Mass Effect 3: Beginner's Guide Mass Effect 3 guide, walkthrough

Last update: 02 November 2022

On this page of our game guide you can find a set of beginner's tips and tricks for the Mass Effect 3. We have prepared dozens of valuable hints intended for casual gamers who are going to launch the game for the very first time. This will help you avoid potential mistakes and issues.

• Try to transfer the progress from Mass Effect 2
• Meet with the crew after each completed mission
• Send a diverse team on missions
• Watch out for Reapers on the Galaxy map
• Not all minor quests may appear in the Codex
• Don't attack Cerberus headquarters too early
• Save your game before each major scene

Try to transfer the progress from Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 3 is the conclusion of the trilogy and continues many of the storylines begun in Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. If you have the opportunity to do so, import the saves from ME2. This will allow you to transfer all important choices associated with the Council, the cure for genophage or the fate of important characters from previous games. If you run the game on a "fresh" save, the game will make all the decisions for you. This can force you to play the game with already-made choices that may you don't necessarily agree with.

It may also be important to note that transferring progress may be required to continue some romances started in Mass Effect 2. If you create a brand new character profile, the opportunity to play these types of romances may be irretrievably lost.

Meet with the crew after each completed mission

This is a scheme that should be very familiar with from previous installments of the series. After you've completed every major mission (mainly the main ones, although this may also apply to some of the side tasks), walk around all the decks of the Normandy and try to talk to all the interactive crew members.

By having new conversations, you can not only get to know the crew of the Normandy better, but also develop a romance and look for opportunities to unlock side quests.

Send a diverse team on missions

In Mass Effect 3, as in the two previous installments, combat is very frequent and can be demanding, especially if you set high the difficulty level. Try to send a diverse team on missions to be ready for different threats and to be able to attack enemies in various ways.

An active team should always include at least one person with biotic abilities and at least one person with technological abilities. The choice of team depends on the hero's class. For example, if your Shepard is a biotic, there is no point in taking another person specializing in biotics on subsequent missions.

Watch out for Reapers on the Galaxy map

This is a very important change from previous games, where the exploration of the galaxy did not involve the threat of the Reapers. You have to pay attention to the Reaper vigilance bar at the bottom left corner of the screen, which can fill up when you scan an object in the area.

When the awareness bar fills up, flying units of the Reapers will appear on the map. If they have arrived, you should immediately run away and leave the current planetary system by flying up to its edge or by interacting with the Mass Relay.

Not all minor quests may appear in the Codex

This is quite a useful hint, as by relying solely on the information that appears in Shepard's journal you may miss important encounters or scenes that may involve gaining some rewards or acquiring allies.

Fortunately, this "problem" can be dealt with quite easily - try to talk to all interactive NPCs and always use all available dialogue options. This is especially important when returning to the Citadel, as it is there that you will unlock most of side quests. Of course, we've described all additional quests in our walkthrough so you won't miss a thing.

Don't attack Cerberus headquarters too early

The so-called point of no return is very clearly marked in Mass Effect 3 and it is the attack on the Cerberus headquarters, which takes place in the final part of the campaign. We don't advise rushing into this mission, but rather to take care of as many optional things as possible beforehand.

Before you advance to the game's finale, try to complete all side quests (especially those where important NPCs appear), explore the galaxy in 100%, collect as many war assets as possible and spend all your credits. Additionally, if you're playing the original version of ME3, which has a multiplayer mode, make sure to raise your Galactic Readiness rating as well.

Save your game before each major scene

Mass Effect 3 contains many important choices, and as a result you should protect yourself by saving your progress before starting each new mission and before engaging into each major encounter. You can learn about important scenes in our walkthrough, and even if you're playing without any additional help you can recognize important moments, for example when you see that you're approaching a mission objective or are about to enter a larger location.

Bad or poor choices can lead to the death and loss of potential allies, as well as the weakening or complete loss of some war assets. It is worth trying to minimize such mistakes in order to reach the grand finale of the adventure with the largest possible number of allies and with powerful fleet.