MechAssault
Release Date: 2002
System: X-Box
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
I'll admit it: I have a weakness for giant robots. I loved the Transformers, I loved Gundam Wing and I loved Evangelion.
I've also been a fan of the Battletech series for many years. So naturally, when I bought an X-Box, MechAssault - based on the long-running Battletech franchise - was my first rental.
What I discovered blew me away. MechAssault is a damn fun ride that is guaranteed to keep your hands glued to the controller while it lasts.
In MechAssault, you play the pilot of a Battlemech - a 40-foot tall walking tank bristling with powerful weaponry that has become the primary weapon of war in the 31st century, which is when the game takes place. The pilot you control is a member of Wolf's Dragoons, one of the most highly respected and famous mercenary units in known space.
As the game begins, Wolf's Dragoons lands on the planet Helios as part of a contract, with the player acting as part of the first wave of a strike force. Things go bad quickly, however, when a group of hi-tech religious zealot terrorists known as the Word of Blake attack the Dragoons' ship as they land. With the Dragoons in bad shape from the ambush, it's up to the player to fend off the Word of Blake, clear the way for the Dragoon attack force and discover what the Blakists are up to on Helios.
Fortunately, you've got a LOT of firepower behind you on your missions. You can choose from a number of deadly mech designs to carry out your tasks with, from small and nimble designs to lumbering behemoths with the power to flatten an entire city. Whatever your playing style, you'll find a mech design to suit your tastes. You'll start off with a limited selection of mechs at first, but as the game progresses more mechs will become available.
Mounted on these war machines are weapons that every action game fan will wet their pants over. From standard machine guns and lasers to cannons and railguns that can knock an enemy mech on its ass, there are plenty of toys to play with in MechAssault.
The action in MechAssault is typical run-and-gun fare. Most missions revolve around destroying various objectives, typically guarded by huge waves of tanks and helicopters backed up by the Word of Blake's own mechs. Despite its simplicity, however, the action in MechAssault never seems to get too boring. The sheer number of mech designs, each with its own combination of weapons, armor and speed, ensures there's no shortage of different ways to cause mayhem. Further, your missions' different objectives combined with the slow accumulation of new mech designs throughout the game mean that it's virtually impossible to breeze through the game with one design. It's a well-done setup that encourages you to experiment with different designs and experience the full variety of options available.
Another aspect of gameplay that adds some strategy is heat buildup. Firing your mechs' weapons will cause varying amounts of heat to build up. Heat up too much and you'll find yourself unable to fire until you let the heat go down. Not only does this add some strategy to the game by forcing you to manage heat, it also keeps you from winning the game just by going through every level with the trigger held down.
The only real fault the game has is a lack of variety in the mech designs in terms of their appearance. Quite a few mech designs are simply variants of another design, with the same appearance but a different weapons loadout. While the variety of weapons is more important than appearance, it would have been nice to have a little more variety of things to look at.
Other than that, MechAssault is a great game that's a guaranteed good time for anyone that plays it. Try it out and have a blast.
Score: 8.5 out of 10 (Doesn't really offer anything new, but does an excellent and fun job with what it does offer)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
A long, long time ago, some time after the mediocre Episode I...
Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition
Release Date: 2001
System: X-Box
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Publisher: LucasArts
Let's face it: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was easily the worst of all the Star Wars movies. And some of the games that came out of it weren't all that great either.
Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition could have been one of the non-mediocre games based on Episode I, but because of one major flaw, it only manages to break the "average" barrier.
Starfighter takes place shortly before the Battle of Naboo, the climatic battle of Episode I. The game follows the course of three characters: a Naboo pilot named Rhys Dallows, a mercenary named Vana Sage, and a creepy-looking pirate named Nym. All three find themselves on the Trade Federation's hit list due to their discovery of the federation's impending unlawful invasion of Naboo. When their paths cross due to these discoveries, and the resulting threats on their lives, the mismatched trio find themselves working together to stop the Trade Federation in their tracks.
The player controls three fighters throughout the course of the game: an N-1 Naboo Starfighter piloted by Dallows, Vana Sage's tri-winged fighter Guardian Mantis and Nym's bomber Havoc. Each fighter carries a different selection of weapons, which helps keep the action from getting too repetitive since the player must take different approaches to the missions depending on which ship he's flying. Each of these fighters can also be flown from one of two perspectives - a first-person view or a third-person view.
Speaking of action, this game has a lot of it. Every mission in this game - which take place both in space and closer to the planets' surfaces - has several objectives that need to be completed, from defending Queen Amidala's starship to taking out a certain target, and the Trade Federation scrambles SWARMS of enemies to thwart you at every turn. Players will never get bored in this game, as there's always another wave of enemies on the horizon and blowing them up never seems to get boring. Fortunately, there's plenty of variety in the enemies, from Trade Federation AAT tanks to the new droid starfighters. The mission objectives themselves also help to keep the boredom factor low - while a good number of them revolve around blowing up certain targets, there's enough objectives that break from that pattern to keep the game from ever getting too repetitive. The game also boasts a number of bonus missions that can be earned by completing bonus objectives in enough regular missions, which works well in extending the game's playability.
Starfighter could have been a true hit were it not for a couple flaws that conspire to lower its score. The first of these flaws is a sense of sameness in the way the three player-controlled ships handle. I didn't notice much in the way of difference in how the ships felt while I was flying them in terms of maneuverability or other such aspects. The game could have been better served by, for example, making the Havoc more sluggish than the other ships or something similar.
Something else that could use some work is the game's targeting system. To lock onto the target you want, you either have to cycle through all the enemies in the area (which can take an unacceptably long time in an emergency), or else point your ship in the general direction of where you think the enemy is and hope it locks on - which can be kind of annoying when your target is a dinky fighter on the other side of the frickin' star system. The game's zoom feature can help with this, but it's also one more thing to keep track of while you're under fire. Some kind of radar system or waypoint indicators for crucial targets would also have been nice, since the targeting system means you may have to frantically cycle through targets just to lock onto the one you need to destroy to complete the mission.
The game's most major flaw, however, is the one that detracts from the game's fun enough to lower its score dramatically: your ship shudders violently every time it's hit by enemy fire, and it shudders badly enough that it's virtually impossible to aim accurately or even feel like you're flying in a straight line when you're under fire. My theory is that the game designers got confused and thought they were creating a Star TREK game rather than a Star WARS game at some time during its creation; that's only explanation I can think of for such a mechanic making its way into this game. Yeah, you're supposed to feel it when your ship is hit in games like this, but when you can't even shoot back due to the shuddering, and when enemies CONSTANTLY manage to hit you after the first hit (as indeed they do in this game), and when you sometimes have up to half a dozen enemies shooting at you at once (another thing that tends to happen in this game), that's when the game takes a flying leap from "challenging" into "incredibly frustrating."
Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition has a lot of fun aspects that make it enjoyable to play, but that one ill-considered game mechanic does an unfortunate job of canceling out some of that fun. Check it out, but definitely rent before buying.
Score: 6.0 out of 10 (Lots of fun action that doesn't get boring, but the frustrating ship shuddering mechanic is bad enough to potentially provoke some controller-throwing among players, and the targeting system needs some work to function more smoothly)
Release Date: 2001
System: X-Box
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Publisher: LucasArts
Let's face it: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was easily the worst of all the Star Wars movies. And some of the games that came out of it weren't all that great either.
Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition could have been one of the non-mediocre games based on Episode I, but because of one major flaw, it only manages to break the "average" barrier.
Starfighter takes place shortly before the Battle of Naboo, the climatic battle of Episode I. The game follows the course of three characters: a Naboo pilot named Rhys Dallows, a mercenary named Vana Sage, and a creepy-looking pirate named Nym. All three find themselves on the Trade Federation's hit list due to their discovery of the federation's impending unlawful invasion of Naboo. When their paths cross due to these discoveries, and the resulting threats on their lives, the mismatched trio find themselves working together to stop the Trade Federation in their tracks.
The player controls three fighters throughout the course of the game: an N-1 Naboo Starfighter piloted by Dallows, Vana Sage's tri-winged fighter Guardian Mantis and Nym's bomber Havoc. Each fighter carries a different selection of weapons, which helps keep the action from getting too repetitive since the player must take different approaches to the missions depending on which ship he's flying. Each of these fighters can also be flown from one of two perspectives - a first-person view or a third-person view.
Speaking of action, this game has a lot of it. Every mission in this game - which take place both in space and closer to the planets' surfaces - has several objectives that need to be completed, from defending Queen Amidala's starship to taking out a certain target, and the Trade Federation scrambles SWARMS of enemies to thwart you at every turn. Players will never get bored in this game, as there's always another wave of enemies on the horizon and blowing them up never seems to get boring. Fortunately, there's plenty of variety in the enemies, from Trade Federation AAT tanks to the new droid starfighters. The mission objectives themselves also help to keep the boredom factor low - while a good number of them revolve around blowing up certain targets, there's enough objectives that break from that pattern to keep the game from ever getting too repetitive. The game also boasts a number of bonus missions that can be earned by completing bonus objectives in enough regular missions, which works well in extending the game's playability.
Starfighter could have been a true hit were it not for a couple flaws that conspire to lower its score. The first of these flaws is a sense of sameness in the way the three player-controlled ships handle. I didn't notice much in the way of difference in how the ships felt while I was flying them in terms of maneuverability or other such aspects. The game could have been better served by, for example, making the Havoc more sluggish than the other ships or something similar.
Something else that could use some work is the game's targeting system. To lock onto the target you want, you either have to cycle through all the enemies in the area (which can take an unacceptably long time in an emergency), or else point your ship in the general direction of where you think the enemy is and hope it locks on - which can be kind of annoying when your target is a dinky fighter on the other side of the frickin' star system. The game's zoom feature can help with this, but it's also one more thing to keep track of while you're under fire. Some kind of radar system or waypoint indicators for crucial targets would also have been nice, since the targeting system means you may have to frantically cycle through targets just to lock onto the one you need to destroy to complete the mission.
The game's most major flaw, however, is the one that detracts from the game's fun enough to lower its score dramatically: your ship shudders violently every time it's hit by enemy fire, and it shudders badly enough that it's virtually impossible to aim accurately or even feel like you're flying in a straight line when you're under fire. My theory is that the game designers got confused and thought they were creating a Star TREK game rather than a Star WARS game at some time during its creation; that's only explanation I can think of for such a mechanic making its way into this game. Yeah, you're supposed to feel it when your ship is hit in games like this, but when you can't even shoot back due to the shuddering, and when enemies CONSTANTLY manage to hit you after the first hit (as indeed they do in this game), and when you sometimes have up to half a dozen enemies shooting at you at once (another thing that tends to happen in this game), that's when the game takes a flying leap from "challenging" into "incredibly frustrating."
Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition has a lot of fun aspects that make it enjoyable to play, but that one ill-considered game mechanic does an unfortunate job of canceling out some of that fun. Check it out, but definitely rent before buying.
Score: 6.0 out of 10 (Lots of fun action that doesn't get boring, but the frustrating ship shuddering mechanic is bad enough to potentially provoke some controller-throwing among players, and the targeting system needs some work to function more smoothly)
Monday, June 18, 2007
Review delay/double feature notice
Just wanted to let my readers know that my next review will be a bit late. I had a work week last week that kicked my ass, and I spent most of the weekend recovering.
On the upside, this week will be a double-feature of sorts, with two game reviews instead of one. I'm shooting for a Sunday publishing date for that.
On the upside, this week will be a double-feature of sorts, with two game reviews instead of one. I'm shooting for a Sunday publishing date for that.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Kicking things off with a clash of the titans and the gods
God of War II
Release Date: 2007
System: Playstation 2
ESRB Rating: M (Mature) for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language and Sexual Themes
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)
Alright, tell me seriously - who wasn't impressed by 2005's God of War?
It's doubtful anyone could find an action game fan that wasn't completely floored by that title - the fast and furious (and gory!) action, the depth of the "mini-game kills" (like ramming the Hydra's head through a pike), the music worthy of an epic Hollywood movie, the story of a man vengeful enough to try to kill a GOD.
So it follows that a sequel to such a game would be a tough thing to pull off - how can you possibly improve on a game like that?
Well, SCEA managed to do it - God of War II surpasses its epic predecessor in terms of storyline and gameplay depth, but leaves the core of the experience unchanged in its excellence.
God of War II once again puts the player into the blood-stained boots of Kratos, the eternally pissed off Spartan warrior who got his vengeance in the first game by killing Ares, the Greek god of war, and taking his place on Mount Olympus.
As the game begins, Kratos finds himself on the outs with the other Gods of Olympus, who are getting a bit miffed at Kratos's bloodlust. Zeus, the leader of the gods, decides to tell Kratos just how much the other gods don't want him around - by impaling him through the chest with a huge frickin' sword. Yeesh, you help the Spartans pillage and burn a few cities and the other gods get all uppity!
Fortunately for Kratos, he's had a friend for some time that he doesn't know about - Gaia, the Titan of the Earth (who, it's revealed, is the unseen narrator of the God of War games). In Kratos, Gaia sees a chance for the Titans to avenge the loss they suffered in their war against the gods. Healing Kratos's mortal wounds, she tells the warrior of a way for him to survive - if he can find the three Sisters of Fate, he can go back in time to the point where Zeus killed him and take his vengeance on Zeus. And so Kratos, with the Titans on his side, sets out to find the Sisters and bring the gods to their knees.
Fans of the first God of War will be pleased to know that the basics of the gameplay have not changed from the last game - Kratos still has his trusty twin Blades of Athena, which he can still use to tear through the many forces opposing him. And he still has plenty of magic for when things get rough. And yes, there are still those impressive mini-game style kills that let you slaughter baddies in all sorts of gory fun ways.
However, while the basics may not have changed, God of War II has plenty of things that make it a large improvement over the first game. For one thing, there are MANY more boss fights than in the first game. Kratos gets to fight everything from Icarus to a giant, living statue. Of course, these boss fights also mean more opportunities for spectacular mini-game kills - some of which are so amazingly acrobatic you might get motion sickness. Fortunately, there's still plenty to do in between these boss fights, with massive hordes of enemies trying to stop Kratos at every turn.
Players will also find a few more weapons to play with this time around. In addition to the Blades of Athena, Kratos can now find and wield a war hammer and a spear, and all of these weapons can be powered up using red orbs just like in the first game. Kratos also gets a chance to wield some new magic this time through. As if that weren't enough, Kratos can obtain several relics that let him do things like temporarily stop time.
Just as in the first game, the hack-and-slash gameplay in God of War II is loads of fun, being simple to pick up and play while still having a tremendous amount of depth due to the many moves you can pull off with Kratos's weapons. The various relics help add to this depth, especially the Golden Fleece, which allows you to absorb and redirect enemy attacks.
The game's plot is another strong point of the game, though for somewhat different reasons than the first game's. God of War II's plot is just as much of an epic revenge tale as the first game's, but God of War II's plot progresses in a somewhat different direction. Unfortunately I can't reveal more without spoiling the plot, but I will say this: Kratos gets scary as the game progresses.
The only thing really wrong with the game is a lack of newness in the magic system. Two of the game's four spells are identical to spells in the first game. While there are two new spells to play with, the other two spells, unchanged in nearly every way except for their names, feel like something of a missed opportunity.
With the release of the Playstation 3, God of War II may be one of the last great games to come out for the Playstation 2. If this turns out to be the case, it's an awesome way to end a game system's run. Take your PS2 for one last blockbuster spin with God of War II.
Score: 9.5 out of 10 (Manages to keep the tried and true feel of the first God of War while still making nearly everything about it feel fresh and worth playing again, and manages to avoid ever feeling repetitive)
Release Date: 2007
System: Playstation 2
ESRB Rating: M (Mature) for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language and Sexual Themes
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)
Alright, tell me seriously - who wasn't impressed by 2005's God of War?
It's doubtful anyone could find an action game fan that wasn't completely floored by that title - the fast and furious (and gory!) action, the depth of the "mini-game kills" (like ramming the Hydra's head through a pike), the music worthy of an epic Hollywood movie, the story of a man vengeful enough to try to kill a GOD.
So it follows that a sequel to such a game would be a tough thing to pull off - how can you possibly improve on a game like that?
Well, SCEA managed to do it - God of War II surpasses its epic predecessor in terms of storyline and gameplay depth, but leaves the core of the experience unchanged in its excellence.
God of War II once again puts the player into the blood-stained boots of Kratos, the eternally pissed off Spartan warrior who got his vengeance in the first game by killing Ares, the Greek god of war, and taking his place on Mount Olympus.
As the game begins, Kratos finds himself on the outs with the other Gods of Olympus, who are getting a bit miffed at Kratos's bloodlust. Zeus, the leader of the gods, decides to tell Kratos just how much the other gods don't want him around - by impaling him through the chest with a huge frickin' sword. Yeesh, you help the Spartans pillage and burn a few cities and the other gods get all uppity!
Fortunately for Kratos, he's had a friend for some time that he doesn't know about - Gaia, the Titan of the Earth (who, it's revealed, is the unseen narrator of the God of War games). In Kratos, Gaia sees a chance for the Titans to avenge the loss they suffered in their war against the gods. Healing Kratos's mortal wounds, she tells the warrior of a way for him to survive - if he can find the three Sisters of Fate, he can go back in time to the point where Zeus killed him and take his vengeance on Zeus. And so Kratos, with the Titans on his side, sets out to find the Sisters and bring the gods to their knees.
Fans of the first God of War will be pleased to know that the basics of the gameplay have not changed from the last game - Kratos still has his trusty twin Blades of Athena, which he can still use to tear through the many forces opposing him. And he still has plenty of magic for when things get rough. And yes, there are still those impressive mini-game style kills that let you slaughter baddies in all sorts of gory fun ways.
However, while the basics may not have changed, God of War II has plenty of things that make it a large improvement over the first game. For one thing, there are MANY more boss fights than in the first game. Kratos gets to fight everything from Icarus to a giant, living statue. Of course, these boss fights also mean more opportunities for spectacular mini-game kills - some of which are so amazingly acrobatic you might get motion sickness. Fortunately, there's still plenty to do in between these boss fights, with massive hordes of enemies trying to stop Kratos at every turn.
Players will also find a few more weapons to play with this time around. In addition to the Blades of Athena, Kratos can now find and wield a war hammer and a spear, and all of these weapons can be powered up using red orbs just like in the first game. Kratos also gets a chance to wield some new magic this time through. As if that weren't enough, Kratos can obtain several relics that let him do things like temporarily stop time.
Just as in the first game, the hack-and-slash gameplay in God of War II is loads of fun, being simple to pick up and play while still having a tremendous amount of depth due to the many moves you can pull off with Kratos's weapons. The various relics help add to this depth, especially the Golden Fleece, which allows you to absorb and redirect enemy attacks.
The game's plot is another strong point of the game, though for somewhat different reasons than the first game's. God of War II's plot is just as much of an epic revenge tale as the first game's, but God of War II's plot progresses in a somewhat different direction. Unfortunately I can't reveal more without spoiling the plot, but I will say this: Kratos gets scary as the game progresses.
The only thing really wrong with the game is a lack of newness in the magic system. Two of the game's four spells are identical to spells in the first game. While there are two new spells to play with, the other two spells, unchanged in nearly every way except for their names, feel like something of a missed opportunity.
With the release of the Playstation 3, God of War II may be one of the last great games to come out for the Playstation 2. If this turns out to be the case, it's an awesome way to end a game system's run. Take your PS2 for one last blockbuster spin with God of War II.
Score: 9.5 out of 10 (Manages to keep the tried and true feel of the first God of War while still making nearly everything about it feel fresh and worth playing again, and manages to avoid ever feeling repetitive)
A word about reviews
Thought I'd share how the review scale is going to work, since rating numbers can sometimes be misleading.
The basic scale is going to be on a scale of 0-10. Seems simple, I know, but I feel the need to emphasize something about it.
Basically, this scale isn't going to work like school grading systems - a 5 out of 10 isn't a failing grade; it means the game is merely average. By that same token, 7/10 means the game is pretty good - not the best, certainly, but worth a try.
Here's the complete scale:
10 - Perfection or close to it
9 - In the top 10 of its genre (or maybe top 20 for large or glutted genres)
8 - Excellent
7 - Good
6 - Above average - fix some flaws and it'd be a hit
5 - Average. Meh.
4 - Below average
3 - Wait to buy until it hits the $5 bargain bin
2 - Did they seriously expect anyone to buy this crap?
1 - The pinnacle of suck
0 - Were they even TRYING?!
The basic scale is going to be on a scale of 0-10. Seems simple, I know, but I feel the need to emphasize something about it.
Basically, this scale isn't going to work like school grading systems - a 5 out of 10 isn't a failing grade; it means the game is merely average. By that same token, 7/10 means the game is pretty good - not the best, certainly, but worth a try.
Here's the complete scale:
10 - Perfection or close to it
9 - In the top 10 of its genre (or maybe top 20 for large or glutted genres)
8 - Excellent
7 - Good
6 - Above average - fix some flaws and it'd be a hit
5 - Average. Meh.
4 - Below average
3 - Wait to buy until it hits the $5 bargain bin
2 - Did they seriously expect anyone to buy this crap?
1 - The pinnacle of suck
0 - Were they even TRYING?!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Hi everybody!
Hey, everyone.
Right now, if you're looking at this, you're probably wondering who the heck I am and what's going to be on this blog, so I figured I'd lay it all out for you here as my introductory post.
I'm a 25-year-old (in a few days) journalism graduate living in mid-Michigan. I like writing; it's something I'm good at and always have been. But what I love writing most is something that I've not been able to do for over two years now: video game reviews. Heck, the whole reason I got into journalism was to join the ranks of video game critics like those at Gamepro and Electronic Gaming Monthly. I actually had a job like that for two years, reviewing video games for my college's campus newspaper, but I've been graduated for two years now, and haven't had much success finding a forum to keep reviewing on.
Fortunately, with the existence of blogs, it's easier to get your writing out there now. So basically, I'm taking advantage of that fact and hoping to use this blog as a kind of springboard to launch my video game critic career.
I'm a lifelong video gamer - started off with Duck Hunt when I was about 5 years old and have kept up with the times since then. I love these games, not only for the fun factor, but also because they can tell very interesting stories. Many of my all-time favorite games - the Metal Gear Solid and Fatal Frame series among them - attained that place in my heart as much because of their incredible stories as because of their gameplay and graphics.
Most of these reviews will be on Playstation 2 and XBox-generation games because, quite frankly, I'm way too poor to afford any of the next-gen systems. As a result, most of these games I will review have been out for some time now. If I'm fortunate enough to play any game on the next-gen systems to the extent that I feel comfortable reviewing it, I'll post the review ASAP.
This blog officially launches on Monday, June 11. The first review: God of War II.
Hope to see you then!
Right now, if you're looking at this, you're probably wondering who the heck I am and what's going to be on this blog, so I figured I'd lay it all out for you here as my introductory post.
I'm a 25-year-old (in a few days) journalism graduate living in mid-Michigan. I like writing; it's something I'm good at and always have been. But what I love writing most is something that I've not been able to do for over two years now: video game reviews. Heck, the whole reason I got into journalism was to join the ranks of video game critics like those at Gamepro and Electronic Gaming Monthly. I actually had a job like that for two years, reviewing video games for my college's campus newspaper, but I've been graduated for two years now, and haven't had much success finding a forum to keep reviewing on.
Fortunately, with the existence of blogs, it's easier to get your writing out there now. So basically, I'm taking advantage of that fact and hoping to use this blog as a kind of springboard to launch my video game critic career.
I'm a lifelong video gamer - started off with Duck Hunt when I was about 5 years old and have kept up with the times since then. I love these games, not only for the fun factor, but also because they can tell very interesting stories. Many of my all-time favorite games - the Metal Gear Solid and Fatal Frame series among them - attained that place in my heart as much because of their incredible stories as because of their gameplay and graphics.
Most of these reviews will be on Playstation 2 and XBox-generation games because, quite frankly, I'm way too poor to afford any of the next-gen systems. As a result, most of these games I will review have been out for some time now. If I'm fortunate enough to play any game on the next-gen systems to the extent that I feel comfortable reviewing it, I'll post the review ASAP.
This blog officially launches on Monday, June 11. The first review: God of War II.
Hope to see you then!
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