Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

 PC
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 1083 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 989 out of 1083
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 1083
  3. Negative: 69 out of 1083
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  1. Kennyamr
    Jul 2, 2015
    10
    This is the continuation of the A Realm Reborn story arc. This directly follows what happens next after the great finale of ARR. Story is even better than what it was before the expansion.The addition of the new jobs has expanded the ways of players to run through content and the new abilities included in ALL jobs are giving us the change to reimagine our rotations and create new ways toThis is the continuation of the A Realm Reborn story arc. This directly follows what happens next after the great finale of ARR. Story is even better than what it was before the expansion.The addition of the new jobs has expanded the ways of players to run through content and the new abilities included in ALL jobs are giving us the change to reimagine our rotations and create new ways to play. The new areas are really really large and they make you work to be able to fly, it is a bit of a pain at first but as soon as you are allowed to fly, Oh, man you will LOVE it! the story is amazing again and all of the new adjustments are very very good in general. I am very happy with the expansion and I'm looking forward to finally beat Alexander when it comes out next week! Good luck fellow adventurers!… Expand
  2. akumarage1
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    Awesome expansion. Being a long time WoW vet, this is how you do added content. Not to mention the free content patches that add stories, dungeons, primals, gear ect after the fact. good job SE
  3. Runeforged
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    The best MMO on the market just got a-lot better. Don't listen to these whiny crybabies about having to finish the story quests in order. OMG it's so hard to actually have to go through the story!! They just want everything given to them for free like the spoiled brats they are.

    Look, FF14 is a fantastic MMO that strikes the perfect balance between not being too inconvenient while    The best MMO on the market just got a-lot better. Don't listen to these whiny crybabies about having to finish the story quests in order. OMG it's so hard to actually have to go through the story!! They just want everything given to them for free like the spoiled brats they are.

    Look, FF14 is a fantastic MMO that strikes the perfect balance between not being too inconvenient while maintaining challenge. As a big MMO fan, this is easily the best on the market by far. Give it a shot and you'll see.    … Expand
  4. BrinZalazar
    Jul 2, 2015
    10
    Wow, this expansion has been amazing. Fans of Final Fantasy, and/or fans of MMOs should really check out this game and this expansion.

    A must own for anyone who has played FFXIV. I've been playing from 1.0 and under the leadership of Yoshi-P this game is just fantastic. :) Buy it, and kick back and enjoy yourself. I play on both the PS4 and the PC, really hoping this game comes to    Wow, this expansion has been amazing. Fans of Final Fantasy, and/or fans of MMOs should really check out this game and this expansion.

    A must own for anyone who has played FFXIV. I've been playing from 1.0 and under the leadership of Yoshi-P this game is just fantastic. :)

    Buy it, and kick back and enjoy yourself. I play on both the PS4 and the PC, really hoping this game comes to the XBOX One. :)    … Expand
  5. rpg4life
    Jul 24, 2015
    10
    IM SO GLAD I SWITCHED FROM WOW TO THIS GAME. The story is amazing. I love how you have to unlock jobs and that there are cross class skills to give you that extra boost if you wanna go for those for those of you reading this that have not played this game at all yet. The only thing this game really lacks is in pvp but for anyone that is pure pve and dungeon raiding this game is for you!IM SO GLAD I SWITCHED FROM WOW TO THIS GAME. The story is amazing. I love how you have to unlock jobs and that there are cross class skills to give you that extra boost if you wanna go for those for those of you reading this that have not played this game at all yet. The only thing this game really lacks is in pvp but for anyone that is pure pve and dungeon raiding this game is for you! The 3 new jobs this expansion pack added are pretty fun too and very complicated unlike wow and its sad rotations in raids. The only unfortunate part is if your new to the game you need to get to 50 and completely finish the story line up to this expansion then you can use the new jobs, which will start you off back at level 30. But in reality you shouldnt be touching them till you get used to the game anyways.… Expand
  6. MaxDetroit
    Jul 4, 2015
    10
    Great main storyline, great characters, nice twists. And do not forget about the good sense of humor in this one. Flying in around in the new areas is amazing. Atmosphere, details, graphics over all are great. It's more of the same great stuff, that made "A Realm Reborn" so enjoyable, but this time twice as good.
  7. Sensin
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    Beautifully made expansion, best expansion ever added to any MMORPG! Square Enix has done it again, amazing graphics, great storytelling, an all around fantastic experience. Best MMO out there and deserves all the praise it gets. 10/10
  8. Starlord
    Aug 1, 2015
    10
    FFXIV is at it's core a Story Driven game. the ones that gave it a low score, don't seem to have beat the entire Expansion. So much feels this story arc had, People I liked a lot within the story have passed on, The music accompanied with key moments of Heavensward either got me crying or got me pumped up for the next battle.

    Flying in Heavensward is so fluid and fun to do, along with    FFXIV is at it's core a Story Driven game. the ones that gave it a low score, don't seem to have beat the entire Expansion. So much feels this story arc had, People I liked a lot within the story have passed on, The music accompanied with key moments of Heavensward either got me crying or got me pumped up for the next battle.

    Flying in Heavensward is so fluid and fun to do, along with the new theme when on certain mounts feels like a sense of adventure!

    If I am going to review this game, I am going to do it knowing what the core of this game is founded on ( It's story) and I give very few games a 10/10 but man this game surely gave me all the feels that I thought the train would never end!

    Great job SE/Yoshida! Keeping the awesome storytelling a flowing!    … Expand
  9. Gulruthina
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    Good expansion! Must buy if you're a returning player or a hardcore FF fan. Good story, awesome soundtrack, amazing graphics, new primals/raids and many more!
  10. Ronivan
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    Heavensward was an astonishing expansion to Final Fantasy Online. The new landscapes are just gorgeous with great ambiance. The new flying feature makes the game incredible, enabling fast area traveling and a new perspective to the landscapes. Soundtrack are just wondrous too. The game development made a great work, and expect great things to come.
  11. Huckit
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    As a former Mythic raider from wow turned casual mmorpg player, I enjoy ff14. The quest line is engaging and not just level grind. I like that the leveling takes time and at least feels rewarding. As a new player, I actually like that it makes me finish the story quest before Heavensward content, though it is not a popular opinion. Great improvements on classic tab target combat and theAs a former Mythic raider from wow turned casual mmorpg player, I enjoy ff14. The quest line is engaging and not just level grind. I like that the leveling takes time and at least feels rewarding. As a new player, I actually like that it makes me finish the story quest before Heavensward content, though it is not a popular opinion. Great improvements on classic tab target combat and the classes are all unique, unlike in wow, where they have molded together to be replaceable.… Expand
  12. kronosys
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    This is an outstanding expansion to an already outstanding MMORPG. The development team's passion for this game is apparent in every detail. If you love PVE and Story content, this isn't an expansion to be missed.
  13. ValValentine
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    Amazing!, all you could ask from any MMORPG or a FF series game, great Main Story full of CS-voice, dynamic events (FATES), great music, traditional questing more relevant now, beautiful and HUGE new maps, great dungeons and new primals. All jobs got new skills, 3 new jobs, flying feels great, new FC (guilds) options. 10/10
  14. PhantomDusk
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    I made an account just to give this game a review, as I do not wish to users to be deceived by the score of 5.6. These scores of "1" are given from three different crowds.

    -WoW fanboys who want to see FF fail -People who are angry they need to do the Realm Reborn story to experience Heavensward. -Mac Users. I will try my best to give an objective review, outlining all the pros and    I made an account just to give this game a review, as I do not wish to users to be deceived by the score of 5.6. These scores of "1" are given from three different crowds.

    -WoW fanboys who want to see FF fail
    -People who are angry they need to do the Realm Reborn story to experience Heavensward.
    -Mac Users.

    I will try my best to give an objective review, outlining all the pros and cons of not only Heavensward but of A Realm Reborn.

    Presentation(10) - This right here is Heavensward's biggest strength. The story of this expansion is in my opinion, greater than any MMO I have ever played, even rivaled some of SWToR's stories. If you're a new player, the starting of the story is slow. I was meh about it, but the story keeps getting better and better. By the time I hit level 50, it was one of the best stories I'd seen in an MMO. By the time Heavensward came around and I experienced 50-60, the story rivaled that of the single player FFs.

    Gameplay(9.5) - This aspect right here is what will split players. There is a 2.5s GCD instead of 1.5s. This can make combat seem slower, and mistakes are punished more severely. It's really not that bad but it's all up to your tastes. The three new classes feel and play unique and flow well, though Machinist is a bit weak right now. The side quests are quick are easy, though more of the same fetch quests mostly. Dungeons and raids are fun to play. Crafting is deeper here than in any other MMO. You can switch classes simply by changing your weapon, so there is no need for alts.

    Content(9.5) Oh boy, is there a lot of quality content in Heavensward and Realm Reborn as well. Square Enix churns out content every three months.

    -25+ dungeons, all still relevant because of the duty roulette, a system that awards you experience and tomes at the end. Tomes are like tokens that buy raid gear.
    -A challenging 8 man raid with 13 wings(Coil of Bahamut.) This is the bleeding edge of their content, for the hardcore players. Two weeks from now, they come out with a new raid called Alexander. Four weeks from now, they come out with the Savage version of Alexander, a super hardcore punishing version of the raid.
    -Three 24 man raids that are all still done. They are not as challenging as the Coil of Bahamut, but they're not necessarily faceroll easy either.
    -Trials/Primals in Normal, Hard, and Extreme difficulty. Trials are a fight against a boss in a single room, no trash mobs. Primals is the same, but they are fights against the Gods of the FF world. These fights are amazing.
    -Guildhests. These are like tutorial quests that teach you the mechanics of the game. I believe there is a roulette for this as well, giving vets incentive to run these for tomes, thus helping newbies.
    -Levequests. These are quests you with timed objectives that you can activate at any time for good experience, and sometimes other bonuses.
    -Fates. Dynamic events that happen randomly in the world that give experience.
    -Gold Saucer. A casino type city that lets you participate in entertaining side games such as Triple Triad(a card game.) And chocobo racing.
    -Many pets and mounts to collect and farm in the world, along with a plethora of achievements.

    Honestly, 5,000 characters is not enough for me to list all of the content here. The only place I'd give their content a minus is in PvP. Restricting by faction kind of ruined it, and they treat it as a side gimmick, but their PvE content is spectacular.

    -Sound(10) You won't find better music in any MMO, I can guarantee you that. The voice acting in Realm Reborn was not the best, but progressively got better. I rated sound a 10 because the voice acting in Heavensward is 3x better. These sound like actual professional actors, they really portray the emotion.

    -Lasting Appeal(10) Unlike WoW where you farm your apexis crystals and then stay in your garrison, you will never run out of things to do in FF14. If anything, you may feel overwhelmed, as there will be too much for you to do, so you may have to choose a path at some point. Or just go with the flow enjoy the endless choices available to you at your own pace :). Having a lot of choice means casuals and hardcores both have content made for them.

    -Transition/Launch Issues(9.5) I've not seen an MMO launch this smoothly in awhile. Aside from issues on the first hour of EA, 90% of this launch has been playable for most players. The lobby is more unstable than the servers themselves, which are rock solid.

    I really wanted to write more, but alas, this is where I come to a close. A forewarning, you have to complete Realm Reborn's story before Heavensward. PvP is also not this game's strong suit. If that bothers you, this game is not for you. Mac client is horrible do not get it. Realm Reborn is very newbie friendly, eases new players in just right.

    So would you rather be farming apexis crystals for yet another recolored mount? Or enjoying the unrivaled adventure that is Heavensward? The choice is yours.    … Expand
  15. MisaCeliousa
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    Amazing expansion, added quite many beautiful areas, the flying feels fluid and amazing, the 3 new jobs are well made and fits right into the world.

    The story feels exciting and well thought out, excited to see future patches ^^
  16. VBlake73
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    If there was any doubt that Square-Enix can spin a tale with the best of them, Heavensward removes it with no effort at all. While A Realm Reborn got the basics right and provided a decent story, Heavensward took the baton and showed us how an MMORPG should be done, with heavy emphasis on the RPG.

    If you like expansive areas, you'll be in for a treat. Every new area makes the ARR areas    If there was any doubt that Square-Enix can spin a tale with the best of them, Heavensward removes it with no effort at all. While A Realm Reborn got the basics right and provided a decent story, Heavensward took the baton and showed us how an MMORPG should be done, with heavy emphasis on the RPG.

    If you like expansive areas, you'll be in for a treat. Every new area makes the ARR areas look small by comparison. Certain quests also require flight to complete, adding to the exploration experience.

    I can happily say that, in terms of difficulty, SE did not go overboard in making overworld monsters more challenging. They take longer to do away with and require more active skill but they are by no means cheap or unforgiving as far as mechanics go. Striking this balance could not have been easy for SE developers so they deserve a great deal of credit for giving players a challenge without scaring off players who might not be as advanced.

    Overall, SE has masterfully achieved an expansion that builds upon FFXIV in ways that makes us anticipate the next.    … Expand
  17. Icyflamez
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    Amazing story and music, worthy of the Final Fantasy name! Massive new zones that, even with flying, make the ARR zones look tiny! Massive amount of content including eight new dungeons, 2 new primal fights with both hard (story) and extreme difficulties, three new jobs, and in a couple weeks there will be a new hardcore 8-man raid with both a 'normal' and 'savage' difficulty! All in allAmazing story and music, worthy of the Final Fantasy name! Massive new zones that, even with flying, make the ARR zones look tiny! Massive amount of content including eight new dungeons, 2 new primal fights with both hard (story) and extreme difficulties, three new jobs, and in a couple weeks there will be a new hardcore 8-man raid with both a 'normal' and 'savage' difficulty! All in all this expansion hit the nail firmly on its head and is a must buy!… Expand
  18. Malignity
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    Quite possibly the best expansion I have ever witnessed. I understand there have been issues on certain servers. As with all launches that is to be expected. The Story continues from ARR with a darker tone, that has held my interest the entire time. The classes and abilities have added a lot of new ways to expand on the current battle system. Looking forward to how they incorporate thisQuite possibly the best expansion I have ever witnessed. I understand there have been issues on certain servers. As with all launches that is to be expected. The Story continues from ARR with a darker tone, that has held my interest the entire time. The classes and abilities have added a lot of new ways to expand on the current battle system. Looking forward to how they incorporate this into the Alexander Raid. FC house workshop has a lot of potential to bring crafters together. In my FC it already has. Very excited to see what else 3.0 will build upon with all the new foundations paved down at launch. I will say that the difficulty of the mobs out in the open world are a little underwhelming. It is true that they are just increased with an HP Pool. I feel like the AOE telegraphs might be a little quicker,(definitely in dungeons) but they are still easy to dodge. I don't feel that threatened soloing the quest objectives. As a WHM I can take on 4+ mobs no problem. I'm sure it is more difficult without sleep and heals, but I get the general idea that people aren't getting held up against a pack of mobs. I personally only read and pay attention to the story quests, as the side quests generally are fill fetch quests, that become redundant. There's so much to this game and the community is the best I've been a part of, since the Vanilla days of WoW.… Expand
  19. KluyaAether
    Jul 21, 2015
    10
    It is in my opinion after playing FF14 HW and ARR, that Square Enix is the Disney of the Video Game industry. They should seriously have their own storefronts. They made their characters come alive. Its not easy for me to get emotionally involved with characters from a video game, but these guys did it. The music score was phenomenal and so were the graphics. I definately recommend aIt is in my opinion after playing FF14 HW and ARR, that Square Enix is the Disney of the Video Game industry. They should seriously have their own storefronts. They made their characters come alive. Its not easy for me to get emotionally involved with characters from a video game, but these guys did it. The music score was phenomenal and so were the graphics. I definately recommend a MMO/RPG fan playing this game.… Expand
  20. Malackai
    Jul 23, 2015
    10
    I completely agree with PhantomDusk review and it pretty much summed up my feelings on this game in better words that I can describe myself.

    However it would not be a review if I don't state some things myself. Little background I have played WoW for nearly 10 years. I joined FF14 Reborn when it came out and I enjoyed the game greatly even back then. Unfortunately the launch collided    I completely agree with PhantomDusk review and it pretty much summed up my feelings on this game in better words that I can describe myself.

    However it would not be a review if I don't state some things myself.
    Little background I have played WoW for nearly 10 years. I joined FF14 Reborn when it came out and I enjoyed the game greatly even back then.
    Unfortunately the launch collided pretty much with the SoO patch of WoW and because I was still in a raiding guild the game fell to the background.
    I never stopped paying a sub for it, kept an eye on it and logged in short periods of time to do the holiday events etc.
    Then Warlord of Draenor came out, played a little I stopped raiding (simply could not stomach the raid) saw my guild collapse a couple of months in.
    Simply stayed around for sentiment and then I heard of Heavensward being released, decided that if I wanted to start up again the Free company was simply a must for me.
    I found one and I simply got sucked right in to the game.
    My first thought after playing a week was “Why the hell didn't I made the jump earlier” I am actually enjoying myself again.

    Now that Heavensward has been released my impressions of the game.
    -Story- (10/10)
    The story is simply superb like others have stated it does start slow pre level 30 but I was already around level 40 when I picked it back up and the pre 30 story never really bothered me.
    Some tears were shed already and the expansion is just starting.

    -Classes- (9,5/10)
    The new classed are looking promising haven't really tried them out yet besides unlocking them. I am simply to preoccupied by playing my main class atm.
    and that brings me to point 3 content.

    -Content- (10/10)
    Holy smokes so much to do! And most important content I actually find drawn too and is fun to do.
    I actually have to make a decision for myself when I log on what I am going to do else I get simply overwhelmed or distracted.
    I guess if you're really only in for raiding then content might be more sparse. But if you like gathering, crafting, playing games (gold saucer),
    levelling additional classes etc then there is enough to do you can level all classes and crafting/gathering on 1 character!
    Example yesterday I decided to pick up my relic quest again (its basically outdated but I like the weapon it gives).
    For people familiar with WoW this is basicly a legendary quest chain and it involves some serious grinding.
    I am on the part I had to get items from Fates (basicly little events that spawn all over the map for all people).
    Brilliant part is the quest actually also makes you to go back to lower level areas as well instead of making everything max level only also it also incorporate Crafting and the primal trials and quests al over the world. Instead of WoW's Raid only approach.
    So there I was fully decked out running through low level zones doing fates, btw you get scaled down in level when you join one. Another brilliant way to keep things relevant.
    I saw so many green sprouts(new players) running around the world just felt alive.
    That brings me to point 4 this game is very friendly for new players because of the scaling system you get synced to the level of the dungeons, fates etc.
    So a high lv player can always help a low lv player out and it also helps if you have a friend that wants to start the game as well.
    Plus the FF team pumps out content patches every 3 months that keeps things flowing.
    Since release we already had 2 mini patches (first raid unlocked and savage mode unlock, new pvp zone, new gear mounts recipes etc) And if I understand correctly the first big patch is slated for August/September.

    -Content part 2-
    Different part is most of the contents is intertwined with the story. don't expect to roll a class grind fates till max level and then queue for a raid.
    Dungeons are unlocked by the story, primal trials as well and the raids have a quest chain to unlock them some more elaborate than others.
    Also hard mode dungeons exist make no mistake this is not the same as WoW Heroic dungeons. Hardmode dungeons are usually continuations of stories related to the normal modes
    They have a different path and different bosses in them (sometimes you can see the old paths collapsed or barricaded and you're being led into a new part of the dungeon.)    … Expand
  21. Benedict_x
    Jul 23, 2015
    10
    The expansion requires you to complete the main story of ARR and that's a good thing cause this is a Final Fantasy game. That means aside from the breathtaking graphics and the soul uplifting music there is a cpativating narrative behind it.

    Who is this game for? Final Fantasy fans & people looking to dip thier toes into a mordern day MMO. Who is it isn't for? People carrying    The expansion requires you to complete the main story of ARR and that's a good thing cause this is a Final Fantasy game. That means aside from the breathtaking graphics and the soul uplifting music there is a cpativating narrative behind it.

    Who is this game for? Final Fantasy fans & people looking to dip thier toes into a mordern day MMO.

    Who is it isn't for? People carrying unrealistic expectations from their experience in playing older MMOs & toxic gamers. Latter especially. Please stay away from this game.    … Expand
  22. saintninja
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Dragons. Many Dragons. Many beautiful mighty Dragons and dark knight. Good drama story and perfect continue of main game
  23. artimis
    Mar 13, 2017
    10
    Final Fantasy 14: Heavensward is an amazing addition to an already amazing game. Adding on to the already best mmo on the market, this expansion adds a load of new content to the game. To the new battles,races,classes, exc, theirs something for everyone to do and injoy. from hardcore raiding to casual fun, to the amazing and beautiful graphics, games well worth the subscription.

    Story    Final Fantasy 14: Heavensward is an amazing addition to an already amazing game. Adding on to the already best mmo on the market, this expansion adds a load of new content to the game. To the new battles,races,classes, exc, theirs something for everyone to do and injoy. from hardcore raiding to casual fun, to the amazing and beautiful graphics, games well worth the subscription.

    Story 10/10
    Graphics 10/10
    Combat 10/10
    Endgame 10/10
    Music 10/10
    replay ability 10/10    … Expand
  24. ZodaSoda
    Dec 13, 2021
    10
    Heavensward takes everything the team started in ARR and expends upon it, their talents increasing as they go along, This expansion is exactly what you could ask for after ARR and the story in and of itself is something any JRPG fan cannot miss. The Raid series is still one of my favourites to this day and if you know the music, then you know.
  25. writethat
    Jul 23, 2021
    10
    I never thought an expansion for a MMORPG could make me feel so much emotion. All the praise Heavensward gets is well deserved, if anything, it deserves more. Absolute masterpiece.
  26. Latorn
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    It took a long time to reach this point, but the quality of the game soared and as I continued playing it just got better and better. Now that Heavensward is included in the free version of FFXIV there is no reason a Final Fantasy fan shouldn't give it a try and experience one of the best Final Fantasy stories of the modern era.
  27. Kezian
    Jul 30, 2019
    10
    FF14 is amazing ! If you never played it, download the free trial and see for yourself !
  28. xavierboutot
    Apr 10, 2020
    10
    A major improvement from ARR. The story is more interesting and the character development goes even deeper. Compared to ARR, it feels like you are saving the world. Less stupid quests, which means less boredom and more fun overall. I would definitely recommend this expansion to any person who is interested in MMOs.
  29. Katzena
    Dec 12, 2021
    10
    This is one the best expansions for FF14. It helped me get way into the game. Its amazing
  30. candidKlutz
    Apr 30, 2022
    10
    HW is the critically acclaimed expansion for a reason. By god am I glad that it was included in the free trial. As much as I did actually enjoy ARR, i might not have continued if it weren't for how insanely good HW is. The story of this expansion starts off strong on the heels of the post ARR content, and it only gets better and better.
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PC Game of 2015
48
#48 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
61
#61 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. RPG Fan
    Nov 5, 2015
    95
    An extensive and well-planned expansion that makes Eorzea an ever-more compelling place to get lost in.
    Read full review
  2. USgamer
    Aug 14, 2015
    90
    In addition to flying, players get an all-new storyline, new Primals, a brand-new raid dungeon, and three new jobs to level up. FFXIV still retains a few annoying issues here and there, but Heavensward is one of the best MMO expansions I've played.
    Read full review
  3. GameCritics
    Aug 9, 2015
    75
    The music is often phenomenal, the translation and dialogue are exquisite, and the world is one that's worth spending time in. However, it's all based on grind-heavy gameplay, and it's still subscription based. My advice is to buy it, burn through the new content, and then put it aside until the next substantial expansion is released.
    Read full review
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