mass effect assignments order

Side Quests

This section of IGN's Mass Effect guide covers all of the Side Quests, known within the game as Assignments. There are over 60 different Assignments available across the game of all stripes. As such, we've grouped them across several different categories.

Citadel: Side Quests

Unc: side quests, discovery side quests, squadmate side quests, pre-service history side quests, feros: side quests, noveria: side quests.

Virmire has two Assignments that aren't listed here, as they deal with the fate of two characters and thus are considered spoilers. Head to that section if you want to learn more.

These Assignments are those that take place entirely on the Citadel. What makes them unique is that they aren't all unlocked at once: instead, you unlock one group of them after you start Citadel: Expose Saren, a second group after you complete your first Mission World, and the third and final group after you complete all four Mission Worlds.

We have bespoke pages that cover efficiently completing these Assignments as soon as they unlock, however there are also a few Assignments started on the Citadel and take you to Uncharted worlds, so they're in the UNC: Side Quests section. The three Pre-Service History Assignments have their own section as well.

• Asari Consort
• Jahleed's Fears
• Presidium Prophet
• Reporter's Request
• Rita's Sister
• Scan the Keepers
• Schells the Gambler
• Signal Tracking
• Xeltan's Complaint
• Family Matter
• Planting a Bug
• Snap Inspection
• The Fourth Estate
• Negotiator's Request
• Our Own Worst Enemy

These Assignments are those that take place primarily or entirely on Uncharted Worlds or starships. This includes a few that are started on the Citadel, and a few that are only unlocked by completing either Feros or Noveria. There is also a series of Assignments known as the "Cerberus Line", and two that are unlocked by filling the Morality Bars, which have their own sub-sections.

• Asari Diplomacy
• Distress Call
• Espionage Probe
• Geth Incursions
• Hostile Takeover
• Lost Freighter
• Lost Module
• Missing Survey Team
• Derelict Freighter
• ExoGeni Facility
• Colony of the Dead
• Listening Post Alpha
• Listening Post Theta
• Depot Sigma-23
• Missing Marines
• Hades' Dogs
• Dead Scientists
• Besieged Base
• The Negotiation

The Discovery Assignments are a unique category of Assignments that task you with collecting various objects and resources across the galaxy by finding objects in space as well as spots on the various Uncharted Worlds.

• Asari Writings
• Locate Signs of Battle
• Prothean Data Discs
• Turian Insignias
• Valuable Minerals: Light Metals
• Valuable Minerals: Rare Metals
• Valuable Minerals: Heavy Metals
• Valuable Minerals: Gasses

The Squadmate Side Quests relate very specifically to your three alien Squadmates: Wrex, Tali and Garrus. They are unlocked by talking to them after completing a Mission or Assignment, then talking to them and exploring more about them and their histories.

• Wrex: Family Armor
• Tali: Pilgrimage
• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon

This trio of Assignments take place on the Citadel, and appear after you complete either Therum, Feros or Noveria. Significantly, they are tied to the Pre-Service History you chose for Shepard when setting up your profile at the start of the game, which means you will only ever be able to access one of these.

• Spacer: Old, Unhappy, Far-Off Things
• Colonist: I Remember Me
• Earthborn: Old Friends

The Feros Assignments are available after you first clear Zhu's Hope of the invading geth. Each one tasks you with helping out the colony by venturing into the tunnels below, but notably they will have a culmulative effect on the outcome of the main Feros storyline.

The exception is Data Recovery, which is uninvolved and takes place on the Prothean Skyway and the ExoGeni Headquarters.

• Geth in the Tunnels
• Power Cells
• Varren Meat
• Water Restoration
• Data Recovery

The two Noveria Assignments both take place in Port Hanshan. While Espionage is entirely self-contained, Smuggling is notable for being the fastest way to gain a Garage Pass and leave for Peak 15.

Up Next: Citadel: Side Quests

Top guide sections.

• Legendary Edition Changes
• Tips and Tricks
• How-To Guides

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In this guide.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition: 15 Assignments In The First Game You Need To Play

As an RPG, Mass Effect contains plenty of side objectives for players. With the release of the Legendary Edition, which are most worth your time?

The first Mass Effect game revolves around Commander Shepard and their quest to hunt down Saren and Sovereign to save the galaxy from destruction. However, the protagonist doesn't spend all of their time on a single quest. Alongside the game's main missions is an abundance of assignments for players to complete, all of which are included in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition .

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The side quests focus on other happenings in the galaxy, which Shepard needs to sort out. They offer a nice reprieve from the main quest and add some life to the galaxy, making it feel lived in. Some assignments can be a little repetitive, but plenty of others are worth playing.

Updated on January 16th, 2022 by Talha Bin Rizwan: The first game from the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition trilogy has players take control of Commander Shepard to save the galaxy from the Saren, Sovereign, and the Geth. In addition to the main quest, players can undertake many side quests that are found all over the galaxy. These side missions, or assignments, as the game calls them, add some variety to the gameplay allowing Shepard to help people in a more one-on-one way. While some side-quests can be tedious for players, other side missions can be just as engaging as the main quest, if not more.

15 Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon

Loyalty missions don't exist in the original game, but some assignments relate to specific companions. For instance, the search for Dr. Saleon concerns perhaps the best squadmate , Garrus. Dr. Saleon, aka Dr. Heart, is a cruel Salarian who used to clone organs inside his patients' bodies to sell, often causing complications for the victims. When he was a part of C-Sec, Garrus tried to stop the evil physician, but Saleon slipped away.

If Shepard talks to the Turian enough throughout the game, he'll tell the tale of Dr. Saleon and give the Commander coordinates to find the villain. The action in the assignment is limited, yet the compelling backstory makes up for it. Plus, it's always nice to see great characters like Garrus get some spotlight.

14 Asari Consort

Shepard can find the consort’s chambers in the southeastern part of the Citadel. Inside, they will meet Sha’ira the consort, who’ll task them with getting a Turian General to leave her alone. The general is spreading lies about Sha’ira and all Shepard will need to do is talk to him.

Once done, they can return to Sha’ira where they can get one of two rewards, either a romance scene or a Prothean trinket that leads to an easter egg on the planet Eletania.

13 UNC: Missing Marines

Relatively early in the game, Shepard can speak with Admiral Kahoku, who sends him on an assignment to find his missing marines. At the last known coordinates of Kahoku's team, the player finds only dead bodies and a huge Thresher Maw.

In the original game, fighting the giant monster wasn't too interesting. Yet, the Legendary Edition has made several exciting alterations to Thresher Maw battles. Maws now have sensory tentacles that players must shoot to get it out of hiding, which adds more variety to fights. Furthermore, their aim is incredible as they predict the Mako's movements, making their acid spit much harder to dodge.

12 Noveria: Espionage

Not every assignment in Mass Effect is about violence. In 'Noveria: Espionage,' Shepard has to keep Rafael Vargas talking while a device hacks into his personal network.

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To please the Asari who gave Shepard the job, the player has to convince Vargas that they're genuinely interested in buying something from Binary Helix. Since this is Mass Effect , there are multiple ways for the quest to play out, partially based on whether Shepard is Paragon or Renegade. It all makes for a unique and compelling assignment that players can find near the Hotel bar on Noveria.

11 Homecoming

The quest is a short one but may have an emotional impact on players. The quest can be acquired after Tali joins Shepard’s party. They will find an NPC in front of the embassy front desk at the Presidium who is trying to get the Alliance to recover his wife’s body from Eden Prime.

Shepard can intervene on his behalf and talk to the clerk responsible who will release the body. It’s a small quest that takes only a few minutes to complete, but it is one of the few which can touch the players emotionally.

10 Citadel: The Fan

Despite featuring sparingly in the trilogy, Conrad Verner is a memorable character. He's a fanatic of Shepard's, desperate to follow in his hero's footsteps. At different points during the first game, he'll be waiting down in the Citadel markets.

As part of 'Citadel: The Fan,' the Commander has several conversations with Verner. During each talk, Verner's enthusiasm and delusion is funny to watch. Shepard's reaction to their number one fan is always entertaining, regardless of the protagonist's moral alignment.

9 UNC: Geth Incursions (aka Geth Activities)

The Geth are among the most powerful races in the Mass Effect universe , so Admiral Hackett is understandably concerned that they have multiple outposts in the Armstrong Nebula. As usual, it's up to Shepard to put an end to the Synthetics' activities. The Commander must go around to each outpost and destroy the Geth forces waiting there.

The enjoyment of this assignment depends on players' feelings about the new Mako, as it features heavily in the mission. However, the main reason to do this quest is the important terminal at the final base. Shepard can give the data retrieved from this terminal to Tali, which will strengthen their relationship.

8 Rita's Sister

This side mission can be acquired at Flux where players will overhear a waitress, Rita, talking to her Volus manager about her sister. Upon exploring, Shepard learns that Rita’s sister is working on a dangerous assignment for C-Sec, and she is worried about her sister’s safety.

Shepard is then contacted by a C-Sec officer and can assist him in dealing with the matter themselves. In doing so, Shepard will complete the assignment he gave to Jenna, Rita’s sister, after which she will be free to go.

7 UNC: Rogue VI

'UNC: Rogue VI' is an assignment given to the player by Hackett. The Alliance Admiral asks Shepard to go to Earth's moon and destroy the out-of-control VI that's taken over Luna Base. During the mission, the Commander and their team shoot through an abundance of flying drones.

As players spend most of the story facing Geth or Krogan, the drones are a nice change of pace. The real reason to complete this quest, though, is because it rewards the player with a Class Specialization. If players choose the right Specialization, it can make them significantly stronger.

6 Hostile Takeover:

The mission is available after Shepard completes the main missions on the planets Therum, Noveria, and Feros. They’ll need to hack one of the terminals at the C-Sec Academy to pick this side mission up. C-Sec will be investigating a suspected criminal named Helena Blake who can be found in the Financial District.

She’ll ask Shepard to take out two of her business partners. The quest is short but fun and depending on how players complete the quest, Helena Blake will appear in the second game of the trilogy.

5 UNC: Cerberus

Players might not remember that Cerberus is barely involved in the first game's adventures. However, in the rest of the Legendary Edition , the morally questionable organization plays a significant part in the story. In fact, Mass Effect 2 feels a little weird without knowing why people hate the Illusive Man's crew.

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Admiral Kahoku gives players the chance to learn about the group, tasking them with investigating a few of their research facilities as part of the 'UNC: Cerberus' assignment. During the lengthy mission, Shepard finds out some horrifying information, helping flesh out the story.

4 Wrex: Family Armor

If players want to hear Wrex deliver great lines throughout the entire trilogy , they should do his family armor quest. Completing this assignment isn't the only way to keep this Krogan alive, but it is the easiest.

To acquire the mission, Shepard has to regularly talk with Wrex on the Normandy until he reveals that his family armor is in the hands of a Turian pirate. During the assignment, players will storm the base of the trophy hunter and attempt to kill plenty of his people in an entertaining battle.

3 Shepard’s Backstory Missions

During character creation, players select a background for Shepard out of three choices; Earthborn, Colonist, and Spacer. These allow players to determine Shepard’s origins and how they started their journey to become a galactic legend. During the game, Shepard will be prompted to pursue certain missions based on the background selection.

With Earthborn, Shepard helps a former friend help his companion escape. With Colonist, a person from Shepard’s colony needs their help in stopping a suicide. And with Spacer, Shepard will help a man who claims to be their mother’s friend. These missions are small but allow players to flesh out their Shepard as a character.

2 Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team

Shortly after arriving on Virmire, Shepard will meet a Salarian captain named Kirrahe. It doesn't take the leader long to become popular with players, as he's a very likable character.

During the assault on Saren's base, the Commander can help the charismatic Captain stay alive. To do so, players have to complete 'Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team'. The objective to destroy the Geth flyers is the one that really matters, but it's worth completing the entire assignment, as it's enjoyable to help out allies.

1 X57: Bring Down the Sky

Originally, Bring Down the Sky was an expansion for the first game, but now it's included as part of the Legendary Edition . The main quest is a lot longer than a typical assignment, and it sees Shepard attempt to stop a group of Batarians from destroying a colony named Terra Nova.

New enemies, fun action, and a solid story make the Bring Down The Sky assignment one of the best. In fact, if it had more connection to Saren or Sovereign, it would feel more like a main mission as opposed to side content.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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Mass Effect 2: Optimal Mission Order

In BioWare's Mass Effect 2, Shepard has the freedom to tackle most missions in any order. What is the best order to follow?

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Prologue: joining cerberus, act 1: putting together your team, act 2 – part 1: finishing recruitment, act 2 – part 2: gaining loyalty, act 3: endgame.

For the most part, Mass Effect 2 is a linear RPG. However, the game does give you some freedom when it comes to mission order. Each act of the adventure has an abundance of quests to take on, and it doesn't matter which you do first or which you save for later.

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Yet, playing each mission in a specific order can improve a playthrough in various ways. For instance, if you complete quests in the optimal sequence, you lower the risk of losing characters by the end of the game. Plus, your narrative experience can be enhanced simply by doing certain missions at certain times. So, here is the order in which you should complete all of the main content.

Updated January 26, 2024 By Ben Jessey: You can play most of the Mass Effect 2 missions in any order you want. However, there is an optimal order that improves the narrative experience and keeps characters alive. We laid out that optimal order in this guide. And now, we've returned to the piece to make sure it's still accurate and easy to read.

During Mass Effect 2's prologue, you have no control over which missions you play . The sequence of events includes an attack on the Normandy, Shepard joining Cerberus, and a visit to Freedom's Progress.

The lack of freedom in the opening stages makes sense as the game slowly introduces you to its mechanics and sets up the story.

Mission Order:

Things start to open up once the prologue ends as the Illusive Man gives you multiple recruitment missions to do at your leisure . You also have a few other quests to keep you busy.

Optimal Mission Order:

After the Horizon quest, the Illusive Man points you toward three more people you should recruit. Plus, this is when loyalty missions start appearing, so make sure you're regularly talking to your teammates.

For the first part of this act, you can only do five quests before triggering the next Collector assignment.

You have plenty of freedom in the wake of the Collector Ship investigation as the game doesn't force you to start the next mission. In fact, you want to avoid initiating the Reaper IFF quest for quite some time .

Instead, the second part of Act 2 is about getting almost all of the loyalty missions done . And these quests are crucial because they help you keep everyone alive during the Suicide Mission .

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Act 3 serves as the endgame , and it doesn't allow much time for side content. So, make sure that you've done everything before starting these quests .

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Mass Effect 2 Mission Order: optimal DLC, dossier, loyalty quest sequence

Just like its predecessor, Mass Effect 2 has an open-ended story that lets you tackle its various objectives in a relatively open-ended manner - and that means some people are inevitably going to be struck wondering what the best mission order for ME2 might look like. 

Just like our suggestions on the ME1 mission order , any list you’ll find from us or anyone else online is merely a suggestion - but there are definitely certain missions that work better than others in certain places within ME2’s story. On top of that, there’s also more DLC missions in this game than its predecessor, and slotting those into the story is… quite difficult, honestly.

On this page, we proffer our suggestion for the optimum sequence of story missions and events in Mass Effect 2. Simple!

Mass Effect 2 Mission Order: optimal order for recruitment, loyalty & DLC missions

The basic structure of Mass Effect 2 is pretty simple. It starts you off with a string of prologue missions where it’ll ferry you from event to event, including two story mission planets that have combat encounters and even an early mini boss battle of sorts. After that, you’ll get your ship - and this is where the game opens up.

From here on out, ME2 is broken into segments. You get your ship and a smattering of story ‘recruitment’ missions to build your team. After recruiting all the available team members, you will automatically go to the story planet of Horizon for a mandatory story interlude. After that, you’ll get more missions. After finishing five of those, you’ll have another mandatory story mission. From there, you can complete whatever you like to the end.

No missions are mandatory, but towards the end of the game taking on too many side missions & optional assignments after a time-sensitive story event can have a negative impact on the end of the game. This guide avoids that, but check out our Mass Effect 2 Suicide Mission & endings guide for more detailed information on how to avoid that. 

Below is our suggested mission order. While we've built in a few breaks where we suggest you tackle side missions and scan planets for resources, we also recommend you do this as often as you like throughout the game to break things up. The only exception is once you get the Reaper IFF - before doing that, you should complete absolutely everything you need to.

Remember that the mission order presented on this page is just a suggestion; deviate from it as much as you like.

Act 1 Mission Order: Cerberus and Building a Team

• Prologue: Awakening & Freedom’s Progress: as mentioned above, for the first few hours of the game, things will play out in a linear fashion. Just complete all the missions until you get your ship.
• Return to the Citadel: while you have pressing matters to deal with on Omega, first direct the Normandy back to the Citadel. Here you can meet with Anderson, announce your return, potentially get your Spectre status back, shop at stores including for some Normandy side quest items, complete a few other side quests.
• Dossier: The Master Thief:  while on the Citadel, you should also immediately recruit Kasumi, if you've got access to her DLC.
• Omega intro & side activities: once you've visited the Citadel, head to your originally suggested destination, Omega. Here you'll need to speak to Aria to learn more about the next few story missions, shop at stores, and generally get to know the area.
• Dossier: The Veteran:  as soon as you land on Omega, you can and should also immediately recruit Zaeed, 
• Dossier: The Professor: after speaking to Aria, you'll have all the info you need to undertake two different recruitment missions on Omega. Recruit the Professor first. 
• Early DLC Adventures Firewalker & Crash Site: leave Omega and head out into space. There’s a few things you should do out here:
• Normandy Crash Site: this is a short and simple DLC quest that was originally a pre-order bonus. It’s got decent rewards, and some nice ME1 fanservice.
• Project Firewalker: this DLC will take you to several places and give you access to a vehicle that otherwise isn't used in the core ME2 story. It's worth getting this quest out of the way here, and early, as it has good rewards.
• Kasumi's Loyalty Mission - Stealing Memory: this is Kasumi's loyalty mission, and we're making it the first of these missions we do primarily because it has some great rewards and resources, including the best SMG Mass Effect 2 has to offer. If your choice of character class relies on the SMG, do this mission now. Otherwise, you can bump it back to after recruiting Archangel. 
• Dossier: Archangel: also on Omega, you can complete a mission to recruit the mysterious crusading mercenary Archangel. You can actually do this before or after the next step, but since you're already at Omega, it's easy to do it right after the previous recruitment mission.
• Planet Scanning & Material Gathering break: a big part of ME2 is scanning planets and gathering materials. The amount of materials you have can impact ME3, as can the upgrades you've purchased for your ship. With Mordin in the science bay, you'll have your first unlocks available - so take some time to scan some planets and gather some resources. You're free to tackle any side missions you discover if you want, or you can save them for later.
• Dossier: The Convict: your team currently lacks a dedicated Biotic - so to fill that mage-shaped hole in your ME2 squad, go recruit Jack next.
• Dossier: The Warlord: next, go and grab Grunt, Mass Effect 2's Krogan squad member. After completing the mission, he doesn't automatically join your party - go and get him on the lower floors of the Normandy if you want to have him join the crew properly.
• Horizon [automatic]: after all of the current batch of recruitment missions is complete, you'll be forced to tackle a mission on Horizon.

Act 2 Mission Order: Old Friends & Loyalties

• Dossier: Tali: she's been off your team for too long - is it really the Normandy without her aboard? Go get Tali. If Kal’Reegar survives, it’ll make Tali’s later loyalty mission easier.
• Visiting Illium: for a nice change of scenery, head to Illium, the next hub planet and home to another recruit. Catch up with Liara, but do not take her up on the offer to help her with the Shadow Broker after completing her short side quest. We'll save that for later. There's other side quests you can do on Illium also, plus new shops and so on.
• OPTIONAL // Lair of the Shadow Broker (Give Liara Intel):  we don't really like this mission in this position, but you've got two choices - do it here to get significant rewards for the rest of the game, or save it for the post-game where it fits best for story. The choice is yours. If you do it here, Liara becomes an easy source of free upgrades and resources, with new ones added every time you complete a main story quest.
• Dossier: The Assassin: complete this mission to recruit Thane. There’s a cool ME1 callback here if you did a certain side quest.
• Dossier: The Justicar: a straightforward quest with no major consequences down the line. It gets you Samara.
• Scanning, Materials & Upgrades break: while you can do side quests whenever you like, this is another ideal period to take a load off and do any side content, scanning planets, and purchasing any upgrades you can afford. Major story events are coming, so it’s good to be prepared.
• Visiting Tuchanka: you heard a lot about the Krogan homeworld of Tuchanka in the first Mass Effect, but now you can experience it. There’s all the normal hub world distractions here, plus a chance to reunite with a friend if they survived ME1. 
• Mordin’s Loyalty Mission - Old Blood: while on Tuchanka, undertake Mordin’s loyalty quest. This is a quest whose repercussions will echo loudly in ME3 , so consider your choices carefully.
• Grunt’s Loyalty Mission - Rite of Passage: While you’re on Tuchanka, also undertake Grunt’s loyalty mission. Be sure to bring another squadmate with a high damage output on this one, like Zaeed. You only have to survive the battle for 5 minutes, but if you successfully kill the beast you’ll get an even better reward. 
• Collector Vessel [automatic]: like Horizon, this is a generally story-advancing mission that’ll trigger automatically after you’ve logged five missions post-Horizon. You’ll also be able to pick a weapon specialization here. 

Act 3 Mission Order: Loyalties Secured 

• Jacob’s Loyalty Mission - The Gift of Greatness: this is a straightforward mission.
• Miranda’s Loyalty Mission - The Prodigal: another straightforward mission, with choices that will be minorly referenced in ME3.
• Garrus’ Loyalty Mission - Eye for an Eye: help Garrus get his revenge.
• Thane’s Loyalty Mission - Sins of the Father: you must stay close to your target and get the information you ended at the end. 
• Samara’s Loyalty Mission - The Ardat-Yakshi: you must successfully lure Morinth and not lose her in order to obtain loyalty.
• To get the best ending of this mission, both Kal’Reegar and Veetor must have survived the earlier Tali missions & be present.
• Jack’s Loyalty Mission - Subject Zero: after completing this simple mission, Jack and Miranda will have a fight. You must resolve it with a Paragon or Renegade dialogue option to keep both of them loyal; taking a side revokes one character’s loyalty.
• Zaeed’s Loyalty Mission - The Price of Revenge: at the end of the mission, you must make a choice between Zaeed’s wishes and innocent lives. Renegade Shepard can easily side with Zaeed and get his loyalty; Paragon Shepard must pass a difficult check to talk him down and keep him loyal.
• Project Overlord: this DLC is a multi-mission series and brings back the vehicle from the Firewalker DLC. It also has minor repercussions in ME3, depending on the coices you make.
• The Point of No Return: at this point, you should have one story mission on your plate - the Reaper IFF. Once you tackle this mission, it’s a rollercoaster ride to the end - so make sure you have all character loyalties, Normandy upgrades, have completed side missions, and done everything you want to do on hub planets. Treat starting the Reaper IFF Mission as ME2's point of no return .

ME2 Ending & Postgame

• IMPORTANT NOTE:  after acquiring the Reaper IFF, you can only trigger two specific missions without incurring negative consequences - Legion's Loyalty Mission and Tali's Loyalty Mission. If you take on ANY OTHER MISSION, some of Normandy's crew will die during the Suicide Mission. Do not travel to any other location other than those two missions, not even to scan planets . 
• Tali’s Loyalty Mission - Treason: as well as being a mission you can fail, the outcome has major repercussions in ME3. If you didn't do this mission earlier, you can now do it here and take Legion along for the ride, resulting in some very unique dialogue. To get the best ending of this mission, both Kal’Reegar and Veetor must have survived the earlier Tali missions & be present.
• Legion’s Loyalty Mission - A House Divided: complete this loyalty mission. At the end, Tali and Legion will end up in conflict. As with Jack and Miranda, use the Paragon or Renegade dialogue option to end the argument without losing either’s loyalty.
• The Suicide Mission: after some story events that begin the next time you access the Galaxy Map, you’ll finally undertake the ME2 finale. Head through the Omega 4 Relay - and brush up on how to get the best ending with our ME2 Suicide Mission walkthrough . After the game is over, load up your completed game to tackle two DLC missions best experienced post-game.
• Lair of the Shadow Broker / Give Liara Intel: go back to Illium and finally talk to Liara about starting this mission. While this DLC mission will be on your galaxy map from early on and you'll have to actively avoid starting it on your earlier visit to Illium, it works best as a coda to ME2 in our opinion. It’s arguably the best mission in the game; enjoy it! 
• Arrival: this DLC was the last released for ME2, and basically is a little mini prologue to Mass Effect 3. It actually becomes available any time after Horizon, but it totally fits best into the story if you do it here, at the very end of ME2. After it’s complete, save - and move on to ME3 - which we also have an ME3 mission order guide for, too!

Screen Rant

Mass effect 2: best mission order.

Players can complete missions in a specific order in Mass Effect 2 to give Shepard and their team the best chances of survival and success.

The galaxy can be a massive, sometimes overwhelming place, and exploring it in Mass Effect 2 can be an overwhelming undertaking. Securing squadmate loyalty is a major focus of Mass Effect 2 , particularly prior to the endgame Suicide Mission, where characters' survival depends on the player's choices. With 12 total squadmates, including DLC characters, players will need to make time and plan to complete 12 loyalty missions. Many loyalty missions rely on Shepard's Paragon or Renegade score, which is based on the player's moral choices during the game. It will be in a player's best interest to save the loyalty missions that require demanding Paragon/Renegade checks until they near the end of the main story. With Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launching later this year , returning fans and newcomers alike may find themselves wondering when to complete the various main story and side missions for optimal results.

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While there is no single right way to explore and complete missions in Mass Effect 2 , fans generally agree that there are some missions best saved for late-game to ensure the player has as many options and available outcomes as possible when it counts. Additionally, there are times in the game where a main mission will cut in and cannot be skipped or put off, or where a player will cross a point of no return. At these times, having a plan can position players for success. Here's an optimal way to complete missions in Mass Effect 2 .

Optimal Mission Order for Mass Effect 2

The optimal mission order for Mass Effect 2 ensures players can earn enough Paragon or Renegade points to access all possible Charm/Intimidate conversation options and outcomes and keep and maintain squad loyalty. Ultimately, the goal is to keep everyone alive during the Suicide Mission . It also ensures Shepard can gain access to key areas, like the Tech Lab aboard the Normandy, or find important weapons and upgrades.

Depending on Shepard's class and the selected difficulty setting, different mission orders may produce more desirable outcomes. Generally, however, fans point to this structure as having the most advantages for the greatest number of play styles.

Players should remember to scan planets in the systems they visit for resources any time they enter a new location. In doing so, they may discover anomalies. These are optional side missions that award credits, resources, experience, and sometimes upgrades, but none have any effect on the main story or the outcome of Mass Effect 3 . Players are free to complete these whenever and wherever they wish.

The Prologue is mandatory, and players will not have a choice about what to do or where to go until it has been completed and Shepard is aboard the Normandy SR-2.

• Prologue: Save Joker
• Prologue: Awakening (following character creation)
• Freedom's Progress
• Normandy SR-2 -  Meet the new Crew, get comfortable with the ship, and pick up side missions from Sergeant Gardener, Dr. Chakwas, and engineers Ken and Gabby.

There are two ways to approach the start of Act One. Players can either start on the Citadel or Omega. Both are hubs with good weapons, armor, and upgrades to purchase, and players can recruit squadmates, including the DLC characters , at each location. Ultimately, players will find there are more missions on Omega than the Citadel, but the order of these can be switched at any time.

• Dossier: The Veteran (Zaeed) - Players will immediately find Zaeed upon leaving the Normandy SR-2 and finding out Aria wants to speak with them.
• Omega: Aria T'Loak -  Players can unlock an optional side mission, Omega: The Patriarch , by talking to Grizz. They can also find the Serrice Ice Brandy at the Afterlife bar for Dr. Chakwas. In the Market District, they will find the FBA Couplings at Kenn's Salvage.
• Dossier: The Professor (Mordin) - Unlocks the Tech Lab on the Normandy and allows players to begin making upgrades to weapons, armor, and the ship. Players should speak to every squadmate about Normandy Upgrades and make all Ship Upgrades prior to the run to the Collector base.
• Dossier: Archangel (Garrus) - Make sure to bring the datapad info back to Aria for a reward.
• Investigate the Normandy Crash Site
• Project Firewalker -  There are 5 separate assignments to this mission. Players can start with Project Firewalker: Rosalie Lost here and choose whether to complete the rest now or later in the game.
• Dossier: The Thief (Kasumi) -  Players will find Kasumi immediately upon arrival at the Citadel. After this, they should head to the Presidium to meet with Anderson. They can find special ingredients for Sergeant Gardener and Serrice Ice Brandy for Dr. Chakwas at shops in the Wards.
• Kasumi: Stealing Memory
• Dossier: The Warlord (Grunt)
• Dossier: The Convict (Jack)
• Horizon -  Horizon is a mandatory mission that will trigger as soon as players complete the final dossier in this set. The four dossier missions (excluding Zaeed and Kasumi) are not optional.

Following the Horizon mission, players should begin speaking to their squadmates each time they disembark and then return to the Normandy. Yeoman Chambers will let Shepard know a specific squadmate wants to talk to them, which lets players know the loyalty mission has triggered. Players only get five missions between Horizon and the Collector Ship , so it is best to prioritize loyalty or recruitment missions. It's important to note that smaller fetch quests, including planet scanning for resources and Liara's quests on Illium, should not trigger the Collector Ship and are safe to complete. Investigating anomalies do count toward the five missions, however.

Players only need to complete two of the remaining dossier missions, so they can skip recruiting Tali, Samara, or Thane if they prefer.

• Dossier: Tali (Tali) - Players should try to keep Kal'Reeger alive by convincing him to stand down.
• Dossier: The Justicar (Samara) - Prior to this mission, players should make sure to find Liara and speak to her, as she has information about both Samara and Thane. Shepard can choose to help Liara with a few optional missions but should not choose the dialogue option to begin Lair of the Shadow Broker yet.
• Dossier: The Assassin (Thane) - Bring the datapad found on this mission back to the frazzled salarian for a reward.
• Grunt: Rite of Passage 
• Mordin: Old Blood
• Collector Ship -  The Collector Ship is a mandatory mission that will trigger five missions, including anomaly investigation missions, following Horizon .

During Act Three, players should take their time to finish all loyalty missions and any side missions they want to do before the endgame. They should not start the Reaper IFF mission until they have completed everything else, as this starts a timer that only allows room for completion of Legion's loyalty mission if players wish to save all members of the Normandy SR-2 crew. Players should save Lair of the Shadowbroker and Arrival until after the Suicide Mission for the most seamless transition to Mass Effect 3 .

Players should note that it is possible to fail Thane's, Samara's, Tali's, and Zaeed's loyalty mission. They will need to follow their teammates' instructions and sometimes will need to pass a demanding Paragon/Renegade check to succeed and secure loyalty.

• Miranda: The Prodigal -  While back on Illium, players can finish any smaller missions they may have missed, including Liara's requests.
• Jacob: The Gift of Greatness
• Garrus: Eye for an Eye
• Thane: Sins of the Father
• Jack: Subject Zero -  Following this mission, Jack and Miranda will fight. Shepard needs to use the Charm/Intimidate dialogue option to break up the fight. Choosing sides will result in the loss of loyalty from one of the two women.
• Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi
• Tali: Treason
• Zaeed: The Price of Revenge
• Overlord DLC

At this point, players need to be certain they have met the following conditions:

• All squadmates loyal
• Researched Normandy armor, weapons, and shields upgrades (from Jacob, Garrus, and Tali respectively)
• Completed all desired side missions
• Purchased all desired equipment
• Exhausted all dialogue options with squadmates
• Made all desired weapons/armor upgrades

They can then proceed to the endgame.

Once players retrieve the Reaper IFF, they can only access the Galaxy Map once before the Collectors attack the Normandy. Following this attack, if they complete other missions ahead of going through the Omega-4 relay, they will lose crew members.

• Reaper IFF -  Following this mission, players must decide what to do with Legion. They can either sell it or activate and recruit it. If they choose to recruit it, they will need to talk to it twice to unlock its loyalty mission.
• Legion: A House Divided -  Following this mission, Legion and Tali will fight. Shepard needs to use the Charm/Intimidate dialogue option to break up the argument. Choosing sides will result in the loss of loyalty from the unsupported squadmate.
• Collector Attack -  This small mission is mandatory. Players will control Joker and will need to follow EDI's instructions.
• The Suicide Mission (Stop The Collectors & Collector Base )
• Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC
• Arrival DLC

It's important to note not every player will want to complete the main story of Mass Effect 2  the same way, and there is no wrong way to order missions. For example, if a player intends to romance Garrus Vakarian , they may enjoy the story more if they can start with  Dossier: Archangel , even ahead of Dossier: The Professor . As another example, if players have a strong moral direction for their Shepard, once they hear about a dire situation, such as Thane's son's assassination attempt or Tali's hearing, they may choose to complete those missions sooner, as their Shepard might choose to act fast despite possible ramifications. Ultimately, players can shift missions around to make the most sense for their story and desired outcomes.

Next:  Mass Effect 2: How to Recruit Morinth

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with forward compatibility on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

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Assignments are the name given to side missions in Mass Effect . Assignments  do not advance the story but completing them can help the player understand the inner workings of the Mass Effect's universe, the interactions between Races , etc

Assignments in Mass Effect

Shepard's background .

These assignments depend on the pre-service history the player chooses while creating the character

• Citadel: Old, Unhappy, Far-off Things
• Citadel: Old Friends
• Citadel: I Remember Me

Squad Member 

These assignments are related to your Normandy Crewmates.

• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon
• Tali and the Geth
• Wrex: Family Armor

Citadel First Visit

These assignments are first available since your first visit to the Citadel, and remain so for the rest of the game.

• Citadel: Asari Consort
• Citadel: Doctor Michel
• Citadel: Homecoming
• Citadel: Jahleed's Fears
• Citadel: Presidium Prophet
• Citadel: Reporter's Request
• Citadel: Rita's Sister
• Citadel: Scan the Keepers
• Citadel: Schells the Gambler
• Citadel: Signal Tracking
• Citadel: The Fan
• Citadel: Xeltan's Complaint
• Missing Person

Citadel Second Visit

These assignments become available after completing one of the three major Missions (Feros, Noveria o rescuing Lara T'Soni)

• Citadel: Family Matter
• Citadel: Planting a Bug
• Citadel: Snap Inspection
• Citadel: The Fourth Estate

Citadel Detainee Visit

These assignments are only available during the time you are detained at the Citadel.

• Citadel: Our Own Worst Enemy
• Citadel: Negotiator's Request

These assignments are specific to Feros

• Feros: Data Recovery
• Feros: Geth in the Tunnels
• Feros: Power Cells
• Feros: Varren Meat
• Feros: Water Restoration

These assignments are specific to Noveria

• Noveria: Espionage
• Noveria: Smuggling

These assignments are specific to Virmire

• Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team
• Virmire: Wrex and the Genophage

Galaxy Collection

These assignments require you to travel Citadel space and finding hidden collectibles.

• UNC: Prothean Data Discs
• UNC: Turian Insignias
• UNC: Valuable Minerals
• UNC: Locate Signs of Battle
• UNC: Asari Writings

Uncharted Space

Assignments from Uncharted Space in the galaxy

• A Person of Interest
• Doctor at Risk
• Geth Activities
• Investigate Facility
• Mercenaries
• Investigate Samples
• Investigate Shipments
• Strange Transmission
• UNC: Asari Diplomacy
• UNC: Cerberus
• UNC: Colony of the Dead
• UNC: Dead Scientists
• UNC: Depot Sigma-23
• UNC: Derelict Freighter
• UNC: Distress Call
• UNC: Espionage Probe
• UNC: ExoGeni Facility
• UNC: Geth Incursions
• UNC: Hades' Dogs
• UNC: Hostage
• UNC: Hostile Takeover
• UNC: Listening Post Alpha
• UNC: Listening Post Theta
• UNC: Lost Freighter
• UNC: Lost Module
• UNC: Major Kyle
• UNC: Missing Marines
• UNC: Missing Survey Team
• UNC: Privateers
• UNC: Rogue VI
• Unusual Readings

Morality-dependent

Assignments that depend on Commander Shepard's alignment.

• UNC: Besieged Base
• UNC: The Negotiation

Bring Down the Sky

Assignments for the first  DLC  for  Mass Effect

• X57: Bring down the Sky
• X57: Avoid the Blasting Caps
• X57: Missing Engineers

Pinnacle Station

Assignments for the second  DLC  for  Mass Effect

• Pinnacle Station: Combat Missions
• Pinnacle Station: Convoy
• Pinnacle Station: Vidinos

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Assignments

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This category comprises all of the assignments available in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 .

To add an article to this category, put [[Category:Assignments]] at the end of that article.

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• Mass Effect Wiki:Manual of Style/Assignments

• Category:Assignment Locations

• Caleston: Free Prostitutes

• Cerberus Brainchild

• Citadel: A Friend of a Friend

• Citadel: Cheaters Never Prosper

• Citadel: Oculon Syndicate

• Citadel: Save My Sister

• Citadel: The Good Doctor
• Citadel: The Hate Monger

• Category:Collection Assignments

• Global Plot 1
• Global Plot 2
• Global Plot 3

• Mars (Downloadable Content)
• Mass Effect System Guide

• Mass Effect

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Assignments are the name given to side missions in Mass Effect 2 . Assignments DO NOT advance the main story, but completing them can help the player understand the inner workings of the game's universe, the interactions between Races , etc

All Assignments in Mass Effect 2

Normandy: FBA Couplings Normandy: Serrice Ice Brandy Normandy: Special Ingredients

Omega: Archangel: Datapad Recovered Omega: Batarian Bartender Omega: Packages for Ish Omega: Struggling Quarian Omega: The Patriarch Omega: The Professor: Missing Assistant

Citadel: Crime in Progress Citadel: False Positives Citadel: Found Forged ID Citadel: Krogan Sushi

These become available after completing Freedom's Progress

N7: Abandoned Research Station N7: Eclipse Smuggling Depot N7: Hahne-Kedar Facility N7: Lost Operative N7: MSV Estevanico N7: Wrecked Merchant Freighter

These become available after completing Horizon

N7: Abandoned Mine N7: Anomalous Weather Detected N7: Archeological Dig Site N7: Blood Pack Base N7: Blood Pack Communications Relay N7: Blue Suns Base N7: Captured Mining Facility N7: Endangered Research Station N7: Imminent Ship Crash N7: Javelin Missiles Launched N7: Mining the Canyon N7: MSV Strontium Mule N7: Quarian Crash Site

Illium: A Troublemaker Illium: Blue Rose of Illium Illium: Conrad Verner Illium: Gianna Parasini Illium: Indentured Service Illium: Medical Scans Illium: The Assassin: Salarian Family Data Illium: The Justicar: Smuggling Evidence Illium: The Justicar: Stolen Goods Found Illium: The Prodigal: Lost Locket Found

Tuchanka: Combustion Manifold Tuchanka: Killing Pyjaks Tuchanka: Old Blood: Missing Scout

Normandy Crash Site Project Firewalker: Geth Activity Project Firewalker: Prothean Site Project Firewalker: Rosalie Lost Project Firewalker: Survey Sites Located Project Firewalker: Volcano Station Overlord Overlord: Atlas Station Overlord: Prometheus Station Overlord: Vulcan Station Arrival

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