When Mass Effect: Legendary Edition releases, there are some pivotal moments in the first two games that players should pay close attention to as they make their way through the trilogy. Many decisions throughout the trilogy may only result in slight alterations to the overall journey, but there are others which will have significant ramifications later on down the line. How certain conflicts play out and which characters survive all the way through is determined by how the player chooses to navigate the story.

There are many decisions made by the player throughout the Mass Effect series. While the core story remains largely the same, how characters react to Shepard changes as a result of these decisions and results in players having very different experiences in their fight against the Reapers. Decisions made in earlier games will come back to Shepard in some form later on in the series, resulting in both major and minor consequences. Player choices throughout the trilogy can impact the War Assets and Galactic Readiness mechanic in Mass Effect 3, which will ultimately determine how Shepard fares in the final battle against the Reapers on Earth.

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At the heart of Mass Effect's decision making is its Paragon and Renegade systemMass Effect is a series that relies very heavily on dialogue and it will be left for the player to decide which direction Shepard may take when presented with a certain scenario. The player can opt to take the compassionate Paragon path, make a much more aggressive Renegade decision, or simply remain neutral. While this morality system isn't perfect and is pretty straightforward, it grants the player a level of control over how the story will play out. How the player chooses to design their character impacts how certain situations are approached or decisions are made throughout the series.

Many Choices in Mass Effect Have Consequences

Mass Effect Legendary Edition FemShep

While some decisions related to things like the fate of the Rachni Queen or state of the Citadel Council are important, they don't ultimately result in significant changes to the overall story and are more of a flavorful touch to each individual player's experience. But issues like the Genophage and Geth/Quarian conflict are both ongoing dilemmas throughout the trilogy, and the resolution to these problems will depend on how the player chooses to handle the situations pertaining to them. But the decisions with the harshest ramifications throughout Mass Effect are connected to the characters closest to Shepard.

In Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, players can make decisions that will result in the deaths of Shepard's squadmates. These decisions can have major ramifications on the character interactions at the heart of the series' story and the player's squad composition. Each of Mass Effect's characters brings something unique to the table and losing any one of them can have a major impact on not just the story, but the gameplay as well. Mass Effect 3 does a great job of bringing every character throughout the trilogy into the final battle against the Reapers and the player's experience will be affected by the deaths of these characters.

Important Choices In Mass Effect: Planet Virmire

Mass Effect 1 & 2's Biggest Choices To Look Out For In Legendary Edition

The pivotal mission on the planet Virmire features two extremely important decisions for Shepard. Upon arrival at a Salarian camp in the first Mass Effect, it is discovered that the rogue Spectre Saren found a cure to the Genophage in order to breed an army of Krogan. Wrex, wanting to cure the genetic mutation inflicted on his species, becomes aggressive in an effort to save the base and its information. Shepard can either convince Wrex to back down or he will ultimately be a killed by Shepard or Ashley. What happens to Wrex during this conflict will have a major impact on Shepard's interactions with the Krogan in the next two games, as Wrex's death will result in his combative brother, Wreav, taking his place.

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At the end of the mission on Virmire, Ashley and Kaidan will have been split up, with one being sent to arm a bomb site to destroy the base. As the base is being overrun with Geth, Shepard will face a major decision in choosing which of the two squadmates is saved, leaving the other behind as the bomb goes off. The squadmate that the player chooses to save will return briefly in Mass Effect 2 and rejoin Shepard's squad in Mass Effect 3, but the other is gone for good.

Important Choices In Mass Effect 2: Suicide Mission

Mass Effect 1 & 2's Biggest Choices To Look Out For In Legendary Edition

At the end of Mass Effect 2, Shepard leads a suicide mission with the entire squad in an assault on the Collector Base. As the name implies, this mission can result in the death of every single person on it if the player is not prepared. After traveling through the Omega 4 Relay, the Normandy will be attacked by the Collectors. After crash landing on the Collector Base, Shepard will then be tasked with assigning each squadmate to certain roles. As the name implies, this mission can result in the death of every single person on it and the consequences of not being properly prepared are severe.

If a squadmate's loyalty mission has not been completed prior to traveling through the Omega 4 Relay or they are assigned to a role on the Collector Base that they are not an ideal fit for, it can result in their death. If the player wishes to successfuly navigate the suicide mission in Mass Effect 2 without any casualties, it is critical that Shepard builds a relationship with each member of the squad over the course of the game and the player identifies each person's skills accordingly. If any of these characters perish on this mission, they will not appear in Mass Effect 3 and will affect Shepard's squad in the final assault on the Reapers.

These missions are unforgettable moments in what was an exceptional feat of storytelling for BioWare. The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is so highly anticipated because players were invested in these characters and storylines. Players remember the first time they failed to save Wrex, were forced to sacrifice Kaidan or Ashley on Virmire, or lost a beloved squadmate on the suicide mission. While it may just be a game, it hurts to lose characters after building a relationship with them and learning their own personal histories. The emotional toll that Mass Effect takes on its players is real and it's part of what made the series great. As players make their way through the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, it's important to remember what the consequences of these decisions are.

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