Mass Effect: He who laughs best

As part of free comic book day this special Mass Effect story was released to comic book stores worldwide. This is the first time I've picked up a FCBD copy (there have been Star Wars editions before now) because being UK based it obviously costs a lot for my local comic company to order them and then distribute them for free.

New Characters

General Invectus

Species: Turian
Sex: Male
Occupation: Turian General











Invectus was tasked with inaugurating the Normandy SR-1, a joint human-turian effort, that would become the famous flagship of Commander Shepard. Invectus's presence as the sole representative of the turian race was heralded as a sign of trust between the two races.

Story

The main character of the story is Jeff "Joker" Moreau. A qualified pilot with impressive records, he is held back from his dream of flying a ship because of his physical condition (brittle bone disease). Tasked with being Invectus's shuttle pilot he brags about how he should pilot the ship and is shot down by Invectus, who also judges him as a cripple. With no resort left Joker steals the Normandy, due to take it's time trials near Arcturus Station. Joker outruns and evades fighter pursuit, still managing to complete the course in record time. Impressed by his talents as a pilot, Invectus recommends him for the job of Normandy pilot.

A nifty little backstory that was fun to have as part of free comic book day.

Next up: Halo!

Mass Effect 3: The End

It's finally time!! The last post covering Mass Effect 3!!! It's been a while since I finished, enough time for me to finish the campaign of Halo 4 in fact, but it's still great to look back on this epic adventure as Shepard finally takes the fight bacvk to Earth.


With Cerberus out of the picture it's time for an all-out assault on Earth, not only to free the planet but to activate the Crucible, which requires the Citadel as it's key component, now orbiting the planet with the heaviest force of Reapers guarding it. Anderson outlines the plan, the allied forces are split into three fleets:-

The Sword - which will engage the Reapers directly and occupy their forces
The Shield - which will hold back and protect the Crucible until it is ready to activate
The Hammer - which will punch through to the ground and attempt to infiltrate the Citadel from the city of London.

All forces are committed and a fierce battle begins.

Upon landing Shepard is asked to meet up with the rest of Hammer forces, but on the way they find Hammer troops being picked out of the sky by Reaper anti-air so Shepasrd is diverted to take it out.

The Hades Cannon is a massive Reaper device, the size of a Destroyer-class Reaper. It is capable of damaging large targets and picking nimble targets such as shuttle out of the sky. Shepard used the power of the M-920 Cain to take it out. 








Shepard pushes through to the Forward Base where he meets up with Anderson and also Wrex who is rallying his forces, while Javik is reflecting on the first war with the Reapers and how close his people came. There is also a communications station where Shepard spoke to all his former comrades scattered throughout the warzone, thanking them for all they have done to keep the fight alive. After a moment of peace with Liara Shepard heads through to the briefing.

London is a complete warzone, but their goal lies ahead - the conduit which will transport ground forces up to the Citadel where they can secure it. 






A Reaper destroyer lands ahead of the conduit. Shepard manages to defend and activate some Thanix missiles ahead of the Reaper and uses them to take it out with a precisely timed shot.  With the destroyer out of the way it's time for an all out push to the Citadel.

Just when it couldn't get any worse - Harbinger shows up!!







Despite the valiant efforts, most of the Hammer force is wiped out and Shepard's crew have to retreat to the Normandy leaving him to fight on alone, injured, to the Citadel. After wandering through the now empty station he meets up with Anderson only to find them both ambushed by the Illusive Man, now a slave of the Reapers, he kills Anderson before Shepard convinces him of the truth and he kills himself (much as Saren did) leaving Shepard free to finish the process.

Now under his control, the Crucible docks with the Citadel, completing the device. 








Shepard  now confronts the Catalyst and has a hard choice to make.

The Catalyst (taking the form of the boy that haunts Shepard's dreams) is the intelligence that the Leviathans created, which in turn created the Reapers.









The Catalyst confirms that the Reapers 'harvest' organic life due to the constant conflict between organic and synthetic life that threatens to eradicate both kinds. Because of this the Reapers were created to harvest sentient life at it's peak before the conflict grew and then start again every 50,000 years with the organic life becoming integrated into a new Reaper. 

It gives Shepard the power to choose the Galaxy's fate, destroy the Reapers (and all other synthetic life with them) or take control of them as the Illusive Man wanted to, with Shepard becoming the new Catalyst. Shepard, unhappy with these choices, uncovers a third - synthesis with organic and synthetic life merging into one and bringing unity and peace to the galaxy.

Shepard starts the process, at the cost of his own life, but he brings a new era of peace to the galaxy. The Reapers now merged with organic life offer their knowledge and help the races of the galaxy rebuild and look to the future. I'll leave you with this vid which shows the ending, slightly different from mine (ignore the female Shepard and dead Miranda!!) but which covers the future fought for by Shepard and the conclusionm of the game

I hope you've enjoyed hearing about my adventures in Mass Effect - there's a new comic series starting in a few month's time, the Citadel DLC I may get and BioWare have strongly hinted that they are not done with the universe even if they are finished with Shepard's story so I doubt this will be my last ever post on the subject!!

Mass Effect 3: Cerberus

OK nearly at the end now  - a bit ridiculous I know with the game long completed and all of Halo 4 still to update, but up-to date relevant content has never been my thing anyway. In this post I'll cover two major battles Shepard fought against Cerberus before turning his attention to the Reapers in the final battle for Earth.

Horizon

After detouring to rout Cerberus from Omega, Shepard brings the full Normandy crew to bear on Cerberus - to retrieve the data stolen on Thessia and to pay them back for their crimes against the galaxy. The Normandy crew discover that Sanctuary, a facility supposedly able to provide refugees safety from the Reaper onslaught, is actually a key Cerberus base, located on the planet of Horizon, where Shepard had his first major battle with the Collectors.

On arrival at the seemingly abandoned facility the crew find Cerberus and Reaper forces locked in a deadly battle - about time they fought each other Shepard remarks.







After examining the facility, and playing the messages of hope recorded by civilians entering the Santuary, hoping the staff can secure their future against the Reapers, they venture in to find the dark secrets that Cerberus have been hiding. Activating a console Shepard sees a message from Miranda warning him that Sanctuary isn't what it appears to be and to turn back, but Shepard presses on, especially after seeing on the recordings that Kei Leng is in pursuit of her.

Journeying into the base, Shepard discovers Cerberus's true purpose, they are experimenting on people and turning them into husks for their own purposes!








Determined to put an end to this sick experiment they press on after Miranda, determined to get to her before Kai Leng does, but as they near the headquarters they hear the sounds of a battle inside.

Henry Lawson (voiced by Alan Dale) has gained his way back into Cerberus's favour with his ability to create husks and understand Reaper technology. 






Henry is holding his genetically modified daughter Oriana as a hostage, while Miranda is nowhere to be seen. Shepard convinces Henry to let Oriana go and give up the project, at which point a wounded Miranda kills him, ending his tyranny over their lives forever. Miranda leaves to take care of Oriana but tells Shepard she planted a tracker on Kai Leng during their encounter.

The Final Push

EDI and Traynor use the tracker to locate the Illusive Man's headquarters. Shepard readies the fleets to attack Cerberus, but Hackett warns him that once the data is ready there will be no choice but to press on directly to Earth. Shepard spends a few more days rallying as much support as he can so that the galaxy is ready for the final conflict.

Cronos Station

 Orbiting a red giant, well off the charts of civilization, Cronos Station is where the Illusive Man controls asll Cerberus operations from. Only the most trusted Cerberus officials serve here. 














At the start of the mission EDI volunteers to go and proves her worth instantly by detecting a Cerberus code to vent the air from the hangar bay they land in. They battle to override the controls and then stumble on a solution to get them through the sheilded doors, taking over the automated controls, they launch a fighter directly into the station itself, causing chaos and clearing a path for them.

Journeying through the base Shepard encounters more information about EDI, that she started life as a rogue VI that Shepard battled against in his casmpaign against Saren and that she had proven her loyalty to Shepard on several occasions without his knowing, including preventing an attempt by Cerberus to remotely take over the Normandy.

Cerberus had kept and transported the remains of the Human-Reaper constructed by the Collectors and were using it for their own experiments on the station.







On reaching the Prothean VI Shepard finally discovers what the Catalyst which powers the Crucible is - only it's not an answer he likes - the Catalyst is in fact the Citadel itself!!! They are interrupted at this point by Kai Leng who engages Shepard in a ferocious battle, before finally meeting his end at Shepard's omni-blade.

Shepard speaks again to the VI, assuring him that there is still hope - but the VI reveals that the Reapers have become aware of the Catalyst's nature, due to the Illusive Man, acting under long-term indoctrination, revealing it to them in his bid to take control of the Reapers. Worst of all the Reapers have moved it somewhere where their presense is strongest

To Earth.


And now for the last time I'll update the War Assets

The following are War Assets gained by ending the Cerberus plot on Horizon

Alliance 6th Fleet - After being ordered to avoid engagements with the Reapers and preserve it's strength, this fleet is eager to join the fight.

Miranda Lawson - A key Cerberus operative, she has given the Alliance intel on several under-cover Cerberus operations


The following are War Assets gained by travelling the Galaxy

Shadow Broker Support Team - Through her connections as Shadow Broker Liara is able to lay her hands on any supplies or resources the Alliance need.

Shadow Broker Starship Tech - Technology from the former base of the Shadow Broker has gone toward the Crucible construction

Void Devils Fighter Wing - A team of highly trained Vorcha committed to destroying Reapers after the occupation of their homeworld

Vorcha Labour Team - A rare team of skilled engineers among the Vorcha, they are useful to the Crucible due to their natural resistance to radiation.

Governor Grothan Pazness - A former Batarian extremist, he now urges Batarians to embrace the support of other species and join in the fight for the future.

Volus Dreadnought Kwunnu - The only dreadnought-classs ship built by the Volus is commited to fight the Reapers

Turian SpecOps team - a highly trained team of turians renowned for action on several worlds

The following War Asset was gaine on Cronos Station

Reaper Brain - The mind of the destroyed Reaper creation is now used as a massive computer on the Crucible as well as providing data on the Reapers


One more post to go!!

Mass Effect 3: Omega

 

It's been a while but I'm determined to finish posting on Mass Effect 3 and we're tantalisingly close to the end now so I'll push on at it with a review of what I thought would be the final DLC pack for the game, but oh no they've just released a final pack 'Citadel' which allows Shepard one last chance to hang out with his crew in his own private apartment, after shooting up some bad guys first of course!! I think I'll pick this one up another time when it's on a deal as it has a hefty price tag and looks to be more about nostalgia than storyline - not that I mind nostalgia in any way at all!

Anyway, on with this pack of DLC - which continues from the Mass Effect comic series I reviewed HERE

The Citadel

                                                    

The deposed outlaw Queen of Omega Aria T'Loak now holds court in the Citadel still reigning supreme over the mercenary groups of the galaxy. But she is keen to retake her throne and knows of one man who can get the job done.

Aria had made no bones about her plans to remove Cerberus from her base of operations on Omega and with her plans in fruition she contacts Shepard, requesting his aid. Fortunately for her this request coincided with Kai Leng's assault on Thessia and Shepard's need to vent his frustration by taking it out on Cerberus forces. Aria instist on Shepard leaving his squad behind and he reluctantly agrees. 

Omega 

Shepard links up with Aria's fleet, a rag-tag band of mercenaries and criminals flying under her banner and determined to take their home back from Cerberus. 

Aria uses her flagship, a captured Cerberus cruiser to get close to Omega, but her recklessness gets the ship destroyed by Omega's upgraded defenses. The rest of her fleet engage Cerberus in space while her ground forces use escape pods to penetrate Omega's lower levels. Fighting out of the docking bay they enter Omega to see the true mess that Cerberus has made of the station.

Cerberus have dominated the population of Omega to use it as their base to study Reaper technology through the Omega 4 relay. They have subjugated the alien species living onboard and use deadly force fields to cut off access to various areas of the station

Aria takes Shepard deeper into the station, determined to meet up with the rest of her forces who have made it onto the station, pressing through they see the depths Cerberus have sunk to to maintain control over the facility. 

Rampart Mechs are a Cerberus nightmare, upgraded from standard LOKI mechs to subjugate the criminal population of Omega. With upgraded armour and programmed to charge enemies with omni-weapons at close range they are a terrifying foe especially in large numbers.

 Aria takes Shepard away from the fighting and into the access tunnels, Aria's secret passageways through the station and around Cerberus forces towards their goal. Aria relates some of her history in taking over the station the becomes concerned as she notices the marks of a mercenary band the Talons painted over these little known passageways. Aria debates the usefulness of theis band of drug-dealers as an allied force. As they travel further into the tunnels she runs into an old friend. 

Nyreen Kandros (the first female Turian to appear in-game) was put into the Cabals, a backwater unit of the Turian military, mistrusted for their rare biotic powers. Fed up of being outcast she made a life as a mercenary on Omega and became close to Aria but they fell out due to Nyreen's moral code.

Nyreen is disturbed to see Aria back, yet relieved to know there is an effort to remove Cerberus from power. She debates with Aria about her methods of gaining power and what she will do to it when she has it and Aria retaliates that by saying her rule still gave people free will unlike Cerberus's totalitarian regime. Nyreen agrees to join Shepard and Aria and heads to a makeshift command centre set up by Aria's lieutanants where they organise resistance agains the Cerberus leader.

Oleg Petrovsky is a tactical genius who outplayed Aria to seize control of Omega from her for Cerberus. He remains confident that he can outmaneuver his foe even as she steps onto his territory. He has set up his base of operations in her former throne the Afterlife nightclub. 

Aria sets out to recruit the Talons to her forces, heading into their territory to seek out their leader. She has to fight through some heavy resistance though as the Talons are taking the bru8nt of Cerberus opposition and concentrated forces are near the Talon's main outpost. When she finally breaks through she finds things weeren't quite as she expected.

 Nyreen is the true leader of the Talons and she has reformed them from a band of thugs into a elite group of freedom fighters loyal to her and to a free Omega.






While not swayed to fly Aria's banner Nyreen agrees that the Talons can help remove Cerberus and commits her forces to the war effort in co-ordination with Aria's battlegroup. After mopping up the Cerberus forces assaulting the Talon base Aria makes a speech to rally the citizens of Omega in defiance of Cerberus and puts together a plan to take out Petrovsky and stop the Cerberus efforts on the station. Aria takes Shepard and Nyreen into the mines to circumvent the bulk of the Cerberus army. While in the mines they encounter an enemy spoken of only in hushed tones by the resistance forces.

Adjutants are a Reaper creation modified by Cerberus for their own purposes. They can kill their victims and turn them into more adjutants to spread the infection and create more soldiers. 






After defeating the adjutant they find themselves surrounded by force fields, trapped by Petrovsky who had predicted their next move. He had not however counted on Aria's fierce determination as she used her biotic power to tear a hold through the field with Shepard and Nyreen providing cover. Fighting their way past more adjutants and Cerberus forces they make it to Afterlife where Nyreen, ceing Cerberus gun down civlians sacrifices herself to take out the forces guarding the door.

Once inside  Petrovsky lays another trap for Aria leaving Shepard to take out his enhanced adjutant forces. Shepard battles them himself and frees Aria to pronounce judgement on Petrovsky. Perhaps due to Nyreen's sacrifice she decides to spare him so that he can provide more intel for the war effort. The crowds line up as the queen of Omega returns to her throne.

As usual here are the War Assets

Omega Eezo Hoard - Aria commits a bulk shipment of Element Zero from Omega's mines to keep Alliance ships fueled and ready to fight.

Omega Raiding Fleet - A small, mobile fleet ready to commit powerful strikes against the enemy.

Oleg Petrovsky - His knowledge of Cerberus operations is invaluable to the War Effort.


More soon!!

                                                                                                                                

Mass Effect 3: Thessia

This is getting to be something of a joke as I've now finished Halo 4 and am making progress into The Old Republic which is now fully free to play to level 50 with some restrictions but anyway Mass Effect 3 was an amazing journey and well worth playing so I'm going to finish chronicling my adventures in the game here regardless.

Cyone

Fresh from battling the Reaper and grieving over the loss of his friends to the War Effort Shepard has to force himself to keep going to see this battle through. A heads up from Admiral Hackett sends Shepard and the Normandy crew to Cyone, where a critical fuel depot has gone dark.

A key supplier of fuel for the Asari, it also supplies fuel to the Alliance Navy for the entire sector, making it a critical planet to hold.








Shepard arrives to find the place swarming with Reaper forces battling a handful of surviving security forces. To make things worse the battle has caused toxic gases to leak across sections of the base. Shepard manoeuvers around the hazards to eliminate the enemy forces and restart the supply chain.

The Citadel

Soon after the Normandy returns to the Citadel on a summons from the Asari Councillor, she informs Shepard that Thessia, the Asari homeworld is now under siege from Reaper forces, but that is not why she has summoned Shepard. Hidden in an ancient temple is a powerful Prothean artifact, which may hold the key to completing the Crucible, which requires an unknown component called the Catalyst before being ready to fire. This temple is so secret that most Asari, including Liara, don't know that it holds such a powerful artifact.

Thessia

Once the cultural centre of the Galaxy, this beautiful world is not exepmt from the ravages of Reaper occupation








Shepard lands as close as possible to the artifact but the city is under attack from several Reapers.  Shepard meets up with a squad of Asari commandos who aren't too pleased about having to help as they are fighting for their lives but Shepard persuades them of the importance of his mission and they clear the way for him. Shepard battles past wave after wave of Reaper troops through a devastated city to an overrun outpost where he has to fend off powerful Harvesters and reinforce the Asari lines before proceeding.

The Temple of Athame is a sacred site for many Asari who worship the ancient Goddess, few they know the secrets that it holds.










 (Note, I'd say it's almost essential to take Javik with you on this mission, you get a lot more out of it that you would any other way - plus he's great in a fight!!)

Shepard and his squad cautiously enter the temple to find it abandoned, the science team have been murdered but there's no sign of Reaper activity inside. They set about examining the various artifacts in the building to see if they are the source of the hidden technology. Liara recalls the ancient legends they portray, while Javik poses that these are due to his people using advanced technology to protect the primitive Asari.

Javik is quick to point out the resemblence of 'Athame' in this cave mural








After interacting with the large statue at the back of the temple and interfacing with other key artifacts linked to it Shepard uncovers a Prothean beacon, similar to the one he found on Eden Prime where hiswar against the Reapers began. Able to interface with it due to his experiences with Prothean artifacts, Shepard gleans that this is the source of the Asari's advanced technology and culture, a fact the Asari leaders have kept hidden even from their own kind. Continued interaction causes a Prothean VI to activate.

Vendetta  is a powerful intelligence left behind by the Prothean Empire to safeguard the beacon, relieved to see one of it's creators it shares it's knowledge with Shepard.








The VI 'Vendetta' shares knowledge with Shepard, despite the fact that it believes it is too late to stop the Reapers. It reveals that the Crucible is not a Prothean design but rather has been developed by numerous races over the cycles of extinction and was compiled and nearly contructed by the Protheans. When asked why the weapon was never finished it reveals thast a splinter group of Protheans believed that the Reapers could be controlled instead of eliminated, much as Cerberus are trying to do. Vendetta says that they turned out to be indoctrinated agents.

Before he can say more Kai Leng, who has been cloaked in the shadows springs out and with a gunship for fire support destroys much of the temple, leaving Shepard and his crew fighting for their lives as he downloads the data and escapes. Shepard watches hoplessly as Leng flees the scene and as he steps outside watches the Reapers continue to descend on the planet.

Back on the Normandy Liara is furious at Javik for his people's interference in her culture, but he answers that the Protheans saw something in the Asari, something greater than they had in themselves, which is why they nurtured them as a primitive race. Despite this consolation Liara is devastated by the loss of her homeworld and there is little Shepard can do to comfort her. Shepard resolves to stop being on the defensive with Cerberus and take back what is theirs. EDI and Samantha Traynor track Leng's ship to Horizon, but at the same time Shepard recieves a special request which gives him an opportunity to pay Cerberus back.

 - Here are the War Assets gained during these missions.

The following War Asset is gained on Cyone

Advanced Starship Fuel - Fuel from the refineries on Cyone makes transporting materials to the Crucible more efficient.

The following are War Assets gaine travelling to Thessia and exploring the surrounding systems








Synthdiamond Heat Sinks - Synthetic diamonds make heat sinks for weapons more effective

Emergency Fuel Pods - Recovered from a debris field these help power the Crucible's reactors

Alliance Frigates Leipzig and Hong Kong are added to the Alliance 3rd and 5th fleets

Armali Sniper Unit - A highly trained team of Asari commandos specialising in long-distance engagement

Serrice Guard - A heroic team of commandos originally formed to combat the Blood Pack

Dr Jelize - A famed Asari scientist specialising in nano-circuitry, is now building circuit boards for the Crucible's weapons

Elcor Flotilla - After a plea from the Elcor Ambassador on the Citadel Shepard sends the Normandy to assist the Elcor evacuate their homeworld Dekunna. A flotilla of military ships and Elcor warriors bearing heavy weapons emplacements on their backs join the united cause.

Mass Effect 3: Rannoch

Yes there's more Mass Effect and I'm afraid I'm abandoning my video posts, while they are fun to make they are time consuming and have put me way behind on Mass Effect 3 progress when I've actually finished the game and am now progressing through Halo 4 which I'm eager to blog about!!

So here's what happened next on Mass Effect 3

The Far Rim

After gaining the support of the Leviathans, Shepard turned his attention to the Quarians, there had been reports of events brewing on the Geth border but with the Galaxy under occupation there was little time to investigate the Quarian fleet but now the Quarians were reaching out and the Normandy was dispatched to try and gain their help.

The Quarian Envoy ship bears the style of Quarian frigates but has several modifications including a stealth drive similar to the Normandy's.






At a waypoint in the far reaches of space Shepard meets with the Quarian Admirals to discuss their situation. They are in the middle of a battle to retake their homeworld from Geth forces, a battle they were winning until the Reapers came to the aid of the Geth and enhanced their capabilities.

Tali'Zorah is the latest Quarian Admrial, taking the place of her father and earning her position through her expert knowledge of the Geth and Reapers. She is eager to aid Shepard and join him on his missions.







Geth Dreadnought

Shepard agrees to lead the Normandy on a mission to infiltrate the Geth dreadnought, a massive vessel which is transmitting Reaper software and tactics to the Geth, helping them resist Quarian countermeasures and fight them more effectively. Shepard and his crew arrive in the middle of a huge space battle.

Due to the Geth not relying on an economic society they have no restrictions in building a massive dreanought but aquiring the raw materials to do so. Upgraded by Reaper technology this is a formidable warship, barely dented by the might of the Quarian fleet.





Once aboard Shepard and his crew battle their way through Geth forces to find the source of the Reaper Code that is being transmitted throughout the Geth fleet, making them such effective opponents of the Quarians. After a long and drawn out battle through the ship including travelling along it's massive energy cannons they find the source of the signal.

Legion returned to the Geth consensus after serving with Shepard against the Collectors. Warning his people of the return of the Reapers they prepared for war but the arrival of the Quarians forced them to turn to the Reapers or face extinction.






Legion had been captured by the Reapers and due to his unique nature was used as a focal point to transmit the new Reaper code to all Geth, improving their networking capabilities and enhancing them as individual programs to the nature of true AI. He gives them advice on how to counter the Reapers and disables the Dreadnought's shields, prompting the Quarians to attack with them still onboard. Legion hijacks a Geth fighter and gets them to safety just in time.

Admiral Koris

With the Dreadnought destroyed the Quarians have bought themselves some breathing room but the battle is far from over and several urgent missions come to Shepard's attention before the main thrust against the Geth can be completed. Firstly Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib, leader of the civilian fleet is shot mdown by a planetary cannon. The Geth liveships, while heavily armed are full of civilians unequipped for war and require his leadership, he is also one of the few leavel-headed admirals who tried to stop the fleet from blowing up Shepard so Shepard takes Tali down to the surface to find him.

One of the Admiral's crew dies in peace, having set foot on the homeworld






Shepard moves to take out AA guns on the surface to the Cortez can man the shuttle to blow up a jamming tower masking the Admiral's location. Despite the Admiral's protestations Shepard has to make a tough call, rescuing the Admiral at the cost of abandoning the rest of his crew for the good of the fleet.

Geth Fighter Squadrons

The Quarians aren't happy about having Legion on board the Normandy, but Shepard, still angry over their actions on the Geth Dreadnought leaps to the defence of his friend and includes him in the battle plan. Legion points out a server on Rannoch from which Geth Fighter craft are controlled, he takes Shepard to the surface to delete the Geth programs manually, disabling the fighters. Due to the progress on Project Overlord Shepard is able to directly interface with the Geth Consensus.

How the Geth consensus is percieved by Shepard's mind.









When deleting Geth programs Shepard views footage of the original war of the Geth against their creators, seeing that there were some Quarians who sheltered the Geth and opposed their destruction. Legion is also hard at work, liberating some Geth programs from Reaper controll and installing them in Geth Prime hardware to aid the war effort.

Retaking Rannoch

 The surface of Rannoch, once thought lost forever is now a battleground where the future of two races is deperately fought for.









While the distribution of the Reaper signal through the Dreadnought was stopped the origin of the signal is still strong on Rannoch and the Geth continue to grow stronger. Shepard agrees to return to the surface to tag the source of the transmission for an orbital strike and to bring an end to the conflict. Shepard battles through the Geth base with Tali and Legion, fighting their way to a control panel to open the blast doors concealing the transmission source.

The transmission turns out to be a Reaper Destroyer similar to the one encountered on Tuchanka.





Suddenly in a fight for his life Shepard speeds away on a Geth transport then decides enough is enough and goes head to head with the Reaper, using the targeting device to call down an orbital strike from the entire Quarian fleet and downing the reaper. With it's parting words the Reaper declares that it is working for the good of organic beings and that there is no war, only the harvest - echoing the truth revealed by the Leviathan as to the purpose of the Reapers' creation.

With the destruction of the Reaper seeming like a victory two fleets are still poised on the verge of mutual self-destruction.







With the Reaper dead the Geth are thrown into confusion while the Quarians see this as their chance to wipe out their dreaded enemy. Legion adds to the dilemma by asking Shepard to support him in uploading modified Reaper code that will alow his people to become true AI, to be free beings. Tali is reluctant to allow this but is persuaded by Shepard and convinces the fleet to break off their attack.

In order to complete the upload Legion must disseminate himself into the Geth consensus, no longer existing as the individual he was. His sacrifice brings freedom to the Geth.






Against all odds the Geth come to the aid of the Quarians and help them reclaim their world, build new settlements and even adapt their suits to help their weakened immune systems recover more quickly. Tali thanks Shepard for this unbelievable peace and takes off her mask to breath in the air of Rannoch.


Here are the War Assets gained on these missions.

Shepard completed an N7 mission on Noveria, taking down a Cerberus Fighter Base, gaining him this War Asset

Advanced Fighter Squadron - These latest model fighters were liberated from Cerberus on Noveria and put to good use against the Reapers.

The following are War Assets gained during the conflict on Rannoch

Admiral Zaal'Koris - Rescued on Rannoch he leads the Civilian Fleet with a cool head and an open mind.

Admiral Daro'Xen - Head of Special Projects for the Quarian fleet

The Quarian Heavy Fleet, Patrol Fleet and Civilian Fleet declare their readiness to fight the Reapers

Geth Prime Platoon - Powerful Geth platforms that can act as mobile networking hubs co-ordinating Geth resistance against the Reapers

Geth Corps - The bulk of the Geth platorms are commited for ground offensives

Geth Fleet - saved from destruction by the Quarians the powerful Geth fleet is perfectly co-ordinated due to the synthetic nature of the Geth and their ability for networking.


Thanks for Reading - in my next post I'll be discussing Gears of War