Mass Effect 2: Collector Ship - walkthrough Mass Effect 2 guide, walkthrough

Last update: 02 June 2021

Received from: The Illusive Man [Normandy SR-2]

Description: You will start this mission after completing an assignment on the surface of planet Horizon (first Collector mission) and after finding one of three new candidates for the suicide mission. You're going to be transported to the Collector Ship as soon as you've finished your conversation with the Illusive Man. You may begin exploring the [Unactive Collector ship] by heading forward. You won't encounter any enemies for the next few minutes, so you won't have to make any unscheduled stops.

The Collector ship may seem interesting, but you won't find any interactive objects along the way. There are going to be only two exceptions - a pod (first screenshot) and dead bodies of the colonists from Horizon (second screenshot). Notice that with the colonies you'll see a short cut-scene and your response will result in receiving a small amount of paragon or renegade points.

You will soon reach a much larger area where you'll find a med kit. Examine a Collector device found to your right (first screenshot) to acquire 7500 credits. You must now approach a control terminal (second screenshot) where you'll be a witness to a very shocking discovery. Notice that you've been given a choice of a bonus weapon and the list of offered guns will change depending on the class of the main character. I would recommend thinking carefully and choosing the most useful weapon for Shepard.

There's also a weapons locker nearby so even if you've taken something you don't find interesting you may give it to someone from your team. Look around near the locker to find power cells and 250 units of element zero. You may continue moving forward and to an upper level. You'll soon find a new Collector device and this time you'll earn 15000 credits!

Continue exploring the Collector ship. Don't forget to interact with a large terminal along the way (first screenshot), because doing this will reward you with a new plan for a research project. Start heading upwards. There's only one passageway leading to your current destination, so you can't get lost.

Eventually you should be able to get to a large round platform with a command console (first screenshot). SAVE your game before interacting with the console. After watching a short cut-scene you'll notice that platforms with Collectors on board have begun appearing in the area. Each new platform will connect to yours. Make sure to order your followers to take cover behind a small metal wall before the first platform arrives.

Despite what you may think, this is not going to be a difficult battle. New platforms will connect to yours only from the front on from both sides, so you shouldn't need to change cover during the battle. Start attacking Collector guardians as soon as you see them and try using powers good for destroying their protective barriers.

You must acknowledge the fact that an alien leader will take special attention in this battle and this means you having to fight the Harbinger often. Don't forget to kill standard Collector units quickly so the leader won't have a lot of opportunities to posses someone new and use your heavy weapons to quickly dispose of each Harbinger. The last platform will have scions on board and you shouldn't forget that it's best to attack them from a large distance, preventing them from using a deadly shockwave.

Assuming that the scions didn't get too close you should be able to win this entire battle without having to leave your cover even once. Make sure that it's safe and check all the platforms to find power cells. Finish off by interacting with the command console again and after watching a short cut-scene you'll end up in a new section of the ship.

You may start moving forward. Be on a look out for a med kit along the way and for a new Collector device (first screenshot) which will make you 7500 credits richer. First group of alien units will attack you in the next area of the ship (second screenshot) and you should remember about killing them quickly in order to prevent the Harbinger from respawning too many times.

After you've dealt with all hostile units you must choose a passageway leading to a lower level (first screenshot). Watch out for a new group of enemies stationed in a nearby zone. I would recommend that you focus your attacks on Collector assassins and abominations, preventing them from moving too close.

Just as before, you should focus on preventing the alien leader from taking over standard Collectors, because each duel with a Harbinger will be risky and will result in losing a lot of ammunition. Keep fighting until all the Collectors have been eliminated and then search the area to find power cells, a med kit and 250 units of element zero.

I strongly recommend that you save your current progress right now, because you're about to take part in a very difficult battle. Locate a hole in the ground (first screenshot) and head down. As soon as you've reached a new large area order your colleagues to take cover, because you'll start a new fight with a praetorian (big walking/flying machine from the Horizon mission).

The rules of this duel didn't change since your last encounter with the praetorian so you'll want to destroy its shield first. Powering down praetorian's defences will allow you to damage its armor and this should be done using a powerful heavy weapon. Make sure to inflict a lot of damage before praetorian's shields go back up. You'll probably have to repeat these actions 3 or 4 times depending on the difficulty level. Aside from the prateorian you must also watch out for Collector drones and husks, however you should be able to remain in one spot for a longer period of time than in the Horizon mission.

Make sure to explore this area after you've dealt with the praetorian and all standard enemy units. You'll find power cells for heavy weapons here (first screenshot) and if you run out of ammo you might even consider taking them during the battle. Proceed to the next section. Once you've reached a closed door listen to EDI and then choose a newly unlocked passageway located to your right.

You should be moving slower through some of the nearby rooms, because you'll want to find two Collector devices along the way. Interacting with the first machine will grant you 7500 credits and interacting with the second machine will result in receiving a plan for a new research project. Save your game before entering a new large area of the ship.

Get ready for the last big battle of this mission. This time you won't have to worry about encountering a praetorian, but instead Harbinger will take control over at least 2-3 Collector units. As for means of securing this area, you can decide to remain on the main path (first screenshot) or you can choose one of the side passageways (second screenshot).

Aside from the Collectors and the Harbinger you'll also have to watch out for abominations and scions. Notice that you won't be allowed to attack some of the scions from a safe distance, so it would be wise to use a heavy weapon to take them out. Watch out for your followers and make sure they're always hiding behind a good cover. Proceed to a new corridor (second screenshot) after dealing with all enemy units.

Be careful here, because you'll soon notice that a large group of husks is running towards your team. You don't have to fight your way to the exit, because you're not racing against time. Instead occupy a single spot and continue eliminating them until they're all dead. You may continue moving forward (second screenshot).

Eventually you'll have to use a small corridor to get to the shuttle (first screenshot). After you've returned to the Normandy you'll have a chance to talk to the Illusive Man and to your crew members about the current status of the campaign. I would strongly recommend that you focus on locating the rest of potential crew members instead of starting a new Collector mission (The Reaper IFF) unprepared (even if you don't set out on a new mission right now the new main quest mentioned above will still appear in your journal).