Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
The Good And Bad Of The Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC
The Mass Effect 3 DLC has both hit and missed, but regardless of quality, the team at BioWare has been supporting Mass Effect 3 with a steady stream of additional content. Citadel, which released earlier this month, is the final piece of story-based DLC for the game. That also means that it's the last hurrah for players who want to spend more time with Shepard and the Normandy's crew – and Citadel hits all the right notes. It doesn't do everything perfectly, but the parts that go astray shouldn't keep Mass Effect fans from diving in. Here's the rundown of what goes right and wrong.
Good: Fan-Focused
If you're interested in playing this DLC, you've probably spent dozens of hours in the Mass Effect universe. Fans know these characters, their personality quirks, and their advantages in combat. That's what Citadel capitalizes on; it's essentially an excuse to reunite Shepard with old friends, give them all a chance to be in the spotlight, and provide an opportunity to say a bittersweet farewell.
Bad: Fan-Focused
While it's great to have a lot to enjoy on the character front, the emphasis on serving fans subordinates the need for compelling gameplay or story. The gunfights in Citadel are nothing special, and the main conflict is too brief to make an impact. The conversations that Shepard has are excellent, but the framework surrounding them is flimsy.
Good: Funny
Many of the in-jokes that the series has been building up over the years – like Shepard's awful dancing, Blasto the Hanar, and Garrus' affinity for calibrations – come up during your interactions with the crew. Some of these moments are hilarious, and others are just worth a chuckle, but you're left smiling in either case.
Bad: Pull-ups
At one point, to finish a scene with James Vega, you need to do 182 pull-ups. Each one of them is triggered manually with the trigger buttons. It takes a long time, and the payoff isn't remotely worth it.
Good: Light-hearted
Mass Effect 3 is the darkest of the series, leaving players to confront horrors of war and the inevitability of death. Citadel sheds the somber tone; the crew is on shore leave, and though there are reference to the war, people don't really spend much time talking about how the Reapers are going to kill everybody. It's more of a "enjoy these moments while you can" attitude, which makes it feel more natural when everybody is cracking jokes, gambling, and dancing.
The Bottom Line: Play it
Citadel is undoubtedly an appropriate good-bye. Even though it is set before the final mission in the game's timeline, the fact that it came out a year after the game's initial release means that it is going to be the last time many players hop aboard the Normandy. BioWare clearly knew this; even though the characters don't seem aware of the finality of their interactions, the dialogue is carefully crafted to tug at the heartstrings of longtime fans. I won't spoil anything, but the whole DLC is peppered with moments specifically designed to remind players of the great times they had in the Mass Effect universe with these unique and (mostly) likeable cast. No fan of the series should miss it.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
