Mass Effect Story Walkthrough: All Levels, Encounters, and Key Decisions
This guide-style walkthrough section for Mass Effect takes you through the full journey, covering every major level, combat encounter, and key decision that shapes the story. You’ll start from the very first conversation aboard the SSV Normandy SR-1 prototype under Captain Anderson’s command, then keep going all the way through the game’s final confrontation.
While the walkthrough below was played mostly from a Paragon perspective, it also accounts for Renegade choices and how they can change your approach. In general, the experience stays consistent regardless of your alignment, with a handful of specific moments being the main exceptions.
Looking for something specific? Jump to:
- Prologue
- The Citadel: Expose Saren
- Find Liara T’Soni
- Uncharted Worlds Roadmap
- Feros: Geth Attack
- Noveria: Geth Interest
- Virmire: Saren’s Plan
- Race Against Time
Prologue
The game opens aboard the SSV Normandy SR-1 prototype, commanded by Captain Anderson. What begins as a standard shakedown run at the human colony of Eden Prime quickly escalates when a terrifying force sets its sights on a discovery of massive galactic importance.
Prologue Missions
The Citadel: Expose Saren
After surviving the vision imprinted by the Prothean Beacon, Shepard learns that the force behind the Geth attack on Eden Prime is Saren Arterius. Saren is a Spectre backed by enormous resources and authority. Shepard heads to the Citadel to bring the Council evidence of Saren’s guilt, and along the journey picks up several new alien squad members.
Expose Saren Missions
Find Liara T’Soni
One of the leads Shepard gathers points to Dr. Liara T’Soni. She’s not only the daughter of Matriarch Benezia, Saren’s second-in-command, but also an expert on the Protheans. Liara has recently gone missing, and Shepard must track down her dig site somewhere within the Artemis Tau cluster—then figure out why she disappeared in the first place.
Find Liara T’Soni Mission
Uncharted Worlds Roadmap
With the squad now complete, Shepard has the entire galaxy opening up. With the M-35 Mako stowed in the Cargo Bay, you’re set to explore many worlds to improve your skills and strengthen humanity’s reputation as the first Spectre—while also handling requests from your non-human crew members as they come up.
This part of the walkthrough is designed to help you clear every available Uncharted World, including the related Assignments that come with them. Completing these will reward you with significant amounts of cash, XP, and Morality Points that can help you reach stronger outcomes later in the story.
- Uncharted Worlds Roadmap
- Bring Down The Sky
- Pinnacle Station
Feros: Geth Attack
Another lead on Saren takes Shepard to the human colony of Zhu’s Hope. The colony is located on Feros, a planet covered by the ruins of a massive Prothean city. Recently, reports of geth activity started coming in, and the colony lost contact shortly afterward.
Feros Missions
Noveria: Geth Interest
The third lead concerns Noveria. It’s a cold world in both the literal and figurative sense. Noveria isn’t under Council control, which has made it a hotspot for illegal corporate research. Recently, geth have been spotted in the area—suggesting Saren may be nearby as well.
Noveria Missions
Virmire: Saren’s Plan
After Shepard wraps up two of the leads tied to Saren, the Council contacts them with news about an STG team that sent an urgent message from Virmire while gathering intelligence on Saren. It’s a good idea to investigate the site, see what the team discovered, and determine how Shepard can help.
Virmire Missions
Race Against Time
Once all the leads have been investigated, Shepard realizes Saren is headed to Ilos to locate the Conduit. Unfortunately, the Council is currently only prepared to stop an immediate invasion, and as a result, they ground Shepard and the Normandy. Shepard will need to find a way to get the Normandy operational, stop Saren on Ilos, and save the galaxy.
Race Against Time Missions
Want more help with Mass Effect? Check out the following pages:
- Legendary Edition Changes
- How-To Guides
- Key Choices and Consequences
- Romance Options
- Side Quests
Up Next: Full Walkthrough Roadmap
Top Guide Sections
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