Mass Effect 1 Walkthrough: Part 1, Eden Prime, the Citadel and Therum

This is part 1 of our Mass Effect 1 walkthrough for the Legendary Edition. It starts on the Normandy before Eden Prime and takes you through the Citadel, where you build your squad and become a Spectre, and on to Therum to rescue Liara. Part 2 covers Noveria, Feros, Virmire, Ilos and the final fight with Saren.

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Before you start

Your Mass Effect 1 save carries into Mass Effect 2 and 3. Choices you make here, such as who you spare and who you save, come back later. Play as yourself and don't worry about a "perfect" run on your first try. If you have not picked a class yet, read our beginner's guide first.

Your squad in Mass Effect 1:

• Kaidan Alenko: with you from the start.
• Ashley Williams: joins on Eden Prime.
• Garrus Vakarian, Urdnot Wrex and Tali'Zorah: join on the Citadel.
• Liara T'Soni: joins on Therum.

1. Eden Prime: find the beacon

The game opens on the SSV Normandy. Walk around, talk to the crew, then report to Captain Anderson. You learn the mission is now about a Prothean beacon found on Eden Prime, and that the turian Spectre Nihlus is watching you.

1. Land with Kaidan and Corporal Jenkins. Nihlus goes ahead on his own.
2. Jenkins is killed by geth drones soon after. Keep moving up the path and use cover. This is a good place to learn the cover and squad command buttons.
3. Further on, you save Ashley Williams from geth. She joins the squad for the rest of the mission and then stays with you.
4. At the dig site the beacon is gone. It has been moved to the spaceport. On the way you pass husks on large metal spikes. Husks run straight at you, so back off and shoot, or use powers that knock them down.
5. Check the research camp buildings for survivors and loot, then head on.
6. At the spaceport the geth have planted explosive charges. Disarm each one before the timer runs out. Don't stop to loot until all the bombs are safe.
7. Reach the Prothean beacon. A cutscene plays and Shepard gets a strange vision. You wake up on the Normandy.

You also learn that Saren Arterius, another Spectre, killed Nihlus and is working with the geth. That is the thread for the whole game.

2. The Citadel: expose Saren

The Normandy docks at the Citadel. Anderson and Ambassador Udina take the case to the Council in the Citadel Tower, but there is no proof. The Council does nothing. Your job is to find evidence. The main quest is Citadel: Expose Saren, and you have a few leads.

Garrus

You meet Garrus, a C-Sec officer, near the Tower. A drunk ex-cop named Harkin in Chora's Den tells you where he is, and that sends you to Dr. Michel's clinic in the Wards. Thugs are threatening the doctor. Clear them out with Garrus's help. Dr. Michel tells you about a quarian looking to sell information to the Shadow Broker, and that Fist, the owner of Chora's Den, is involved. Garrus then joins.

Wrex

The krogan Wrex is a bounty hunter hired to kill Fist. You can see him at Chora's Den, and then find him at C-Sec Academy (the lift is on the Presidium near the embassies). You can also take the Citadel: Shadow Broker lead from Barla Von in the Presidium's financial area, which points to him. Talk to Wrex and he joins.

Fist and Chora's Den

1. Go to Chora's Den in the Lower Wards with Garrus or Wrex in your squad.
2. Fight through Fist's guards. Watch for the turrets inside.
3. Corner Fist. He tells you the quarian is meeting Saren's agents in an alley in the Wards.
4. Choose to kill or spare Fist. If Wrex is with you, he may settle it himself.

Tali

Hurry to the alley. You arrive as the meeting turns into an ambush. Kill the attackers to save Tali'Zorah. She has a recording of Saren talking with Matriarch Benezia about the Reapers and the Conduit. Tali joins your squad.

Becoming a Spectre

Take the evidence to the Council. Saren loses his Spectre status, and Shepard becomes the first human Spectre. Anderson steps down and you get command of the Normandy. Make sure Garrus and Wrex are in your squad before you leave: you need to have spoken to and recruited both.

Before leaving, the Citadel is full of side quests. Most are optional, but they give XP, credits and gear. Do the ones you like and come back later for the rest.

3. The galaxy map: choose your order

Now the galaxy opens. The Council gives you three leads, and you can do them in any order:

• Therum (Artemis Tau cluster): find Benezia's daughter, Liara.
• Feros (Attican Beta cluster): a human colony under geth attack.
• Noveria (Horse Head Nebula): Benezia herself was seen there.

Our tip: do Therum first. You get Liara early, and her biotics help a lot. Virmire unlocks after you finish any two of these, but finish all three before you go there. The story moves fast after Virmire.

4. Therum: find Liara T'Soni

Therum is a volcanic world. You land in the Mako, your armoured vehicle.

1. Drive along the road toward the dig site. Geth block the way with troopers, geth armatures (big walkers) and drop ships. Use the Mako's cannon on armatures from a distance and back away while its shield recharges.
2. When the road is blocked, get out and fight on foot through the geth at the entrance to the ruins.
3. Inside, work your way down. You find Liara stuck in a Prothean barrier. She can't get out on her own.
4. Find the mining laser controls on a lower level. Use them to burn a path through the rock, then go through the tunnel it makes.
5. This path brings you up behind Liara. Press the switch next to her to free her. She joins your squad.
6. Take the lift up. The ruins start to collapse.

Boss: krogan battlemaster

At the top of the lift, a krogan battlemaster and several geth block the exit. You can't talk your way past. The krogan hits hard up close and regenerates, so keep your distance and focus fire on him. Liara's Lift or a Stasis-type power holds him in place, and a Soldier's shotgun or assault rifle finishes him. Kill the geth around him when he is pinned. Once he is down, the scene ends and you are back on the Normandy.

Tips for this part

• Talk to your squad on the Normandy after each mission. It unlocks personal side quests and romances, which matter in later games.
• Equip the best weapons for each squad member, not only for Shepard. Squad gear makes a huge difference on higher difficulties.
• Open the codex when you get a new entry. Some side quests and clues are explained there.
• In the Mako, stay at range from armatures and use rocks for cover. Driving close to them is the fastest way to lose the vehicle.
• Sell or turn junk items into omni-gel. You will need omni-gel for locks and repairs.

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Don't have it yet? Mass Effect Legendary Edition is often on sale, and it plays fine on PS5 too.

My take

The opening hours of Mass Effect 1 are slow, but the Citadel still feels huge to me. I always grab Garrus and Wrex first and do Therum right after, because a biotic in the squad makes the early fights so much easier. Which planet do you do first?

FAQ

Can I miss any squad members in Mass Effect 1?

Yes. Garrus and Wrex are optional on the Citadel, so talk to both and recruit them before you leave. Kaidan, Ashley, Tali and Liara join through the main story.

What order should I do Therum, Feros and Noveria?

Any order works. Most players do Therum first to get Liara early. Virmire opens after two of them, but it is best to finish all three before going.

Should I kill or spare Fist?

It is a small choice. Letting him go is the Paragon option and shooting him is the Renegade option. It doesn't change the main story.

How long does this part take?

If you stick to the main story, Eden Prime, the Citadel and Therum take a few hours. The Citadel side quests can easily double that.

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