeemed himself nicely with this game.

Even if the original wasn't the best game out there... I don't think it was the worst of the worst (for the record). I've played a ton of games... and... it was okay. Sega's Eternal Champions games felt similar... to me, and they were what they were. They weren't Street Fighter... but I wasn't the kid playing games because they felt similar (if they did they did). I just gamed... a lot.

Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is a lot better than Shaq Fu was... and I appreciate the first that motivated the second (I feel the same about Tomb Raider... and I found the first two on PS1 SUPER frustrating). You still get you the martial arts action in Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (as one of expect), but it also gives you adventure and... comedy. Some of it may not be appropriate for kids, but its delivered in a way that they likely will not know what certain things are until the kids get a bit older. They danced on that thin line... which had me even thinking things like "Is that a... yep, it is".

You play as orphan Shaquille Fei Hung (probably inspired by martial artist/physician/folk hero...Wong Fei Hung), raised in a Chinese town by a woman who found him floating in a bag when he was just a baby. A town elder by the name of Ye-Ye takes you under his wing and takes you through the motions that help you become the master you are today. I think they missed an opportunity with the backstory that could've served as the actual training mode.

Ye-Ye turns out to actually be some sort of guardian training you "The Chosen One" for what was to come. As he explains it to you... (BAM) it begins. So aside from the training, you learn that you're in the water once you're waist deep in chaos... taking on demons and minions.

I'm glad they didn't just throw the player straight into gameplay with no purpose for the fighting... because they have a good story here. It flowed well with a style that's quite fitting for an arcade beat-em-up... and I found this story more appealing than some I've found in other games. You weren't just going from A to B... reading dialogue, they wanted to make it a fun experience in more ways than one. After completing the game, I give it two thumbs up because they rounded it out well and left an opening for a sequel. One thing that caught my attention was the comedic value... and it sort of reminds me of my humor. You go from where the story begins in the town of Hunglow (in China)... then off to South America... Los Angeles... and so on. Eventually, you end up in hell, but I won't kill the story for you (but it was a fun ride). There are a lot of characters in this game that hint at various celebrities, so I was interested in who I could identify and some of you will probably be able to identify some or all of them as well.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, I thought it felt good... especially on PC. I was able to play on mobile, but I'm not the biggest fan of playing games on mobile unless they really feel at home with touchscreen controls. There isn't a difference in the adventure, but your focus isn't on gameplay as much as it could be on mobile because of the multiple buttons you have to utilize in order to fight. The fun factor increases by two when you don't have the touchscreen buttons to deal with... in addition to the phone's on-screen buttons popping up (I've had a problem with multiple mobile games because of this). Luckily you can play this title with compatible gamepads, Xbox controllers should be a part of  that compatibility list but... I digress.

(This is what the initial concept looked like.)

The animations are well done and I like how smooth the fighting animations feel while kicking enemies into the middle of next week... or into the screen, and I didn't notice a difference in the frame rates on PC or mobile. Visually the game looks great too, the initial announcement of the game showed a more realistic yet stylized version... which I was interested in, but the final results turned out to be good too (they took more a toonish route). If you've played the game already... some of you may agree that it almost feels like Shaq meets the Boondocks (at least when it comes to the cutscenes). The characters can be challenging usually, once they start to really outnumber you and those special enemies are added to the mix. Though enemies can be repetitive, they delivered enough variety to keep me going from start to finish without giving a crap.

(This is what the final version of the game looks like.)

Tip: Focus on getting to the special enemies immediately so you aren't dealing with their attacks while taking out the basics.

While challenging, sometimes you'd catch a break by way of the cakewalk powerups like the Big Diesel Boost and the Shaqtus Talisman. The Big Diesel Boost places you in a steampunk-like suit of armor with exhaust pipes and gives you the ability to rev up and punch at a rapid pace with serious power. 

The heat builds up, so you have to beware of overheating, but... if you use the heat build-up wisely, you can use a seismic Shaq smash to clear a ground (and even level a block... which includes cars and other smashable things in the environment). BOOM!

The Shaqtus Talisman places you in a cactus costume that gives you the ability to shoot needles at a rapid pace. The special attack for this powerup is super needles able to shoot multiple enemies. From what I know, Shaq acquired this nickname while playing for the Suns... while Diesel was the name his debut album (thought it was cool that he added a few personals in there... considering the game is... about him).

So you get the luxury of having these at times, and while they may feel like a cake-walk... I think that Shaq was overall aiming at the fun factor in this game and these powerups feel like he was paying homage (in a sense). You won't have these abilities through the entire game... they're more so just here and there or else this would be a different type of review, but I think the number of times I was able to utilize them was just right. The challenge of this beat-em-up remains... right along with the comedy.

You have replay value when it comes to the achievements, but the replay value would've increased if they simply created an online leaderboard... instead of it just being offline. So they missed out on an opportunity there, but... I don't know how it would've worked out unless there were an endless mode or something.

Pricewise... $19.99 is on point for the PC/Console version, and I appreciate the fact that they didn't overprice it (this is spot on). The mobile version gives you the option of downloading and playing the first area... free, but you have to pay $4.99 to continue the adventure. There are no ads, and the only paygate is merely a one time purchase for the rest of the game. Its the exact same game as the PC/Console version... so if you have a compatible gamepad you're really getting the game at a steal. It's a fun-filled experience that doesn't break the bank and gives me the option of enjoying a good change of pace game without completely eliminating my game budget. Some gamers have a $50 to $60 limit per quarter, and that will either go to one game... or a few games. I think this indie game, along with another good mid-range game will seal the deal for quite a few people.

Overall, I think this game was created with fun in mind... showing love to old school beat-em-ups in an updated Shaqtastic way. One would hope they're all fun, but all cannot deliver "fun" in the exact same way or it may not fit the story. Shaquille O'Neil has always been one for a good time and was one of the first basketball players to really go this route (correct me if I'm wrong). This game sorta takes me back to the days of good pizza, candy, soda, and... gaming the night away with friends to a new beat-em-up. Speaking of friends, if I could add one thing to this game... it would be a two player option... even if its Shaq in an alternate outfit because that was also a plus about beat-em-ups.

PC Version

Fun factor: 5

Visually: 5

Replay value: 2

Price: 5

"4.25 / 5 Cool Points"

Mobile Version

Fun factor: 4

Visually: 5

Replay value: 2

Price: 5

"4 / 5 Cool Points"

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