Among the most important elements to any space travel story is the ship. TheMass Effecttrilogy definitely has that covered with theNormandy.Commander Shepard’s trusty vessel not only ferries the crew across the galaxy, but is also a crucial combatant in the cataclysmic war with the Reapers. Sadly, the opening minutes ofMass Effect 2sees theNormandydestroyed by a race of Reaper servants known as the Collectors.
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Players can visit the crash siteto lament past defeats, but they eventually must move forward. That’s why the pro-human group Cerberus gives Shepard a brand-newNormandyto thwart the Collectors. To accomplish this goal, the game gives players several upgrades to beef up this fresh ship. A wise commander would do well to purchase these improvements, as the heroes will need them for their final battle.
7Med-Bay Upgrade
By far the least essential of theNormandyimprovements, the Med-Bay Upgrade nevertheless costs50,000 Platinum units. For that hefty price, players might expect it to increase their Medi-Gel capacity at the very least. Unbelievably, that’s not the case.
Instead, the only function it serves is toheal Shepard’s face. After their resurrection and reconstruction, the galaxy’s greatest hero has some facial scarring. If players continue to make Renegade choices, thenthese scars become more prominentand eventually emit aTron-esque glow.
The Med-Bay Upgrade provides the option to heal those scars regardless of moral alignment. Considering many players probably pursue the Renegade path for a different experience, this tweak is virtually pointless. Rather than forestallthe inevitable “Game Over” screen, it’sa purely aesthetic fix.
6Modular Probe Bay
There’s no biting need to get this upgrade anytime soon. Though the price is standard for ship upgrades, standing at15,000 Iridium units, the benefits aren’t worth the effort. The Modular Probe Bay simplydoubles the number of probes availablefor gathering minerals. This would be a big help if probe shortage were a problem, but that’s not the case.
TheNormandyalready starts with 30 probes. Players will use an average of two or three of these per planet, so it takes a long while to run out. In addition, Fuel Depots are always readily available on the off chance that Shepard runs out of probes. Those thinking even more outside the boxcan always resort to mods. With these obvious workarounds, gamers shouldn’t make this upgrade a high priority.
5Extended Fuel Cells
This perk may demand a bit too much for its relatively meager reward. Priced at3,000 Element Zero units,which is already one of the rarer materials in the game, the Extended Fuel Cellsdouble the amount of time theNormandycan go without refueling. However, this somewhat falls apart after considering a couple things.
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First, playersdon’t use fuel when going from planet to planet; it only depletes when traveling between solar systems or clusters. Even then, theNormandyeasily has enough to get to one of these systems and back. Afterwards, Shepard can simply return to the Fuel Depot by the Mass Relay and get more gas. Because of such easy fixes, upgrading the ship’s fuel capacity can wait until after the more essential improvements.
4Multicore Shielding
The first of the upgrades for the Suicide Mission, the Multicore Shielding directly addresses the problem that sunk the originalNormandy. Namely, itprotects the ship against the type of energy blaststhat destroyed its predecessor.
Suffice it to say, the Collectors will use similar attacks during the final battle. On top of that, Joker will have to fly through a debris field near the Omega 4 relay. The stronger kinetic barriers will helprepel this space junkand keep the ship flying toward the Collector base. With these two invaluable uses, the15,000 Palladium unitsused to upgrade theNormandy’s shielding seems like a bargain.
3Heavy Ship Armor
As inmost spacefaring franchises, a good ship needs not only shields, but also a strong hull. The Heavy Ship Armor serves as another line of defense against the Collector bombardments. Standing at15,000 Palladium unitslike its predecessor, the Heavy Ship Armorholds theNormandytogether if the attackers break through the multicore barrier.
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Once again, crewmembers will note this advantage during the chaotic battle. As enemies swarm the ship, Miranda nervously hopes then new plating holds. Thankfully, it does. That’s one more leg up in the Suicide Mission.
2Thanix Cannon
The final upgrade for the Suicide Mission is an offensive one. It helps tohave a killer arsenal when battling galactic threats, and the Thanix Cannon fires a piercing blast from underneath theNormandy. Spend a paltry15,000 Platinum units, and players can easilybreak through the Collector vessel’s armor.
Shepard and Joker appreciate this upgrade during the final attack run, exclaiming, “Time to show our new teeth!”. With this weapon at their disposal, the heroes decimate their foes' ship while sustaining minimal damage to theNormandy. Thisfurther increases the chances of each crewmember making it back alive.
1Advanced Mineral Scanner
Although it may not sound like much, the Advanced Mineral Scanner is the most valuable upgrade. The reason for that is simple yet subtly important: itpaves the way for others.
This tool helpsfind rich mineral deposits more easily. While scanning, players can detect these resources without having to be as precise with the coordinates. In that way, it essentially functions likethe improved Remote Hacking Devicein theBatman:Arkhamgames. A smaller effort yields a greater result. Naturally, this cuts down on much of the mining time, helping players to easily recoup the15,000-Iridiumasking price.
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