Mass Effect - XB360/Walkthrough
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Mass Effect • Walkthrough • Side Missions • Classes • Characters • Equipment • Gameplay • Planet Guide • Achievements • Downloadable Content
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Eden Prime
Normandy
The game actually starts on the Normandy. This ship transports you around the galaxy and serves as a mobile home base. At this time, you only have access to the command deck.
Your first action is a dialogue with Joker. This conversation will effect your morality only slightly, but is a good introduction to the system.
You'll then be asked to go see the captain in the communications room. Use your map to navigate there. Speak with the people on the way there to get some general information about the Mass Effect universe.
In the communications room you'll meet Nihlus. He is a Spectre, an agent of the galactic ruling council. Speak with him to get more general information. The Captain then arrives and gives you the first mission: to retrieve an alien artifact from the planet Eden Prime. The mission becomes more difficult when it's revealed that the planet is under attack.
Eden Prime Digsite
Look around the starting area and you'll find an upgrade kit. You'll also see some animals you can use for target practice. Move up the trail and you'll be attacked. Part of the story script includes one of your party members being killed. Stay behind cover and shoot the hovering enemies with your pistol.
After the fight is a dialogue where you'll be able to get some morality points.
As you go up the path, you'll have to face two more groups of these enemies. You'll then encounter Ashley Williams. Help her fight the Geth she's fighting, then speak to her. She will then join your party.
Now move on to the dig site itself. The site is well defended, and you'll have to fight your way in. Be sure to use squad commands. When you're done, look around for a crate of equipment. Ashley will then suggest searching a nearby camp.
Camp
When you get to the camp, you'll see some husks who will try to attack you. They have no ranged attacks, and move slowly, so take them out at range. Search the area for loot. If anyone in your party has a high enough decryption skill you can open the cargo container and speak to some survivors.
Train Station
Now head over to the train station. There are more zombies and Geth for you to deal with.
Before you enter the station itself, use your decryption skill to open the nearby cargo container. Inside are some survivors You can charm or intimidate them into giving you extra equipment and weapons.
Move into the station and clear out any remaining Geth. While searching the area for loot, you'll find the body of Nihlus, the agent you spoke to on the Normandy. You'll also encounter a man who saw the attack and tells you which way the killer went. If you unlocked the cargo container earlier, you can charm/intimidate him into giving you extra equipment.
Head over to the train station platform. You'll have to fight your way there, and you'll have to deal with a Geth Destroyer. This robot is harder than the other enemies you've faced so far.
Spaceport
When you get to the spaceport, you'll discover the Geth has set four explosive charges. You have a limited amount of time to find and disable these charges. The first one is right next to you as you get off the train. Fight your way through the spaceport and find the remaining charges. Your minimap has the locations of all the bombs.
When you've gotten all four, head to the west side of the spaceport. The beacon is on a platform. Before you approach the beacon, search the platform for containers. You'll then call for a pick up, and you'll see an in-game scene.
You'll be transported to the Normandy. Here you'll have another in game scene and then you'll be free to explore the ship. Be sure to check out the equipment lockers and the Requisition Officer in the vehicle bay. When you're done exploring, speak to Joker to move on to the next level.
The Citadel
The Citadel is a giant space station built long ago by an unknown race. It is made of the same material as the mass relays, and maintained by robot like creatures called Keepers. It is also the seat of galactic government.
This level starts with several scenes that advance the storyline. When they're over, you're asked to meet with Ambassador Udina at the Citadel Tower. You can go directly there, or explore the area.
At the Citadel Tower you'll hear Captain Anderson accuse Saren of murder, but he has no proof. When the dialogue is over you have a new mission: to investigate Saren. You have two options:
- Speak to a former C-Sec officer named Harkin. He's in Chora's Den, a bar in the lower wards. Before you enter, you'll have to fight a group of assassins. He'll tell you to go to the medical clinic and speak with the doctor there. Be sure to stop by C-Sec after going to the medical clinic to get Wrex to join your party.
- Speak to the merchant Barla Von in the Presidium. He will direct you to a Krogan named Wrex who's currently in C-Sec. Speak to Wrex Krogan, who will then join your party. You'll then have to select two people to bring with you. Be sure to bring Wrex in your group, as you'll need him in this next section. Wrex will direct you to the medical clinic.
Before you enter the medical clinic, make sure you have some good weapons and equipment. Save your game before you enter the clinc. When you get there, you'll see a short scene, then you'll be in a gun fight with some thugs.
After this fight, Garrus joins your party.
You must now go to Chora's Den. The bad guys are expecting you so you'll have to fight your way in, and through the bar. The hardest enemy here is the Krogan bouncer.
If you're having trouble with this fight, try doing some of the side quests to increase your level and equipment.
Fight your way through the back of the establishment. There are several offices and hallways you'll have to get through. Finally you'll get to Fist's office. You'll have to defeat him, or the two security turrets that are protecting him. The turrets are vulnerable to tech attacks. Once you destroy the turrets or defeat Fist, he will surrender.
He'll then tell you to go to the Upper Wards. You must get there before the timer on your screen runs out. There are some minions that have retaken the bar, and they'll fight you on the way out. You can attack them, or if you're running low on time you can sprint past them.
When you get to the meeting place, a firefight ensues. Saren's minions have a tech ability that overheats weapons and lowers shields.
When you've won the battle, you'll meet Tali, and you'll speak with Ambassador Udina. Tali will then join your team.
You'll then have to meet with the council in the Citadel Tower. You'll get a big chunk of information advancing the plot. You'll also be promoted to a Spectre.
You can now choose to explore the Citadel some more and do more sidequests, or you can board the Normandy to continue your main mission. Before you go, you'll want to visit C-Sec and see the equipment they're willing to sell you now that you're a Spectre.
| There are three worlds that you can explore that will advance the main quest at this point: Therum, Feros, and Noveria. You can visit them in any order you wish. It's recommended you visit Therum first, as there's one more teammate you pick up there. After you've visited two of these worlds, you'll unlock a fourth planet named Virmire. |
Therum
Therum is located in the Knossos system of the Artemis Tau cluster.
You'll be dropped onto this planet in the Mako. Soon after you hit the ground you'll get a radio message that there is something to the north.
Take the path north and you'll soon encounter to Geth walkers. Their attacks are powerful but easy to dodge. Use the Mako's main cannon to take them out at long range. You can also run over them.
The Refinery
Farther up the path you'll find a refinery. This complex is controlled by the Geth, and is defended by powerful rocket armed turrets. There is a path on the right side you can use to flank them, it is shown on the in game map.
Drive over there and you'll find it is guarded by a single turret. Use the Mako's main gun and stay at maximum range to make it easier to dodge the turret's rockets. Drive through the pass and you'll see the inside of the compound. There are many enemies here, so use the Mako to your advantage. Find an enemy and attack it, but be ready to back out of the complex if the return fire gets too intense. Once the area is clear of enemies, you can get out and explore on foot.
Look around for loot, then open the north gate. You can now get back in the Mako and proceed through the gate. As you continue you'll encounter more walkers and other enemies.
Keep going until you get to a group of rocks that block the path. You'll have to proceed on foot. You'll then be attacked by Geth soldiers from the hills. Take cover among the rocks and try to take out the rocket armed soldiers first.
Move forward and in the next area you'll come under sniper fire. Return fire with a sniper rifle if you have one, or a pistol if you don't.
Head to the structure on top of the ridge. Before you get there you want to save your game. You'll see a scene, and as soon as it ends, you'll come under fire. You'll be attacked by ground troops and another walker. The walker's gun has the abilty to kill with a single shot. Head to your left and stand near what look like grain bins. Stay in this area and the infantry geth will come to you. You can then deal with the walker by shooting at it through the holes in the fence. It will take a long time to do enough damage to destroy it, so just keep shooting and dodging it's powerful but clumsy laser.
Underground
Head into up the walkway and a tunnel that goes down. Deal with the geth at the bottom of the tunnel and go to the elevator.
You'll be attacked by flying robots as soon as you exit the elevator. Kill them, then find the other elevator and go down.
At the bottom of the elevator ride you'll find the person you're looking for. Dr. Liara T'Soni explains that the force fields are part of a security system she activated when the Geth attacked. The shutdown controls are on the inside of the force fields, so you'll have to find a way inside to shut them down.
Explore the cavern and you'll find plenty of enemies to fight. You'll also find a mining laser. The code to activate the laser is A, X, B, Y. This opens up a passage that gets around the force fields.
Take the passage to Dr. T'Soni and she'll point you to an elevator. The complex will start to shake and you'll realize that it's about to collapse.
Escape
At the top of the elevator you'll encounter a Krogan Battlemaster and some geth soldiers. No matter what you say, you'll have to fight him.
This is the final fight of this level, and it's quite hard. When the fight starts, the enemy will split into two groups and run to opposite sides of the room. If you stay in the center, you'll be cut down in a crossfire. Your best bet is to find cover in the passage that the Krogan and company came out of.
Run forward and take out the couple of geth that are in the passage, and take cover behind the crate there. Facing the main circular room, the Krogan will be on your right and a couple of geth will be on your left. Take out the geth on the left side. If you have to, charge them and take them out at close range.
If you stay too long in the passage, the Krogan will charge in and kill you. You'll want to fight the Krogan at a distance because he is quite deadly at close range. He has heavy shields and his hand to hand attack can kill in just a few quick hits. Once you've taken out the geth on the left side, go to their position. By this point, the Krogan should be the last enemy standing. Stay as far away from him as possible. Shoot at him and back up at the same time. When he charges, run away to the other side of the room, then turn and fire.
Once you've defeated the Krogan, you should run out and to the Normandy. Once there you'll be able to speak with Liara and get more information about the storyline. She will join your party at this time.
Feros
Zhu's Hope
When you land on Feros, you'll be greeted by a man who tells you to see the colony leader Fai Dan. He'll then be killed by a sniper. Take out these enemies and head down the passage. Watch out for the Geth on the stairs. Keep moving forward and fight your way to forward to a group of humans.
These ruins are what's left of Zhu's Hope spaceport. You'll find Fai Dan on the west side of the ruins. He asks you to root out Geth soldiers from a nearby tower they've been using as a base. You'll be attacked by Geth before he finishes speaking.
Fight your way to the tower (on the northwest part of the map) and kill any enemies you find there. The last enemy is a Geth Destroyer.
When the tower is clear, return to Fai Dan. He'll direct you to a research station on the planet that you can get to through the Prothean skyway. Before you go, be sure to visit the merchant on the other side of the building to see what he has for sale.
You can also pick up some side quests here helping out the colonists. The four quests Geth in the Tunnels, Power Cells, Varren Meat, and Water Restoration are all done in the same area, and are most easily done together.
The Skyway
Head over to the garage and you'll find a Mako there. Hop in and drive out of the garage. You'll encounter a pair of Geth armatures as soon as the door opens. Their shots are slow moving and easy to dodge. You can also drive back into the garage before their shots reach you. The garage door will close and block them.
Move along the road and watch for enemies. Be sure not to drive off the side of the skyway. There are a two open side tunnels on the ramp in the road. When you find one, hop out and kill the Geth inside; there is some good loot inside.
Along the Skyway you'll come to a tunnel you must drive through. At a ninety-degree turn, just before a ramp there is a passage on the left. Get out and explore it on foot. You'll find a group of survivors here that will give you a sidequest (Data Recovery).
This is a good place to save your game if you haven't done it lately.
Head back to the Mako and continue down the skyway. You'll have to take out a Geth blockade. Along the way you'll find more small tunnels that you can explore for loot.
Research Base
At the end of the skyway is a garage. Drive inside and you'll come under fire. The Mako is too large to fit deeper into the garage. You can however use the Mako's gun to take out most of the Geth from the parking area.
There is a door here you can open with the proper decryption skill or omni-gel. In the room past it is a Geth Armature. It's far harder taking out the Armature without the Mako, but you can always back up out the door to safety.
In the main parking area, near the shielded door is a passage you can drop through. In this tunnel you'll encounter another survivor. She tells you about the Geth force field surrounding the facility and to disable it you'll need to destroy the Geth dropship. When you're done talking to her you'll be attacked by varren, wild dog-like creatures. They only attack up close, so shoot them while back pedaling.
There are stairs in one corner of this room. You'll encounter a Krogan who attacks you. The hologram here will then tell you about a plant call a Thorian that is being used as a mind control system. It has been used to control the population of the planet. You must now deactivate the force field at the base so you can return to Zhu's Hope.
Head out the passage and in the next room you'll see two Geth in front of an orb. You'll also see large tubes in this room. Kill the Geth and check out the tubes. These tubes connect the ship to the structure.
Fight your way to the upper level, and take out the numerous forces you find there. On the west side is a large bay. In here, in addition to a number of enemies is a door control. If this door is closed with enough pressure it will detach the ship from the side of the building and lower the shields. Walk up to the large white control system and activate the correct valves. If the valves were numbered from left to right, you'd activate valves 2, 4, and 5 (7 psi, 11 psi, and 13 psi). When you do this, the shields come down and you can head down stairs.
On the way out you'll encounter the survivor you talked to before. She will tell you the location of the Thorian.
You can now hop back in your Mako and return on the skyway to Zhu's Hope. You'll have to fight some Geth on the road back.
On the way back stop by the survivors you met on the way in. The leader of the survivors has received orders to purge the colony. Speak to him and you'll get a persuade option (but only if your charm or intimidate skills are very high). If you can't persuade him, you'll be forced to shoot him. You can then get a grenade upgrade that reverse the effect of the mind control. Be sure to equip this upgrade on your grenades before using it on the colonists.
Return to Zhu's Hope
Just outside the garage, you'll find a zombie. These zombies aren't the same as the colonists, and can't be saved. Here you'll have to make a decision: order your group to kill the colonists (renegade) or to save them (paragon). If you're a paragon and a perfectionist, you'll want to save your game here in case you accidentally kill some of the colonists.
Open the garage and you'll find a whole bunch of zombies. Shoot them all down before they get too close. You can also hop in the Mako and shoot them/run them over. At the far end of the garage you'll find a group of mind controlled colonists. Use gas grenades on them if you're trying to follow the Paragon path, or shoot them if you're Renegade.
If you're out of grenades, you can use melee attacks to knock them out. If you're saving the colonists, you may want to switch to a weapon you're not trained in while you do melee attacks. This will prevent you from accidentally shooting them.
Fight your way to the center of the town. Here you'll find the hatch to the Thorian's location. There is a spaceship on top of the hatch, so you'll have to move it using the crane. Clear the area of any enemies, then use the crane controls.
Sometimes the game glitches, and there is one remaining colonist on the mini-map, but located inside the freighter. The game won't let you use the controls until you clear the map. Use the mini-map to find that person's location, then look for their feet sticking through the freighter's hull. Throw a gas grenade an their feet and this will take them out.
When you use the controls, Fai Dan will appear in a cut scene. You have no control over what happens in this scene.
Head down the stairs and you'll encounter the Thorian. An Asari speaks on its behalf. You'll then have to fight her. When you've defeated the Asari, head over to the passage to the north.
You'll have to destroy six nodes to kill the Thorian. The first node is located in this tunnel.
Keep going and you'll have to fight another Asari. Fight your way up to the second level and to a second node and destroy it. The third level has a two more nodes. The fourth level has one, and the fifth level has one.
When you've destroyed this last node you'll encounter a final Asari, but this one won't attack. She then tells you what Saren was doing with the Thorian and gives you information abut the Prothean beacon.
You can now speak to any of the colonists and head back to the Normandy.
Noveria
Garage Pass
The landing point on Noveria is Port Hanshan. When you disembark the Normandy, you'll be greeted by the local security personnel and asked to hand over your weapons. Speak to them in whatever manner fits your morality choice (renegade or paragon). No matter what you say, you'll be allowed to keep your weapons.
You'll then encounter a customs agent named Gianna who will give you some information about the planet. She'll tell you that Benezia is at a place called Peak 15, and direct you to speak with the port administrator.
You may want to explore the merchant area. You may also want to speak to Lilihierax in the garage. He'll be able to tell you more about Peak 15.
At the port administrator's office, speak first with the secretary about the local situation, then talk to the administrator himself. He'll tell you that Saren is involved with Peak 15. He also says that a garage pass is needed to get there. Talk with him as much as you can, then speak to the secretary one more time. She'll tell you about Lorik Qui'in in the mezzanine who might be able to get you a garage pass.
Speak to Qui'in in the mezzanine. He'll ask you to go to the Synthetic Insights lab. A group of thugs are robbing the place, and you'll have to stop them and then find a piece of evidence that proves the port administrator is corrupt and bring it to Qui'in.
| There is another way of getting a garage pass. Go to the merchant Opold in the hangar and agree to smuggle something through customs for him. He has the package delivered to the Normandy, so you can pick it up there. Then take the package to the port administrator. In return for turning in Opold, he gives you a garage pass. This method does not affect your morality. |
Synthetic Labs is heavy on combat, so you may want to switch party members for this section. Also, check your gear to make sure it's up to date.
Fight your way in, grab Qui'in's computer and fight your way out.
On your way out of Synthetic Labs, you'll encounter Gianna (the customs agent). She asks you to meet her at the mezzanine. Speak to her and she'll give you another option: convince Qui'in to testify against the port administrator.
You now have several options:
- Hand the evidence over to Qui'n and collect your garage pass. You will get some paragon points.
- Convince Qui'in to testify against the administrator. Then speak to Gianna who will arrest him. This gets you lots of paragon points.
- Convince Qui'in to testify against the administrator. Then speak to the administrator and sell out Qui'in. Do not give him the evidence, instead let the two fight and take the garage pass from the administrator's dead body. This gets you lots of renegade points.
The Road to Peak 15
Inside the garage, you'll have to fight several Geth. If you want, you can use the vehicle (pick the lock) here to take them out.
Head over to the Mako, hop in and drive it out of the garage. The first thing you'll find on the road is an abandoned vehicle. Hop out and grab whatever loot you can find. Be warned that the cold weather will hurt you if you stay outside too long.
Next up is a tunnel entrance guarded by Geth. They have rocket armed infantry and a heavy turret. Inside the tunnel are more infantry. Just as you exit the tunnel you come across a Geth Walker. Use the tunnel as cover.
There is a second tunnel, and it is also guarded. On the far side of this tunnel another heavy turret. There is a second turret that starts shooting at you from the left as soon as you exit the tunnel.
A third turret is along the path.
A fourth and final turret is at the entrance to Peak 15.
Park next to the door and enter the facility.
Peak 15
As soon as you enter you'll have to fight a Geth Juggernaut and several Krogan. The first thing to do is destroy the repair drone that heals the juggernaut. Use the explosive containers here to your advantage.
Use the elevator to get to the administration level.
You'll have to fight some Geth, then several Rachni arrave. These bugs are resistant to most tech attacks, and spit acid at close range.
Fight your way to the facility computer core. Here speak with the computer to learn that you must reboot the system. You can either use 100 omni-gel or solve a puzzle. (This is actually a Tower of Hanoi puzzle.)
If the smallest block is 1, and the largest is 4, then the solution to the puzzle is:
- 1st: 1 to Y
- 2nd: 2 to B
- 3rd: 1 to B
- 4th: 3 to Y
- 5th: 1 to X
- 6th: 2 to Y
- 7th: 1 to Y
- 8th: 4 to B
- 9th: 1 to B
- 10th: 2 to X
- 11th: 1 to X
- 12th: 3 to B
- 13th: 1 to Y
- 14th: 2 to B
- 15th: 1 to B
When you've restarted the system, you'll see a hologram. Speak to this image to learn that Benezia has left Peak 15 for a place called Rift Station and it can only be reached by train. The train is offline, and to repair it you'll need to fix the fuel lines that run from the main reactor to the roof of Peak 15.
First you'll have to fix the fuel lines in the reactor. The walkway to the reactor is guarded by a Geth destoryer and a Geth stalker. When you've gotten them, be careful going down the walkway: a Geth Juggernaut is waiting above the walkway, and is positioned so he'll attack your rear.
When you get to the fuel line controls, use them and then you'll be attacked by to Geth destroyers.
Now head back up to the core where you can take an elevator to the roof.
Now go back down to the core where you can take an elevator to the train. Of coures there's a problem: there are rachni in the train. You have several options to deal with them depending on your tech skill level:
- Repair, then use, the plasma purge control.
- Pick the lock on the door and shoot the rachni.
- Use the station's computer to open the door, and shoot the rachni.
Once the rachni are dead, take the train to the Rift Station.
Rift Station
Head up the one elevator that you can use. At the top you'll meet Captain Ventralis. He'll give you some information about the status of the station. There are also some other survivors here, including a merchant.
You'll also find a door guarded by turrets. Don't go through this door yet.
You need to get a pass to the maintenance tunnel. You'll have to complete a short mission chain to do that.
| This mission gives you a lot of paragon points. If you're playing a renegade, you may want to open the locked door guarded by turrets. You'll have to fight the assault drone guards and the rachni on the other side. This requires a lot of fighting, but doesn't net any morality points for either paragon or renegade. |
Talk to Dr. Palon here, who will direct you to Dr. Cohen in the sick bay. Dr Cohen will ask you to go to the lab to get a cure for a toxin that has been released. Go to Captain Ventralis and ask him for permission to go to the lab. Then head to the lab and solve the puzzle there. Simply press the indicated button when the meter is between the two arrows. The order of the buttons is X, Y, X, A.
Once you've gotten the cure, you'll be attacked by an Asari Commando and two Geth soldiers. Take cover and watch out for the commando's boitic attacks.
Go outside and speak to the Volus there. He'll say the bad guys came from the maintenance tunnel, so that's where you should go.
Go back to Dr. Cohen and give him the cure. He'll give you the maintenance tunnel pass.
Make sure your gear is ready, save your game and head into the maintenance tunnel.
Inside the tunnel you'll encounter Bevezia. You'll have to fight her and three waves of minions. The biggest problem is Bevezia herself. Her biotic attacks are devastating. When combat starts, run to the west side of the area, behind the Rachni Queen's holding cell. Bevezia won't follow you, but her minions will. This allows you to destroy her minions without taking damage from Bevezia.
The first wave are two Asari Commandos. Her second and third waves are Geth snipers. When you've defeated the third wave, you'll enter into dialogue with Bevezia.
She knows the location of a mass relay that Saren used, and she gives it to you. You'll then have to fight her again, and this time she has three Asari Commandos to help her.
After the fight, pick up any loot you can find and take a look at the Rachni Queen. She'll then speak through one of the dead Asari. She'll first ask you to destroy all of the rachni in the station. You'll have to make a decision: to leave the queen to die (renegade points), or to let her go (paragon points).
Save your game before entering the hot lab.
Head to the hot lab and you'll find one guy sitting alone. He'll tell you that the way to get rid of the rachni is to set off a neutron purge. He'll then be killed by a rachni, so avenge his death and grab the codes from his dead body.
In the room just behind this one is a terminal where you can access the computer hologram. She'll accept the codes and start the countdown. This also causes a large group of rachni to attack. You have to get to the elevator before the time is up. The best way to go is to not fight and storm your way to the elevator.
Once you've made it to the elevator you can take your time getting back to the Normandy.
Virmire
Before going to Virmire, you may want to do the Wrex's Family Armor quest. It will make one section much easier.
To the Camp
In order to unlock Virmire, you must first visit two of the following three planets: Feros, Therum, and Noveria.
Your goal is to destroy Saren's facility on the planet. Unfortunately it's protected by anti-aircraft weapons, so you'll have to go in on the Mako.
The first groups of enemies you encounter are easily taken out by the Mako. You won't have any problems until you get to the first gate control bunker. Destroy all the enemies you can with the Mako, then hop out and take out the rest on foot.
Just past the gate is a Geth Colossus. This is a giant and very powerful walker. Do everything you can to avoid being hit by its main gun. The best way to defeat it is to hide behind the rocks, pop out and shoot it, then hide before it can return fire. Keep doing this and eventually you'll defeat it.
The canyon will then branch off in two directions. Each branch has another Colossus, and then they link back up. Pick either one, then you can go back for the other if you want the experience and loot.
You'll then have to deal with a second gate control bunker. This one also has an anti-aircraft weapon you have to take out. Destroy as many enemies as you can and then hop out and assault the base on foot. Find and use both the power controls and the gate controls. Get back in the Mako and continue.
There is a third gate control bunker, which is exactly the same as the second except there is only a gate control.
Just past this you'll link up with the team sent by the Council.
Here you'll meet Captian Kirrahe. He'll tell you that Saren has a base nearby that he's using to breed Krogan he intends to use as an army. Wrex is intrigued by this because he's a Krogan and his species is dying out because of breeding problems. Saren's base may have the cure needed to save his race and Wrex doesn't want to destroy it.
After the meeting with Kirrahe, speak to Wrex. He'll become so angry that he pulls his gun on you. If you've done the Family Armor mission, you can choose the "We are" option and he'll calm down. If you didn't you'll have to have a high persuade ability (either charm or intimidate) to keep him calm. Choose "These aren't your people" to try to persuade him. If you persuade him to go along with the plan of destroying the base, you'll get experience and morality points. If you can't persuade him, the rest of your team will be forced to defend themselves and Wrex will be killed. You won't be able to revive him; you will lose him as a member of your team.
After saving (or killing) Wrex, check out the merchant in one of the tents. Be sure to buy whatever you need, you won't find another merchant for a while.
When you're ready, speak to Captain Kirrahe again. His plan is to rig up a nuclear bomb and use the Normandy to drop it into Saren's base. To do this, you'll have to take out all of the anti-aircraft weapons in the base.
At this time, Kirrahe will ask you to select between Ashley and Kaidan to lead his assault team, and another to arm the bomb. Whoever you choose to lead the other team won't be available as a party member for the next section.
Kirrahe will also ask you to look for ways to help the assault team. This is the Assisting Kirrahe's Team side mission.
Assault the Base
Your goal here is to fight your way to the research labs on the northwest side of this area.
Although you could bypass the communications tower, you may as well attack it and fulfill the side quest associated with it. There are several routes you can take to get there. Once inside, disable the triangulation tower on the upper floor.
Now fight your way through the canyon to the next building. There is a Krogan Warrior inside who's rather formidable. Shoot the explosive containers inside to give yourself an advantage and remember that they come back to life the first time you kill them. Destroy the satellite uplink on the roof by shooting it.
Move further up the canyon to the bottom of the research base walkways. Fight your way up the walkways. You can use biotic powers to throw enemies off the cliff to kill them. On the north side of these walkways is a refueling point for geth aircraft, you can destroy in to help Kirrahe's Team.
Fight, fight and fight some more. Make your way to all the way to the northwest corner where you'll find a the entrance to the research lab.
Outside you'll find a security console. Access it and you'll have a choice of security alarms to deactivate. Shut off the ones near you and your progress will be easier (renegade points) or shut off the ones near the strike teams to help them out (paragon points). This security console also opens the next door.
Fight your way through the warehouse. You'll have to take out some Geth, including a destroyer. You'll also have to fight some brainwashed Salarians, but they're so easy you can ignore them until the Geth are destroyed.
Next you'll encounter some the Salarian prisoners. Speak to them to learn about brainwashing, then free them (paragon points) or leave them (renegade points). Some of them are brainwashed and will fight you if you free them, but they're very easy to take down.
Fight your way through the labs to a bridge that needs to be lowered; the controls are in the security office. Inside the security office, you'll find an Asari scientist. Speak to her to learn more about brainwashing. Let her go (no morality points) or kill her (renegade points).
Take the elevator in the security office down to a room where you'll find a second beacon. Activate the beacon using the nearby control panel.
This will open a dialogue with the Reaper ship Sovereign. It will explain some things about the mass effect universe. The Reapers built the mass effect relays and the Citadel. They've also been wiping out organic life every 50,000 years since time began. After this dialogue you'll be contacted by Joker who'll tell you that the Sovereign is on it's way.
Head back up to the security office and to the bridge. Fight your way to the anti-aircraft tower.
Once inside locate the anti-aircraft weapon controls and deactivate them. Head thought the elevator and meet up with the Normandy.
The crew will set the bomb and you'll leave to help your teammate leading the strike team. On your way there, Geth reinforcements will arrive and the teammate with the bomb starts the timer early. There is only enough time to save one teammate. You must choose which one to save, the other will be killed. There is no way around this decision; one of them has to die. Your decision should be based on who you want to live. The situation on Virmire ends the same whether you go to the AA tower or the bomb. If you're pursuing a romantic sidequest with one of the characters, you'll probably want to choose that character.
Head over to the teammate you wish to save and you'll encounter a large group of Geth, including a Geth Prime.
After this fight, Saren will appear and you'll have a chance to speak with him. Talk to him as much as you can and try to convince him to join you and fight against the Reapers. You can't persuade him to do anything now, but later in the game you will. It's unknown if your attempts at this point help your chances later, but it couldn't hurt.
You'll then have to fight Saren.
You can't kill Saren at this point, when you defeat him and he retreats. Shepard will then jump aboard the Normandy and end the level.
Ilos
In order to unlock Ilos, you must first complete the main quests on Therum, Feros, Noveria, and Virmire.
| Once you land on Ilos you can't complete any more Side Missions. When this level starts you can do any mission on the Citadel. Once you free the Normandy you can go to any planet and complete any (non-Citadel) side mission. You have an unlimited amount of time to do missions before you land on Ilos. |
Free the Normandy
Head back to the Citadel. You can now tie up any loose ends you have here. You can also buy whatever you need from the merchants.
The Normandy is locked down by order of the Council. Captain Anderson has a plan to free it, so meet with him and agree put the plan into action. All you have to do is walk over to the Normandy.
On Ilos
When you choose a party at the start of this section, know that this is the group you're going to end the game with. You'll want to choose a combat heavy party.
As soon as you land, get into the Mako and use its firepower to take out any forces attacking you. You must then go on foot into the ruin and find the controls to the locked door.
Enter the ruins and fight your way to the south end. Once here take the elevator up and fight your way to the north end of this area. Use the security console here to open the large doors you saw closed before.
Now hop back into the Mako and go through the now open doors. You must take the Mako, it is impossible to complete the mission without it. Keep going down the (very long) hall until you come to a shield that you can't get past. Get out of the Mako and take the nearby elevator.
In this area you'll encounter a Prothean computer named Vigil. It will explain pretty much everything that's going in the story. The bottom line is that Saren is working for the Reapers, and he's trying to activate the Citadel. The Citadel is more than just a space station, it's a mass relay that will transport a Reaper armada into the galaxy and destroy all life. Vigil gives you a device that will allow you to control the Citadel and thwart Saren's plans. He also tells you about a small mass relay called a conduit that will transport you to the Ctiadel.
When the dialogue is over, you must make your way to the conduit. Get back in the Mako and fight your way down the narrow passage. Keep an eye on your radar to watch for Geth rocket-armed infantry. Near the conduit are four colossi, but you don't have time to take them out. A (very short) timer will start, you'll have less than a minute to get to the conduit. Charge for the conduit at full speed and drive directly into the conduit to transport yourself to the citadel.
Return to the Citadel
You'll end up on the Presidium. Nearby is the Citadel VI that can give you some information. There is also a med kit near the Mako.
Take the elevator to the Citadel tower. It only goes part of the way up, so you'll have to go the rest of the way on foot. You'll have to fight several groups of Geth and Krogan.
You'll then see a Geth ship dropping off reinforcements. You have to turn on the security turrets here to shoot down the ship. There are three turrets, but you'll have to have a high electronics skill to turn on the third one. Make sure to stay out of the line of fire of the Geth's ships guns.
Fight your way forward to the Citadel tower. Save your game before entering.
Once inside the tower, you'll encounter Saren. You'll be able to talk to him again. If you have a high enough persuade ability, you can convince Saren to shoot himself. If you can't, you'll have to fight him. It is far easier to have Saren kill himself, so try to persuade him as best you can.
After Saren is dead, you'll have a choice. You can choose to save the Council by sending the fleet to save the Ascension (paragon), or let the council die by sending the fleet to attack the Sovereign (renegade).
You'll then have to fight a not-really-dead Robotic Saren. He tends to jump around the room, then stick on the wall or ceiling and shoot slow moving energy bolts at you. As long as he doesn't hit you with a full burst of bolts, he won't kill you. The key is to keep moving to dodge the bolts. He has a high resistance to tech and biotic powers, but use them anyway.
Once you've killed Saren this final time, you'll see the ending scenes of the game. Now that you've defeated it, you have the option of playing the game again with the same character. To do this, go to the start new career option on the main menu and select your old character.
