psykit - Mass Effect 1

Welcome to my step by step spoiler free guide to what I would consider the best narrative experience in Mass Effect.

As a warning, I will not be including all of the fetch items missions in this guide. I personally find them super time consuming, so if you want to collect everything (I think only one has any knock on effect at all in future games, but it's negligible) and explore everywhere that you land in the Mako, feel free to do so but you will not find it in this guide. (I tried to do it once, and got 40 minutes into the grind before giving up entirely.)

While the NPCs don't have as much to say as in subsequent games, I would recommend talking to them all where possible. Where a choice of companion has a big impact on the mission, or some unique dialogue, I will highlight them.

Some of the missions here do not trigger until you jump into a system. If it looks like something might not have triggered, jump to another system and you might get a message.

Be sure to look everywhere for boxes for upgrades and mods to your weapons, and keep reducing items to omni gel when you get some higher power items.

If you're looking for character builds, I highly recommend this reddit post. If you want to do it on your own however, the only thing I recommend is maxing out either Charm (for a Paragon leaning Shepard) or Intimidate (for a Renegade leaning Shepard) as soon as the points become available. Also when Spectre levels become available take 4 levels in that.

EDEN PRIME - No choice of companion.

Go to the left of the beacon for a cutscene.

CITADEL - Initially no choice of companion, but this will change.

Don't fast travel; using the elevator will unlock further missions.
For a future interaction, follow the Garrus lead first.
There are hackable consoles around that unlock more missions.
After dealing with Fist, pick up something in his office.
Be sure to go to Flux.
Speak to as many people as you can find.
There's lots of missions to start in the first citadel visit.
You should return to the Normandy with three more companions.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone (this will be a recurring theme, so get into the habit of this).

FIND LIARA T'SONI - take anyone you would like.

Go to Artemis Tau Cluster.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone.

BRING DOWN THE SKY

Go to Exodus Cluster, Asgard System.
Be patient with the combat, this is early to do this mission but it helps to improve your rep.

UNC MAJOR KYLE

Go to Hawking Eta Cluster, Century System.

UNC HOSTAGE - Kaiden has unique dialogue.

Go to Hades Gamma Cluster, Farinata System.

UNC MISSING SURVEY TEAM

Go to Hades Gamma Cluster, Antaeus System.

UNC ROGUE VI - I like to take Garrus because of a future mission. Remember this mission because it is referenced by a character in approximately 100 hours.

The default key for quicksave is F5, you might want to think about using it in this mission.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone. You should pick up personal missions from Garrus and Wrex.

RETURN TO THE CITADEL - Take whoever you want; I think having Garrus here is funny, but they all do fun stuff. Garrus and Wrex are a great combo here for the whole time back on the citadel.

There are a lot more things that you can do, so wander around a lot.
You may have unlocked further dialogue options with points in charm or intimidate.
When you leave the Citadel for the Normandy, you should have picked up UNC Privateers, UNC Asari Diplomacy, and UNC Hostile Takeover.

UNC PRIVATEERS - Take anyone, but a mixed squad is good.

Go to Horse Head Nebula Cluster, Strenuus system.
This mission can be tricky to find - you want to scan an area to the left of planet Xawin and then you will be able to continue the mission.

UNC ASARI DIPLOMACY

Go to Artemis Tau Cluster, Macedon System.

UNC HOSTILE TAKEOVER

Base 1 is in Gemini Sigma Cluster, Han System.
Base 2 is in Hades Gamma Cluster, Dis System.
Final Meeting - Horse Head Nebula Cluster, Fortuna System.

RETURN TO THE CITADEL

Some of these missions will need to be completed.
You might have another meeting with your biggest fan.
Wander around some more.

UNC LOST MODULE - Thematically Liara works here but she doesn't have exclusive dialogue.

Go to Go to Attican Beta Cluster, Hercules System.

FEROS

Go to Attican Beta Cluster.
All four assignments are done before using the elevator.
Search the room with the varren in it.
If you're using Garrus, make sure by now he's able to wear Medium armour because SERIOUSLY.
Gavin Hossle has a mission with an impact on a future game.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone. If you didn't get the mission from Wrex you should have it by now. The Council will also want a word.

UNC EXOGENI FACILITY

Go to Maroon Sea Cluster, Vostock System.
This is a tricky Mako mission.

UNC COLONY OF THE DEAD

Go to Maroon Sea Cluster, Matano System.

UNC LOST FRIEGHTER

Go to Gemini Sigma Cluster, Ming System.

UNC ESPIONAGE PROBE

Go to Voyager Cluster, Amazon System.
There is a jumpscare in this mission, even being warned about it isn't enough, I jump every time.

WREX: FAMILY ARMOR - Wrex and anyone.

Go to Argos Rho Cluster, Phoenix System.

GARRUS: FIND DR SALEON - Garrus and anyone.

Go to Kepler Verge Cluster, Herschel System.

UNC GETH INCURSIONS - I take the same people for all of these even though they're mostly Mako until the end. As it's Geth, tech works best.

Go to Armstrong Nebula, there is a base in each system.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone.

UNC DISTRESS SIGNAL

Go to Argos Rho Cluster, Hydra System.

UNC DERELICT FIGHTER

Go to Maroons Sea Cluster, Caspian.

BACK TO THE CITADEL

Lots of time to be spent in Flux. (Scan the suspicious machine to unlock another mission.)
Talk to Anderson and Udina.

NOVERIA - Initially Garrus and Wrex switching out one of them for Liara later on.

There are a lot of different things that you can do in the Noveria base.
Once you are able to leave the base to get further towards your target head back to the Normandy and change either Garrus or Wrex for Liara. You want her on this mission.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone.

UNC LISTENIN POST ALPHA

Go to Styx Theta Cluster, Erebus System.

UNC LISTENING POST THETA

Go to Styx Theta Cluster, Acheron System.

UNC MISSING MARINES

Go to Artemis Tau Cluster, Sparta System.

BACK TO THE CITADEL

You will likely have some missions to turn in. If you're struggling with with ones check your journal (it's probably the citadel.)

UNC CERBERUS

Go to Voyager Cluster, Yangtze System. (You may need to jump to another system to get this to open up.)
Really pay attention to these Cerberus folks, I have a feeling they might pop up again.

UNC HADES DOGS

Go to Voyager Cluster, Columbia System.

UNC DEAD SCIENTISTS

Go to Kepler Verge Cluster, Newton System.

Depending on your Paragon/Renegade level, you should unlock either:

UNC BESIEGED BASE (If you reached 80% Paragon, or 90% after reaching 80% Renegade - only possible with mods.)
- Hades Gamma Cluster, Casus System.
- It's difficult to complete the secondary objective - I shut my companions behind a door.
UNC THE NEGOTIATION (If you reached 80% Renegade, or 90% after reaching 80% Paragon - only possible with mods.)
- Hades Gamma Cluster, Plutus System.
Both of these missions have an impact on future games.

DOUBLE CHECK YOUR JOURNAL TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING LEFT TO DO AND DO IT

VIRMIRE ***THIS IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN*** Take whoever you want, this is an important mission, they each have the same amount of dialogue.

You will not be able to leave the citadel to do further missions after Virmire so make sure you have done everything that I have listed above.
Make tough choices. The things that happen at Virmire have a knock on effect through the entirety of the rest of the games. Good luck.

When you get back to the Normandy talk to everyone.

BACK TO THE CITADEL - Take Ashley and Wrex if you would like to.

If you have anything to turn in make sure you do it now.
There will likely be some more conversations that you can have in the citadel.
Make sure you have spoken to your biggest fan three times.
Buy the Elkoss Combine license from Expat in the Market. This has an impact on a future game.

THE FINAL MISSION - Liara has a substantial amount of exposition dialogue but honestly this is the final mission take your pals.

CONGRATS YOU COMPLETED MASS EFFECT - ON TO MASS EFFECT 2!