How to Beat the Citidel Level of Mass Effect

At the end of the Eden Prime level, Shepard had interacted with a strange piece of alien technology, leaving him unconscious. You will wake up in the Normandy on your way back to the Citadel, the cultural and logistic hub of the galaxy. This is a huge area rich in characters and action. Those who take their time and explore will gain a ton of knowledge about the galaxy and its cultures and maybe a few more tangible benefits as well.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• XBOX 360
• Copy of Mass Effect

The Normandy

1. Talk to the captain, Ashley and the doctor upon waking from your troubled sleep. There are no character disposition points to be had in any of these conversations.

2. Talk to Ashley as soon as you leave the medical bay. You can earn two paragon points but no renegade points.

3. Talk to Joker as soon as you want to leave the Normandy and get to the Citadel.

4. Speak with Ambassador Udina and Captain Anderson. After you are done, go to the computer terminals near the back of the room. You will have the option to hack one of them--do it. It will activate a side quest called "unusual readings."

5. Head down the stairs and follow the signs to the C-Sec headquarters. Go into Executor Pallin's office. Speak to him if you wish, but decrypt the computer by his desk. This will activate another side quest, "strange transmission."

6. Head back up to the main level. Go to the Citadel Tower, it's the massive white tower visible from nearly everywhere in the Citadel proper. There are signs if you need them.

7. Head down the corridor once you get inside the tower. You will witness a movie that will introduce you to Garrus, one of the characters that may join your party.

8. Keep going. You will run into Udina and Anderson again and will have another conversation. There are no renegade points available, but you can pick up two paragon points. You will learn about an alien named Wrex, who is another character that will join your party. You don't need to speak to him at this time, but if you want him if your party now, you can track him down.

9. Head back down to the Citadel proper. If you want Wrex, head across the water and hang a left. There is a being named Barla Von, a squat alien dressed in brown who knows about Wrex's location. His office is on the right, across the water from the Udina's office. Speak with him to learn Wrex's location. Head down to C-Sec and speak with Wrex to have him join your party. His is standing by the elevator.

Garrus

10. It's time to tackle Seren. Head down to the lower wards through the elevator located in C-Sec headquarters.

11. Look for a place called Chora's Den. The lower wards are a small place, and you will know you are close when you are attacked by assassins. There is also a big neon sign.

12. Take cover behind the railing in front of you when you are attacked. One assassin may try to charge you from the path on your right. If he does, equip an assault riffle or shotgun and use blind fire to take him down quickly. Otherwise, use your pistol and pop in and out of cover. Once the first foe is down, move up to the right to flank the remaining foe. He won't last.

13. 
     

    Head into Chora's Den. There is a man inside named Harkin. He is bald and sitting in a dark corner. Talk to him to learn about Garrus's actions. There are no disposition points available.

14. Head up the the upper wards. Go to the medical ward; if you are looking out the window, it's to the far left of the area. Help Garrus with the thugs inside. Take cover and use blind fire with a shotgun or riffle when they pop out.

15. Talk to Garrus and the doctor. Garrus will join your party, and there are character disposition points available to paragons or renegades.

Evidence

16. Check your weapons and armor. You're going back to Chora's Den to have a talk with Fist, and he doesn't feel much like talking.

17. There are a ton of enemies in the main room or Chora's Den. Enter the room and you'll likely be overwhelmed in seconds. Hang back outside the door (position your team outside as well) and use your pistol to pick off a few. This will usually clear the right side of the room, allowing you to take cover from the left side by the nearby railing and not get shot in the back. Use your strongest weapon once you get inside the room.

18. Head through the door in the back of the room. There are weapons lockers to hack for supplies nearby. After an exchange with some workers, you'll come to the room where Fist waits.

19. 
     

    Take cover immediately and make sure you team does as well. Two heavy turrets will pop up to each side of Fist, and they can take you out in seconds. Unless you've put a lot of skill points into either your shotgun or assault riffle, take them out with blind fire from your pistol. Then concentrate on Fist.

20. Talk to the surrendered Fist. There is a chance to gain renegade points during the conversation; you'll know it when you see it.

21. 
     

    Rush back out of the den. Head across the area where you were first attacked by assassins and up a nearby ally. Keep going to find Fist's assassins. There is plenty of cover, so take them out.

Humanatie's moment

22. Speak with the alien you just saved, Udina and Anderson. There are no disposition points available.

23. Go back to the counsel inside the Citadel Tower and confront them. There are disposition points available in the resulting conversation. The conversation will unlock several more areas in which to spend your talent points.

24. Head back to the docking bay through the C-Sec elevator. Talk with Udina and Anderson there. Keep your answers friendly for paragon points and antagonistic for renegade points.

25. Talk with Joker once you get inside your new ship. Depending on how you speak with the crew, you can gain four paragon points or four renegade points.

Tips & Warnings

• There are a number of rapid transit stations scattered around the Citadel, but if it's your first time, it's worth it to walk to take in the gorgeous environments, converse with people and find information on alien cultures. You don't need information about alien cultures, but it helps the main story line make sense.
• If you want to use the Intimidate or Charm skills at all during the game, start spending points on them now and keep spending often. It takes quite a few points to unlock dialogue branches with these skills, and until you spend enough points to unlock the first branches, the points you do spend aren't getting you anything. In effect, you don't really spend any points on these skills until you've spent your fifth or sixth point on these skill. The worst thing you can do is to spend three or four points on one and decide it isn't worth it, as those points will be wasted.