Mass Effect 3 Citadel Soundtrack - The End of an Era [Extended]

Citadel DLC - The End of an Era [Extended version]

Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The game was released March 6, 2012. The Wii U port was developed by an Australian company called Straight Right, and was released as a Wii U launch game under the title Mass Effect 3 Special Edition.

Mass Effect 3's soundtrack is composed by Clint Mansell, Christopher Lennertz, Cris Velasco, Sam Hulick and Sasha Dikiciyan.

Citadel is a DLC pack for Mass Effect 3. It opens new areas of the Citadel, offers new attractions on the Citadel, and an opportunity to connect with characters from the series. The pack was announced on February 21, 2013 and was released on March 5, 2013 worldwide for Xbox 360 and PC; for PlayStation 3, it was released March 5, 2013 worldwide except in Europe, where it will be released on March 6, 2013.

"The End of an Era" soundtrack is composed by Cris Velasco. Original duration: 1:03.

Mass Effect is a trademark of BioWare and Electronic Arts.

[tarikay]

Kaidan, Ahsley, Garrus, Wrex, Tali, Jack, EDI, Liara, Mordin, Legion, Samara, Grunt, James, Jacob, Miranda, Thane, Garrus, Javik... Hell, even Zaeed and Kasumi. And of course, Joker. This is one of the few games that makes you care for your in-game friends, they're completely alive with their backstories.

[NoneShallDefyMe]

We laughed, we cried, we even had a few angry moments. This series is more than just a video game, more than just a shooter. It's an expertly crafted sci-fi masterpiece. It may have been Shepard's story, but it was everyone's journey along with him that created something magical. We may have new stories but nothing will replace Shepard and his struggle to literally save the Universe.

So here's to you, Mass Effect. It was one hell of a fucking ride and I don't regret anything.

[alricmalicorne]

I wish I could forget all about Mass Effect. Forget all about my playthrough, my choices, my surprises, the characters, everything. Because then, I could discover it all over again, for the first time.

[eitkoml]

The citadel DLC was definitely a good way to end the Shepard trilogy. The guys at Bioware knew that it would be the last thing to ever be released for the Shepard trilogy and they made something that was amazing.

[TheMonkeymonkeyking]

Never had an emotional attachment with a game and its characters as much as Mass Effect, brilliant, my favourite games of all time.

[uhobme]

So you've finished the Legendary Edition...






Hurts doesn't it

[TheFartman]

"The end of an era"

How appropriate

[PinacoladaMatthew]

I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite era in the galaxy.

[orionrolater]

"We've been through a lot haven't we? But I wouldn't have missed any of it for the world. It's been a damn good ride." " The best. Just... just the best.

[dumbwood]

(Written today on February 15th, 2023. For future reference)
I would appreciate if at least one person would read this and reply. I don't write comments this long, but christ, I have to. I haven't listened to this song in a long while. Here I go:

Damn dude. I'm seriously getting more emotional when I look back on this series. It's making me go crazy and I can't stress it enough. My love for this trilogy, the characters, and especially Tali.

Thanks to my oldest brother (me being 13, turning 14 in October with him being 8 years older) I first finished this trilogy from August - November 2018 back when I was in 8th grade in middle school. I graduate my Senior year of high school in a few months in May. Time flew by, but at the same time it didn't. Sure, I played games before Mass Effect, but nothing drew me into the medium like this series did. And almost nothing stood up to the same standard.

Getting into the series and playing Mass Effect 1 - 3 on my brother's Xbox 360 was something I went into almost blind. I was always aware my brother being a fan when I was in elementary school, but I stopped caring once I reached middle school. Until he rightfully convinced me to play it when I was about to start 8th grade. Mass Effect 1 introduced me to a mysterious and atmospheric world with smart writing, interesting choices, clunky but enjoyable gameplay, and lovable characters. I was disappointed you couldn't romance Tali in the first game (still kinda am), but I'm glad I never romanced anyone in the first Mass Effect and still don't because she's just a treasure.

Mass Effect 2 of course is even better and introduced me to more of my favorite characters. Mordin, Grunt, Thane, Legion, and brought back old and awesome characters such as Garrus, Liara, Wrex, Kaiden/Ashley (I chose Kaiden), and of course Tali. Tali's romance was awesome and I still remember crushing over her so hard when I was barely 14. I don't think that will fade away now that I'm 18 lol. The suicide mission, loyalty missions, DLCs, dialogue, and checking on every single character after a mission was something I looked forward to. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

And damn, I know this series is about choices, but I can't help but make (almost) the same decisions every time I replay these games. Can't help it. I love my playthrough and always want the best case scenario. The world is like my escape and I would kill to live in that universe.

When I started Mass Effect 3, I always heard about the controversy, but my god dude, it might as well be my favorite game of all time (tied with Wind Waker) and in the trilogy. The combat got better, the characters I love were brought back, the story was so emotionally investing, Shepard has more personality than ever before, and Tali's romance got so much better. Like, increased tenfold. It's almost embarrassing how much I still swoon over Tali. Everything from that game just made me love the series more and more.

Leaving Earth was an emotional beginning, Kaiden almost dying, reuniting with Liara and Garrus, reuniting with Wrex and Mordin, meeting with Thane, Grunt, Jack, Miranda, Samara, Kasumi, and Zaeed again, curing the genophage and losing Mordin, reuniting and continuing my romance with Tali, meeting Legion again, saving both the Quarians and Geth from annihilation, losing Thane, getting Kaiden back, meeting Javik, losing to that bitch Kai Leng on Thessia, destroying the Cerberus base on Horizon and saving Miranda, and having the BEST PART EVER. The Citadel DLC is a masterpiece. And then... finally hitting Earth. Saying one final word before the final battle to my friends, and my love interest, Tali. Doing the final push with Garrus and Tali at my side, and letting Tali know that she must got back and build herself a home. Gets me every time. The final confrontation with the Illusive Man and conversation with Anderson is powerful. Leading up to the ending, I seriously don't mind it. However, Destroy is the only ending I like. It makes so much sense and it's the only one where Shepard remains alive. It gives me hope that some day he can go live with Tali.

Since then, I've replayed the trilogy in full about 3 times, the last of which was in early 2021. Partially because Legendary Edition came out that year. My next playthrough will be on Legendary Edition, for sure. There was a period between 2019 and 2020 where I had a burnout, but I recovered when I watched one of my best friends play the whole trilogy during lockdown in my freshman year. It rekindled my love for the trilogy... and Tali lol. Tali is my absolute favorite video game character and I love her so much.

So yeah, Mass Effect changed my life. I will always love this trilogy and I'm hoping the the new game will be good... unlike Andromeda. I'll probably go back and re-edit this comment. If you read this, I thank you so much.

(October 22nd, 2024 Update)

As I've gotten older, I realize time flies by faster and faster. Way too fast. COVID-19 seems like it was just a year or two ago. Not almost 5. I turned 20 just a few weeks ago and it depresses me how fast time goes by. I'm in my second year of college now and it just doesn't feel right. I hope to anyone who's reading this to make the most out of their lives and don't let the passage of time deter you. Live in the moment.

[gutspillage]

This makes me cry. Mass Effect has so profoundly affected me. All the artists who worked on it have my utmost admiration.

[TheNatureFreak]

Mass Effect is unquestionably the greatest franchise of the last generation! Think of it, the first one came out in 2007, which was a powerhouse year for gaming, since a lot of great franchises started back then. In 2010, about half-way through the generation, the sequel, which is even better, comes out in January already, and it quickly became my all-time favorite game. Then the third game came out late in the generation, in march 2012, and while not as good as 2, still pretty sweet (free dlc fixed the ending, so stop whining already). 
Then, shortly after the PS4 and Xbox One was announced, the Citael DLC came out, as a final fan-service, farewell and a big thank-you to us players for having played this incredible trilogy. It just felt kind of heartbreaking knowing that the Citadel DLC would be the final chapter in the story, and this musical theme certainly mae me feel sad about it. But at least that party afterwards was just the best of the best, putting all the surviving characters together. The ending shot of the normandy in the docking bay after Shepard and their LI had their little talk after the party just made my heart sink a little. 

I can literally play these games over and over and over.  Becoming the first human spectre, exploring the entire galaxy, meeting all your squadmates for the first time, Feros, Noveria, choosing to leave one friend behind at Virmire, chasing Saren, saving the council, escape from the Normandy before it blows up, joining Cerberus to stop the collecors, recruiting your entre team, the loyalty missions, punching the reporter in her face, shooting Conrad Verner in the foot, launching a suicide mission, surviving against all odds, blowing the Collector Base to hell, uniting the galaxy against the Reapers, curing the genophage, ending the war between the Geth and the Quarians, taking Earth Back, and throwing a huge party with your buddies to top it all off. Been a DAMN good ride! This trilogy has truly delivered so much, in terms of great story, amazing characters, moral choices that actually mean something, stellar gameplay and cinematic direction. Mass Effect is more than just a game, it's an emotional journey, an experience unlike any other in gaming, and I don't regret a minute of it! The incredible characters met along the way with epic moments and set pieces truly makes Mass Effect a legendary franchise to be remembered.

[Lellianna]

Citadel was the ending the series deserved, doesnt matter honestly, still crying at the memorial wall scene.

[eddieray]

This music makes me cry . Its just so beautiful !
I miss you Shepard

[jumeauxelaine]

Wish Thane, Mordin and Legion were in this DLC. 

[gutspillage]

Came to this after the latest Andromeda updates. I am so sad knowing this Mass Effect experience will never be repeated. "The End of an Era" couldn't be more suitably named. It is not a game for many of us, it remains a chapter of our lives.

[robinshaw]

When i grow up i will tell mass effect as bed time story to my child....
Mass effect story is just so freaking awesome...So rich, so diverse, so deep...

[Miloshmkd]

Just finished ME trilogy again after who knows how many times, and again I shed a tear when looking back and see how the franchise and the characters have grown. This track hits a tear gland, even with the name The End of an Era...End of an era indeed.

[NolDragon]

Mass Effect 3 released in 2012, the year I turned 18. Quite the double end of an Era indeed, for us 1994 kids. Such a beautiful franchise.

[LucasJAmmons]

This song makes me wish I lived in Mass Effect universe.