Wait is this the new DLC my friend told me about that sounds like an absolutely horrible fanfic?
Poll: So, Citadel DLC... what did you think?
- Thread starter TheCommanders
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Having now finished it, it's up there contending with the Extended Cut as may favourite DLC in the game (although I maintain no ME3 DLC has come close to being as good as Lair of the Shadow Broker and Overlord for ME2).
After all the drama that has surrounded ME3 on so many levels, it was so... refreshing that this final send off didn't take itself too seriously. Yes, a lot of heavy stuff happens in the trilogy, particularly in the third game (and I did find the very end of this DLC to be rather poignant) , but I've always loved how Bioware have balanced the mood of the series. I wouldn't go as far as to say this game 'reminded me why I fell in love with Mass Effect' because I already knew well and good why I fell in love with the series and that never changed. However, it really was a feel-good experience, which is something Mass Effect really needed.
Yes, it's cheesy. Very cheesy in fact, but it's very self-aware and comfortable with how cheesy it is, and that said, I don't think it ever goes overboard.
I know I've gushed a bit here, but I really did enjoy this one, more than I thought I would.
After all the drama that has surrounded ME3 on so many levels, it was so... refreshing that this final send off didn't take itself too seriously. Yes, a lot of heavy stuff happens in the trilogy, particularly in the third game (and I did find the very end of this DLC to be rather poignant) , but I've always loved how Bioware have balanced the mood of the series. I wouldn't go as far as to say this game 'reminded me why I fell in love with Mass Effect' because I already knew well and good why I fell in love with the series and that never changed. However, it really was a feel-good experience, which is something Mass Effect really needed.
Yes, it's cheesy. Very cheesy in fact, but it's very self-aware and comfortable with how cheesy it is, and that said, I don't think it ever goes overboard.
The villain of the main mission being a clone of Shepard actually wasn't as ridiculous as I thought it would be. I mean, if the Lazarus project can literally bring Shepard back to life, after repairing him piece by piece after he'd been dead for years, with physical trauma so shocking he/she was left unrecognizable, then why couldn't they also have made a clone? Seeing as cloning (although admittedly not yet full human cloning) isn't so much science fiction anymore in the world we know, it doesn't seem so implausible to me within the Mass Effect universe.
Remember guys, this is a fiction where the main 'science' behind everything vital to the mechanics of the galaxy is based off a completely made up element (Eezo), the purpose of which has always been pretty much unashamedly to do whatever the writers need it to do for plot convenience. We shouldn't mistake building a rich and detailed lore, which Mass Effect does to its absolute credit, with that lore being 'Hard Sci-Fi'. Mass Effect isn't, and has never been 'Hard Sci-Fi', which was one of the things that bothered me about people decrying so called "Space-Magic" in the aftermath of the ending last year. Why does it bother you that the ending is "Space-Magic"? "Space-Magic" has been at the heart of the series since its inception. The game is named after a version of "Space-Magic" that exists in the game's lore!.
I also think that the explanation behind it (him being for spare parts just in case the Lazarus Project couldn't be 100% successful) is actually quite sensible by Cerberus standards.
Remember guys, this is a fiction where the main 'science' behind everything vital to the mechanics of the galaxy is based off a completely made up element (Eezo), the purpose of which has always been pretty much unashamedly to do whatever the writers need it to do for plot convenience. We shouldn't mistake building a rich and detailed lore, which Mass Effect does to its absolute credit, with that lore being 'Hard Sci-Fi'. Mass Effect isn't, and has never been 'Hard Sci-Fi', which was one of the things that bothered me about people decrying so called "Space-Magic" in the aftermath of the ending last year. Why does it bother you that the ending is "Space-Magic"? "Space-Magic" has been at the heart of the series since its inception. The game is named after a version of "Space-Magic" that exists in the game's lore!.
I also think that the explanation behind it (him being for spare parts just in case the Lazarus Project couldn't be 100% successful) is actually quite sensible by Cerberus standards.
I know I've gushed a bit here, but I really did enjoy this one, more than I thought I would.
Watching various scenes from it, it seems to range from corny as hell to sitcom-esque to actually fantastic.
Then again, the scenes I saw as fantastic might be so because of my bias towards liking everything involving Garrus.
Then again, the scenes I saw as fantastic might be so because of my bias towards liking everything involving Garrus.
absolutely LOVED it, it's my favorite DLC of the whole series, yes, Lair of the Shadow Broker was good, but It only really focused on Liara, Citadel had the whole lot of them
the plot was ridiculous and cheesy, incredibly comedic and laughably self-aware, andi wouldn't have it any other way,
this is the last we'll see of these characters, I never wanted the final DLC to be some sad and somber tale, I wanted the trilogy to end on a high note, and have everyone go out with a bang, and that is what the DLC did to an incredible degree.
only complaint was that the crew from ME2 were not involved in the main story arc of the DLC (Thane, Legion, and Mordin got sufficient send-offs in the story proper, so their absence was understandable) and the Tali romance...no, Tali herself, kinda drifted away from what she was in ME2, but I still found her presence enjoyable in the DLC (yes, even the musical scene, I thought it was fun) so I guess I can't complain
the plot was ridiculous and cheesy, incredibly comedic and laughably self-aware, andi wouldn't have it any other way,
this is the last we'll see of these characters, I never wanted the final DLC to be some sad and somber tale, I wanted the trilogy to end on a high note, and have everyone go out with a bang, and that is what the DLC did to an incredible degree.
only complaint was that the crew from ME2 were not involved in the main story arc of the DLC (Thane, Legion, and Mordin got sufficient send-offs in the story proper, so their absence was understandable) and the Tali romance...no, Tali herself, kinda drifted away from what she was in ME2, but I still found her presence enjoyable in the DLC (yes, even the musical scene, I thought it was fun) so I guess I can't complain
Except it doesn't, because the ending of the game still has Shepard die, and still has multiple plotholes, and is still a rushed load. DLC that happens at what I'm assuming is late game does not end the game. The ending ends the game. And the ending is still terrible.Soviet Heavy said:
I loved it. It was chock-full of fan pandering and giving the masses what they wanted, and I loved every minute of it. I thought the writing was fantastic and seeing my whole big alien family together for the last time was wonderful. I cannot pick a favorite point in the DLC... though Garrus's romance date is definitely up there.
I think it was the best way possible to end Shepard's story. While mostly lighthearted, the ending scene made me bawl. (A whole damn year later, I thought I would be over this shit!!) Even if you don't agree with how BW handled things with the last game, thinking back on the adventure that is 'Mass Effect' is just awesome. It really was "the best".
(brb crying again)
I think it was the best way possible to end Shepard's story. While mostly lighthearted, the ending scene made me bawl. (A whole damn year later, I thought I would be over this shit!!) Even if you don't agree with how BW handled things with the last game, thinking back on the adventure that is 'Mass Effect' is just awesome. It really was "the best".
(brb crying again)
I absolutely LOVED IT. I legitimately think that it can compete with Lair of the Shadow Broker in terms of quality. The dialogue was hysterical, the fights were fun, and the new area was actually pretty cool. Plus I got to hang out with Wrex some more. Always a plus.
Right, my mistake. Can't believe I mixed them up.Soviet Heavy said:
Still, I'm surprised they hadn't managed to sneak in When I Was a Lad though, all things considered.
Well you can...StashAugustine said:
Hold a memorial service for him with a bunch of people, including his son of course. Its especially heart wrenching if you have a romance with him. Afterwards, you can watch some videos of him talking about his life and stuff.
And everyone thinks the Tali singing is hilarious? I thought it was really nice, and I didn't find her singing too bad. =(
But I thought the DLC was great, well worth the price. Some serious stuff happens, but it doesn't take itself TOO seriously like the rest of ME3 (Not that that was a bad thing of course). About halfway through you start to realize the kind of mindset this DLC expects you to have, and its hilarious. Also, that final boss fight?
I was a Vanguard, and my clone was charging and using Nova all over the place. Was crazy intense. Reminded me a lot of the LotSB DLC bosses. Also, I thought having the Clone use Medi-gel to heal him and Brooks was pretty genius. Speaking of Brooks, I REALLY should have seen her betrayal coming. But I was just so in love with her nice attitude, that having her be evil with an accent change to boot was cool. Again, should have seen it coming.
Which reminds me. I'm glad they FINALLY have my Shepard using Biotics in cutscenes. Always felt like that was something they should have included in all the games instead of "Shepard uses a gun" like always. Made the scene before the boss fight even cooler when taking the Renegade Interrupt.
And then you have the party section, which is just a whole bunch of LOLZ in of itself. Not to mention you can have it go completely different ways. I had it start of quiet, then turned it up, ending with dancing. Then you have to take into account that the combination of people you invite, including WHO, can make quite a bit of the conversations be different.
I also felt the DLC was surprisingly long. I mean, I was taking my sweet time and stuff, and while I know you can do the main bulk probably under 3-4 hours, I took way longer than that. About...what, 6 hours? I'm close to finishing everything, but still have a slight ways to go. Still have to do some of the mini-games and the Armax arena, and have only a couple more meetings with my crew to go.
And the ending to the whole DLC was so sad, especially when Male Shepard is there.
Love interest: We've had a good ride.
Shepard (Softly): ...The best...
Shepard (Softly): ...The best...
Just killed me. Didn't cry or tear up or anything, but did bring back so many memories of what I, and by extension Shepard, has been through.
So yeah, I recommend it. Complete fanservice to be sure, but the laughs more than make up for it. Don't regret my purchase at all. The only downside lies with the people who DON'T show up.
No Chakwas, Gabby, Adams, Kelly, or Ken. What was up with that? Hell, I would have taken even those two women guards by the CIC. They give a handwave to Chakwas, but its one of those, "Really? REALLY?" types. Oh, and Diana Allers, but I don't think too many people care about that (I certainly didn't). I mean yeah, Traynor and Cortez are romance options, but still.
Um, I haven't played it yet, but I would like to point out that it is a VERY silly DLC. It is not meant to be taken seriously at all.
I mean, have you seen the scene with Grunt yet? My dear gawd, that is fucking hilarious!
"It didn't work so well on me"
"Why?"
"Because I was on fire? From the car? Duh! Keep up Shepard!"
I mean, have you seen the scene with Grunt yet? My dear gawd, that is fucking hilarious!
"It didn't work so well on me"
"Why?"
"Because I was on fire? From the car? Duh! Keep up Shepard!"
You really got to do something about this article as it is loaded with spoilers. I mean, I know there is a risk for spoilers when reading forum for the DLC, but you pretty much revealed every neat tidbit from the game. Other than that, I thought your summary was great.Varrdy said:
I liked it quite a bit, despite (or perhaps because of) the camp, the mannerisms of the big bad clone (seriously, the only thing s/he was missing was an evil moustache), and the OTT-ness of some of the scenes. However, I came to the conclusion that the best way to handle the DLC is to get yourself into the mindset of a Trekkie watching Galaxy Quest for the first time. Namely; it's a valentine, not an insult, so relax and enjoy. This is possibly the clearest (IMO) during the Archives mission, spec. when you get trapped in the vault. I had Tali on my squad, she's freaking out about the imminent lack of air, while Shepard is trying out different variations of "I should go." The clincher:
"Shepard, why aren't you more concerned about this?"
"Oh, right. Glyph, you still out there?"
"Yes, commander."
The mission (if not the day) is saved, because of Liara's secretary drone. Not Shepard blowing the vault door open with biotic barrages, not applied fire of heavy weaponry, Liara's secretary drone. A similar feel shines through when your squadmates comment on not getting to go on the final mission, when Traynor helps you open the Normandy for the final showdown (in a manner too hilariously awesome to spoil for any who have not played it), or when you get to deconstruct your clone's attempt at a breaking speech during the (IMO) best boss fight since Tela Vasir.
Of course, the extra scenes with your friends are gravy by that point. I broke up with Tali before the Rannoch arc, (I was hoping to initiate a Kaidan romance but got friendzoned in the cafe a mission later) and it appears I dodged a bullet during her apartment visit, judging by the gobsmacked reaction everyone has to her rendition of the musical version. Grunt was hilarious, Miranda and Jack nicely showcased their relative character developments, and Liara's was a nice bonding moment with a piano variation of Vigil's theme, which is always nice.
"Shepard, why aren't you more concerned about this?"
"Oh, right. Glyph, you still out there?"
"Yes, commander."
The mission (if not the day) is saved, because of Liara's secretary drone. Not Shepard blowing the vault door open with biotic barrages, not applied fire of heavy weaponry, Liara's secretary drone. A similar feel shines through when your squadmates comment on not getting to go on the final mission, when Traynor helps you open the Normandy for the final showdown (in a manner too hilariously awesome to spoil for any who have not played it), or when you get to deconstruct your clone's attempt at a breaking speech during the (IMO) best boss fight since Tela Vasir.
Of course, the extra scenes with your friends are gravy by that point. I broke up with Tali before the Rannoch arc, (I was hoping to initiate a Kaidan romance but got friendzoned in the cafe a mission later) and it appears I dodged a bullet during her apartment visit, judging by the gobsmacked reaction everyone has to her rendition of the musical version. Grunt was hilarious, Miranda and Jack nicely showcased their relative character developments, and Liara's was a nice bonding moment with a piano variation of Vigil's theme, which is always nice.
I loved it. I was really worried after playing Omega, that this was going to be just another shooting gallery: go here, kill that, and have the barest of plot to keep me invested. Luckily, Citadel was so much more. You had a fairly stupid, but entertaining story mission, followed by four hours of spectacular fan service. God, I forgot how much I loved these characters and here in this game, for one last time they all shine. One big gripe though is the game's combat is pretty godawful if you are playing through as a soldier. You never have enough ammo and there are endless numbers of drones one-shotting your shields. Seriously, ramp that difficulty down early on, grab a power you can use when you are out of ammo, or don't play it with a soldier. Trust me on this one.
BTW, folks that are ragging on Tali's singing totally don't get the character or the context of the scene. Under all that life support is one massive movie quoting, god-awful karaoke singing geek and I wouldn't have her written any other way.
BTW, folks that are ragging on Tali's singing totally don't get the character or the context of the scene. Under all that life support is one massive movie quoting, god-awful karaoke singing geek and I wouldn't have her written any other way.
Considering that the quality of writing in it was leagues above the rest of the game, yeah it was pretty damn good. Now if only Bioware could do this in all their games.
I like the DLC, but at the same time it pissed me off. Here's why. The party feels like something that should happen after the main story. And that's how Bioware should have ended the game in the first place. Nothing fancy or "artistic". Just let us destroy the Reapers, which is something we've worked on for 3 games, then throw a party for your friends and just have an awesome satisfying happy ending with a few bittersweet moments remembering the ones who died. It would have been a perfect ending to the trilogy.
In my summary last night, I forgot to mention the DLC maintains the excellent standard of music we have come to expect from the Mass Effect series. Music evokes many emotions and I truly believe that certain music can, and does, make you feel like something is coming to a close. Call it "ending music", "farewell music" or whatever you like - it is a melodic goodbye and, when used to accompany something you hold dear, it can be a very powerful thing.
As Citadel was supposed to be the final "farewell" to the Mass Effect trilogy, the music had to reflect this and it did that in spades.
As Citadel was supposed to be the final "farewell" to the Mass Effect trilogy, the music had to reflect this and it did that in spades.