Swansong Book

[Claribel Lizama]

Its a moment that's forever lodged in my heart, and just writing about it is getting me all choked up again. If I even hear a single note from the score that plays during their conversation, tears are almost always guaranteed. This month marks 12 years since the release of Mass Effect 3, and 11 since the arrival of the Citadel DLC that brought us this particular scene. The anniversary of its launch got me thinking about how much I needed the expansion when it came around, and even after all these years, nothing has ever really topped BioWare's swansong addition that let me say a proper goodbye to my favorite sci-fi RPG trilogy. When it comes to expansions, Mass Effect 3: Citadel is still the very best in my eyes.

Say what you will about Mass Effect 3 and its endings, but I loved the third installment. Mass Effect 2 is an all-time favorite of mine that took the series to new heights, bringing us closer than ever to a crew of characters thanks to its high stakes suicide mission. Naturally that meant that when Mass Effect 3 came around, expectations were high. But even so, I had the best time with it. I enjoyed every opportunity it gave me to spend more time with the characters I'd gotten to know so well as I tried to prepare myself for the eventual end. When the Citadel expansion came around a year later, it felt like such a fitting finale, rounding off the RPG with a memorable shore leave adventure that took us away from the war and the reapers to throw a party and get some much-needed R&R.

That's not to say that we haven't gotten some stellar expansions in the years since. The Trespasser DLC in Dragon Age: Inquisition, for example, is about as close as it gets to the heights of the Citadel in Mass Effect 3. Superbly finishing up the story of the fantasy RPG, Trespasser also leaves off on a moving group shot of the companions, and then sets up what's to come in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. The Witcher 3 also had a very strong showing in this department with both the Hearts of Stone and Blood Wine expansions, the latter of which brought Geralt's epic adventure to a memorable close.

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good. "}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Heather WaldSocial Links NavigationSenior staff writerI started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.

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