Mass Effect: Legendary Edition – Fun Side Missions You Need To Play

TL;DR

  • Focus on character-driven Assignments for maximum narrative impact and squad development
  • Strategic dialogue choices unlock unique rewards and relationship opportunities with crew members
  • Complete DLC missions like Bring Down the Sky for exclusive gear and story content
  • Balance main story progression with side missions to avoid level scaling issues
  • Track mission completion through journal system to ensure no critical content is missed

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition brings renewed attention to the rich tapestry of optional content scattered throughout the galaxy. These side missions, officially designated as Assignments within game mechanics, provide crucial world-building and character development opportunities that significantly enhance your overall gaming experience.

While the main storyline delivers an epic narrative, it’s the carefully crafted Assignments that truly make the universe feel alive. From personal crew dilemmas to galaxy-spanning conspiracies, these missions offer depth beyond the primary campaign. However, with limited playtime available, identifying which Assignments deliver the best return on investment becomes essential for completionists and casual players alike.

Our curated selection focuses specifically on missions that provide substantial gameplay benefits, meaningful story contributions, or unique rewards unavailable elsewhere. We’ve analyzed mission structure, reward systems, and narrative impact to help you prioritize your galactic exploration effectively.

Mass Effect 1 establishes the foundation for the entire trilogy, and its Assignments often contain foreshadowing and character establishment that pay dividends in later games. Understanding which missions offer the most significant long-term benefits can dramatically improve your overall trilogy experience.

  • MASS EFFECT 1
    • Asari Consort
    • Rita’s Sister
    • The Fan
    • Homecoming
    • The Fourth Estate
    • Shepard’s Backstory Quests
    • Squad Member Assignments
    • Colony of the Dead
    • Hostile Takeover
    • Missing Marines, Cerberus, Hades’ Dogs
    • Rogue VI
    • Bring Down the Sky
  • Shepard’s Backstory Quests
  • Squad Member Assignments
  • Missing Marines, Cerberus, Hades’ Dogs
  • Acquisition Details: Located in the Citadel. You can find this one in the Consort’s chambers in the southeastern corner of the Presidium. Speak to Sha’ira.

    Why It’s Worthwhile: The Asari Consort mission chain introduces you to the complex political landscape of Citadel society while offering tangible gameplay advantages. Successfully navigating Sha’ira’s request regarding the Turian general provides not only narrative satisfaction but also practical benefits. The Prothean trinket reward serves as more than mere collectible—it unlocks hidden dialogue options and provides insight into Prothean culture that becomes relevant in later games. For players seeking comprehensive Class Guide optimization, understanding how such items integrate with character development is crucial.

    Strategic Insight: When undertaking the Asari Consort Assignment, prioritize Charm or Intimidate skill development. The highest-level dialogue options frequently yield additional experience points and unique narrative paths. This approach mirrors the strategic planning required in our Complete Guide for maximizing character potential across gameplay systems.

    Common Pitfall: Many players mistakenly complete this mission too early, missing opportunities to leverage the Prothean trinket effectively. Wait until you have access to the Normandy’s planetary exploration capabilities before retrieving this item to maximize its utility.

    Mastering Mass Effect’s Assignment system requires more than simply checking off quests from a list. Implementing strategic approaches to mission sequencing, dialogue selection, and reward optimization can transform your gameplay experience from adequate to exceptional.

    Mission Timing Optimization: Certain Assignments become significantly more rewarding when completed at specific story milestones. Squad Member Assignments, for instance, should be prioritized immediately upon availability to unlock additional dialogue trees and combat capabilities. Delaying these missions often results in missed character development opportunities that cannot be recovered.

    Reward Stacking Strategy: Many players overlook the compound benefits of strategically sequencing Assignments. Completing related mission chains in deliberate order can unlock bonus dialogue options, additional experience points, and even alternative mission resolutions. This systematic approach to content consumption shares similarities with optimizing loadouts in our Weapons Unlock guides, where understanding progression systems yields disproportionate advantages.

    Dialogue Efficiency: The Paragon/Renegade system directly impacts Assignment outcomes. Investing in these skills early allows access to superior mission resolutions. For example, the Hostile Takeover Assignment’s optimal outcome requires either 75% Paragon or Renegade alignment, making consistent moral choices throughout your playthrough essential.

    While our current focus remains on Mass Effect 1’s most impactful Assignments, comprehensive coverage of the entire trilogy is forthcoming. The sequels introduce more complex mission structures and consequence systems that build directly upon decisions made during these early missions.

    Note that we’ve exclusively featured Assignments from the initial Mass Effect installment currently. We’ll be expanding this resource with additional essential missions from subsequent games in the near future. Meanwhile, consult our Mass Effect: Legendary Edition ongoing review for additional insights.

    Preparation Recommendations: To maximize your readiness for Mass Effect 2’s expanded Assignment system, focus on completing all squad-related missions in the first game. These character bonds directly transfer and influence available content in the sequel, much like maintaining equipment proficiency across gameplay sessions in extended gaming campaigns.

    Action Checklist

    • Complete all Squad Member Assignments immediately upon availability to unlock character-specific bonuses
    • Prioritize missions with Prothean artifacts or technology for long-term trilogy benefits
    • Save Bring Down the Sky DLC until after main story completion for optimal level scaling
    • Systematically track Assignment completion through journal tabs to avoid missing critical content
    • Balance main story progression with side content to maintain appropriate challenge levels

    No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Mass Effect: Legendary Edition – Fun Side Missions You Need To Play Essential Mass Effect side missions with strategic tips and hidden rewards for Legendary Edition players