The Reapers open new fronts across the entire galaxy over the course of Mass Effect 3 , but they aren’t the only threats that you must deal with.
Cerberus forces, under the command of the Illusive Man, have staked their own claims, actively attempting to sabotage the already failing unity of the Citadel races.
The geth are resurgent with the coming Reaper onslaught. There’s a whole lot of galaxy to save, but Shepard is one Spectre, in command of one squad, on a lone ship.
Being well equipped counts for as much as being an excellent shot or a powerful Biotic, but you need more.
There are two central locations that you will revisit on a regular basis between combat zones: the Normandy and the Citadel (see Citidal Maps for labeled maps).
Here you will find the extra edge needed to give the whole galaxy a fighting chance.
THE NORMANDY
The iconic vessel that has seen service across the Mass Effect franchise, the Normandy SR2, is your mobile command center. It once flew Cerberus’s colors.
Now it is firmly back in control of the Alliance military and has seen some improvements befitting a more militaristic mind-set.
The Normandy is a warship, and it does its job of supporting Shepard and allies before and after every battle.
The Normandy retains its four decks, as seen in Mass Effect 2 , with physical modifications and the addition of a fifth deck, the shuttle bay.
In addition to providing a place to gird for battle, the ship is also a place to chat up your crew. Be sure to do this between every major assignment, as new conversations may be available.
Potential romances can be pursued among the crew, and Alignment and Reputation can also be influenced here as well.
The Captain’s Cabin
Also called “the Loft” by Cerberus dockworkers during the SR2’s construction, the captain’s cabin is a place for Commander Shepard to relax between missions, potentially with a romantic interest.
Occasionally, crew members will request a meeting in private with Shepard, and they can be called up to the cabin via the private terminal.
An aquarium is available for Shepard if you purchase pet fish from the markets on the Citadel or via the Requisitions terminal in the shuttle bay.
A portrait of Shepard’s love interest can appear on the desk near the private terminal. A display case for the various ship models that you can collect throughout the adventure is also found in this room.
The Combat Information Center
The nerve center of the Normandy has seen some dramatic overhauls.
The forward section of the Combat Information Center (CIC) retains the Galaxy Map for Shepard to direct the ship to the next destination, and there’s a private terminal to receive new messages and assignments.
Joker still reigns in the forward cockpit as the pilot of the Normandy, assisted by EDI. Ensign Traynor, your communications specialist on post near the Galaxy Map, will alert you to new assignments or requests from other crew members.
The most dramatic changes are aft of the forward CIC. A security station separates the two sections and leads directly into a meeting room and the war room.
It is in the war room that Shepard can check the status of all War Assets acquired during the course of the story and see the overall galactic Readiness rating.
Additionally, dual Quantum Entanglement Communicators allow for Shepard to receive reports from the war-torn Earth and from Admiral Hackett.
The Crew’s Quarters
The crew’s quarters is where the needs of the men and women of the Normandy are met. Entertainment is located in the port and starboard recreation lounges, and showers are available in gender-specific bathrooms.
The medbay is located on this deck, where Shepard can respec his/her powers as necessary. Across from the medbay are the executive officer’s quarters, where Liara will make her home once she comes aboard the Normandy.
The calibration stations for Normandy’s guns await the attention of a skilled crewman. At the center of it all, the crew mess hall provides warm meals.
Engineering
Crew Chief Adams now holds down the Normandy’s engineering section, monitoring the primary drive core for any abnormalities.
This deck can also be home to crew members you pick up along the way. For example, the war reporter Diana Allers will make her home in the starboard-side cargo room.
Shuttle Bay
Similar to the old Normandy SR1, the shuttle bay contains all the vehicles needed for planet-side insertions into hostile territory. More importantly, everything you need to get ready for a mission in advance is held here.
Your shuttle pilot, Cortez, handles all requisition orders you may need to make from the Normandy, reducing time spent having to travel to the Citadel to purchase new armor or weapon mods.
The moment you access any store, Cortez will create a network with it, allowing direct purchases from the Normandy in exchange for a 10 percent increase in prices.
Weapons can also be upgraded from a terminal in the shuttle bay. Weapon upgrades are limited to a maximum of five times per weapon during the first playthrough, with the limit increased to ten on future playthroughs.
Any weapon in your possession can also be modified using any of the mods you’ve purchased or located during missions.
You can also set up the loadouts of Shepard and any available squadmate in advance, making it easier to get into a mission that much faster.
TRAVEL
As soon as you complete the initial prologue missions, the Normandy comes under your full control. You are free to roam about the galaxy as you see fit, in search of potential War Assets or salvage.
The ship can take you to any priority missions or side missions that are currently available. The ship’s capabilities may be familiar to series veterans, but there are new things that have been introduced.
The Galaxy Map
Galaxy View
Located in the center of the CIC, the Galaxy Map allows you to chart a course between various star clusters in the galaxy.
Priority missions and major special assignments are marked on the pertinent clusters in this display.
System View
After you select a star cluster to visit, the Normandy will travel via a mass relay to the system within a cluster that contains its own relay. But things get complicated when Reapers are a factor.
The Reaper invasion has touched almost every corner of the galaxy.
As you move the Normandy through a system, you may be on an assignment that requires you to fire off a wide-range sensor pulse that will help detect any War Assets or salvage on the planets in a system.
This sensor pulse in turn is picked up by the Reapers.
A Reaper Awareness bar will appear onscreen, letting you know that the Reapers are tracking you.
If the bar becomes full, all of the Reapers on the outskirts of a system will come after you, and if they catch the Normandy, they will destroy it, no questions asked.
Orbital View
This view is available when you close in on a planet and select to orbit it. Previously in Mass Effect 2 , you needed to scan every world for resources and fire off probes to collect them. This is not the case with Mass Effect 3 .
You can scan and probe planets only if the sensors picked up something of value in the System View mode. For missions that require the squad to be deployed, you can select to land on the planet from this display.
Cluster View
Travel between solar systems switches the Galaxy Map to this view mode. The big difference in traveling through this view is that it requires fuel.
Running out of fuel between systems is highly inadvisable since it forces the Normandy back to the system with the mass relay.
Given that not every system has a convenient fuel depot available, returning to a Reaper-infested area could be the last thing you ever do. Consider that before beginning intersystem travel within a cluster.
THE CITADEL
Still the center of galactic civilization, the Citadel is a massive construct once believed to be abandoned by the highly advanced Protheans over 50,000 years ago.
The dark truth is that the Citadel was actually a mass relay of epic proportions, to be activated by the Reaper vanguard Sovereign and usher in a full invasion, years before galactic civilization could even hope to begin mounting a counterattack.
Commander Shepard was able to stop this, with the help of some very good allies, but it was not enough to fully deter the Reapers. They have finally come.
The Citadel is a place of constant transition throughout the story of Mass Effect 3 .
Many side quests become available here between every major assignment, and you can miss these forever if you progress beyond a certain point in the story, as the Citadel begins to feel the effects of the war to greater degrees.
In addition to side quests that can start from conversations on the Citadel, it is a place to buy weapon mods and armor pieces that will be critical to your success, without the 10 percent extra tacked on to purchases aboard the Normandy.
Whenever the Normandy docks at the Citadel, your crew will also disembark for shore leave, trying to decompress from all the pressure the war is heaping upon them.
It is possible to earn Paragon, Renegade, and Reputation points just by talking to them.
There are a total of six levels to explore on the Citadel, each serving their own purpose (see Citidal Maps for labeled maps).
Normandy Dock: D24
D24 is where you first arrive on the Citadel during the early events of Mass Effect 3 .
It is a small and cramped location, but you may meet a squad member from Shepard’s past here. You also see the war reporter Diana Allers here, initially.
Dock Refugee Camp
Initially, you do not have access to this level of the Citadel, but once you do, several side quests transpire in this location.
More importantly, survivors of the Batarian Hegemony have turned up here in droves after the devastating opening days of the Reaper onslaught and have set up a shop where purchases can be made.
You may also find a squadmate during visits to the Citadel here, helping injured refugees from stricken worlds.
Citadel Embassies
The heart of politics in the galaxy, the Citadel Embassies is a hub of frenzied activity that only grows as the war drags on. Many side missions start at the embassies, with numerous returning characters making appearances here.
The Embassies have three major offices accessible to Shepard:
- C-Sec Commander’s Office: Promoted by Counselor Udina, Commander Bailey holds court in his office. He is a valuable contact for all things C-Sec related.
- Human Embassy: The current human representative on the Council, Donnel Udina, has his main office on this level of the Citadel. Your initial dealings with the Council are facilitated by him at this office.
- Spectre Requisitions: After being reinstated as a Spectre, you also get access to Spectre exclusive data resources and the opportunity to buy three of the most expensive weapons in the game. This is definitely a set of weapons you’ll want to buy from the Citadel proper, as ordering from the Normandy adds a 10 percent tax to these weapons, and they already cost a significant amount as is!
Purgatory Bar
Holding court here in the wildest (and unsanctioned) club on the Citadel is Aria, the most feared crime boss on Omega.
Her reasons for being here and not on her home turf will become clear once you finish speaking with her.
James Vega can be found here, along with soldiers of various species all trying to keep their minds off of the war, even for just a short while.
Huerta Memorial Hospital
Already busy when you first arrive on the Citadel, this hospital is gearing up for a veritable flood of casualties as the war heats up.
Pay attention to the various doctors roaming the facility with each visit; you might hear opportunities to gain some valuable War Assets, or even see some familiar faces among the crowd.
Presidium Commons
The largest and busiest part of the Citadel, the Presidium Commons contains the majority of the stores the Normandy can network with, providing the bulk of your purchasable armor and weapon modifications.
Many side quests will take you to and from the Commons, so get to know the area well.