GAME LOCATIONS - Episode 1 - The Citadel (Mass Effect)

One of my favorite things about games are the way developers and designers realise the worlds they create. For me, these are exemplified by the locations you encounter and play in. It could encompass an entire area of a game, or a tiny detail.

And so it begins...
To kick off this regular feature, I have chosen one of the larger locations in a game: The Citadel from Mass Effect. The Citadel is a massive construct, daunting, hidden in a pink gas nebula. It's home to countless inhabitants, and the seat of power for the majority of the galaxy.

Why The Citadel?
Because it's so awesomely realised. It feels bustling, it feels clean, it feels huge, you wander about through massive open areas filled with trees and lakes, and then you find yourself creeping down claustrophobic corridors.

You feel like you're on a massive space station, which is what is meant to happen. But it's not just the little things, it's an immensely beautiful construct, five long arms each a massive city sweep forward like a massive claw.

The cutscene where it is first revealed is amazing, and definitely one to watch...you can see it on YouTube here.

The Citadel is huge, beautiful and daunting. You feel like a tiny person as you pace it's interior. It makes you feel humble, and also intimidated. Where did something like this come from? Who could've built something so magnificent? These questions, so mysterious in nature, are central to the plot of Mass Effect.

Added info
The Citadel acts like a panic room when attacked, it seals shut to prevent anything getting in...or out. It's constructed of a material so dense it can withstand bombardment without even being scratched. It's a safe haven at the centre of the galactic politics. Tended to by the mysterious and enigmatic insectoid race called the Keepers, it's a setting that feels alive, at once metal and organic.

It's not only a major setting for sections of the game, but a place you will return to so you can marvel at the sights and sounds. Here's a tip, when you're playing the game, head down to the area with the big windows and have a look outside, there's always something interactive to look at out the windows...it works to bring the sheer size of The Citadel to the front of your mind.

Final thought...
Everything in Mass Effect is there to tell a story, and The Citadel's story is the key to it all.