As one of BioWare's most popular series, Mass Effect has a decade and a half of fan-favorite moments, characters, and storylines. Thanks to the release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, players can now experience the original trilogy all over again with a shinier new skin, as well as other graphical and gameplay improvements. Now that Mass Effect 4 is confirmed, some players who haven't yet experienced any of the games might be tempted to pick up Mass Effect Legendary Edition in preparation for the upcoming title.
Whether it's the first time that gamers have dived into the world of Commander Shepard and their memorable crew of misfits, or they want to relive their favorite parts of each game, there are a handful of missions they should definitely not miss. These side quests can be important for a number of reasons: They might be vital for filling out the games' lore, or adding deeper characterization to squadmates, or they might just be really fun to play through. Whatever it is that makes them unmissable, players should not pass on the chance to experience them for themselves.
Mass Effect Missions
One thing players should bear in mind if they're playing through Mass Effect Legendary Edition is that a few things have changed since the original trilogy was released. Not only have the games been overhauled to improve gameplay, but decisions that gamers make and the side missions they complete in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 now contribute to Mass Effect 3's Galaxy at War and Galactic Readiness system.
Many missions and side quests are presented as completely optional, but not if players want to achieve the best ending. Recruitment and Loyalty missions in Mass Effect 2 have a massive impact on how players can experience that game and its sequel, and potentially Mass Effect 4, if they import their save. Gamers may be able to skip recruiting some squad members, but this not only impacts their effectiveness in Mass Effect 2's infamous Suicide Mission but also removes some of Mass Effect 3's most emotional moments.
Tracking Dr. Saleon
One of the most important parts of advancing relationships and unlocking parts of the story is speaking to squad members in between missions. This expands the lore and provides insights into the lives of different species, but it also opens up new side missions. Speaking to Garrus in Mass Effect eventually leads to a discussion about a criminal geneticist called Dr. Saleon who he was unable to capture during his time at C-Sec.
This is a fairly short mission, but it's foundational in establishing Garrus and Shepard's friendship, as well as giving players a chance to shape Garrus' character. The decision that gamers are faced with — letting Garrus kill Dr. Saleon, or making sure he faces proper justice — has an impact on Garrus' outlook and personality. Considering Garrus is an integral part of all three Mass Effect games, how he behaves makes a difference to the story, as well as the shape of Shepard's squad.
The Mysterious Ardat-Yakshi
In between recruiting allies and attempting to save the galaxy once and for all from the Reaper threat, Shepard and their crew can experience some interesting side missions in Mass Effect 3. One of them gives players the chance to explore an Ardat-Yakshi monastery while answering an Asari commando distress call, providing some of the most chilling moments of the entire series. This mission not only introduces the horrifying banshees with their blood-curdling screeches, but it also helps to round out Samara's character and explore her complicated relationship with her daughters.
Meeting The Master Thief
While a lot of the side quests in the Mass Effect games can follow the same tropes, or even take place in copy and paste facilities and planetary outposts, a few offer something a little different. Kasumi is one of the characters that players can recruit during Mass Effect 2, and while opinions of fans are divided over her usefulness, her recruitment mission is definitely one of the most interesting.
There's an immoral arms dealer, a fancy party, and a hair-raising heist, all showing off fairly unexplored elements of Mass Effect's society. In addition to switching things up mission-wise, and highlighting unseen elements of the in-game world, it's just fun to get Shepard out of their armor.
Tackling A Rogue VI
Barely any of the Mass Effect games take place in Earth's solar system, so the few glimpses gamers are given of Mars, Earth, and the Moon give a nice change of pace from the wider galaxy. One of the missions in Mass Effect that has surprising links to later games is when Shepard is sent to deal with a rogue VI that has taken over an Alliance training facility on Luna. After taking out a host of synthetic enemies, Shepard is rewarded with a specialization class for their trouble. This also turns out to be an experiment with controllable AI, and forms the basis for some of EDI's designs, providing context for Cerberus' experiments and the AI-turned-ally's creation.
Exploring Shepard's Past
Commander Shepard is mostly an enigma wrapped in a mystery and covered in an impressive set of armor. At the start of Mass Effect, players can choose several backgrounds for the space-faring hero, but what they might not realize is that each of these has an associated side quest. All three available missions are on the Citadel, and while they're not very long or challenging, they help to add layers to the stoic Commander.
Nothing More Harmless Than A Fan
No playthrough of Mass Effect would be complete without meeting Conrad Verner. This side quest is an easy one to miss if players don't find the enthusiastic fan a few times around the Citadel, and it can even end abruptly if Shepard responds harshly to Conrad's gushing attitude. The misguided man is keen to follow in Shepard's footsteps and can crop up in Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 as he tries to become a hero in his own right. This fan-favorite fool even has links to Mass Effect: Andromeda, as his sister joined the Andromeda Initiative and can be heard commenting on her brother and his 'famous' friends.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.