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Mass Effect 2 Achievement Guide - Mass Effect Guides - GamerHandles.com
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Mass Effect 2 Achievement Guide

by Logan

January 14, 2011

Mass Effect 2 Achievement Guide

Mass Effect 2 has achievements just like any other game nowadays. There are 50 achievements worth 1000 GS on the disc with an additional 9 worth 255 GS available through DLC. Some achievements in Mass Effect 2 have a gameplay bonus tied to them, some of which will be greatly beneficial in subsequent playthroughs. I'll detail both the superficial info and list details on how to accomplish the trickier achievements below.

It'll probably take a couple of playthroughs to net all of these achievements, but the following are easily accomplished in one run of the game.

Missing In Action
Gamerscore: 5 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: This will be the first achievement you get. You earn it for playing through the opening "sequence" on the Normandy SR-1.

Very Elusive
Gamerscore: 19G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You'll earn this achievement after you regain control of Shepard and fight your way out of the Cerberus base.

Fashionista
Gamerscore: 5 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Simply customizing your armor before you first meet the Illusive Man will net you this easy achievement.

The Professor
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you recruit Professor Mordin Solus from Omega.

The Archangel
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you recruit your former team mate Garrus Vakarian from Omega.

The Convict
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you recruit Jack from the prison ship Purgatory.

The Krogan
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you receive Grunt from Warlord Okeer on the planet Korlus.

Colony Defense
Gamerscore: 25 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: After recruiting your first 4 squad mates (excluding Zaeed and Kasumi), you'll have to go to the planet Horizon. Completing this mission nets you this achievement.

The Assassin
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: All weapons gain an additional 5% damage.

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you recruit Thane Krios on the planet Illium.

The Justicar
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you recruit the Justicar Samara on the planet Illium.

The Quarian
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement when you recruit your former team mate Tali'Zorah vas Neema on the planet Haestrom.

Ghost Ship
Gamerscore: 25 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement once you've done 6 missions after Horizon. This can be either loyalty missions or recruitment missions. After you complete the investigation of the Collector ship, the achievement will unlock.

Friend or Foe
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement after acquiring the Reaper IFF and receiving Legion. It doesn't matter if you activate him or sell him.

Power Gamer
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: To earn this achievement you need to reach level 30 with your Shepard. This can be accomplished in one playthrough if you do some side quests and have all the DLC. Otherwise, just start a new game after you've beaten Mass Effect 2 once with the same Shepard and you'll unlock it within the first few missions.

Paramour
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement by completing a romance subplot with any squadmate. Male Shepards can choose between Miranda, Tali, and Jack. Female Shepards can choose between Garrus, Thane, and Jacob. The romance dialogue will be unlocked with each character upon completing their loyalty mission and speaking to them afterwards. It should be noted that staying "loyal" to your Mass Effect 1 romance will NOT net you this achievement and neither will "romancing" Kelly Chambers.

Suicide Mission
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this mission as soon as you launch the Suicide Mission by using the Omega-4 Relay. It unlocks during the approach cutscene.

Against All Odds
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: If your Shepard survives the Suicide Mission, you automatically receive this achievement. The only way for your Shepard to die is if you have less than 2 squad members alive at the end.

No One Left Behind
Gamerscore: 75 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: To get this achievement you have to have all of your squad members and crew alive through the Suicide Mission. Lucky for you, we have a complete guide on how to accomplish that!

Mission Accomplished
Gamerscore: 125 G
Bonus: Subsequent playthroughs will start with 200,000 credits and 50,000 units of each mineral.

How To Get: This is unlocked by simply beating Mass Effect 2 on any difficulty.

Long Service Medal
Gamerscore: 75 G
Bonus: You gain an additional 25% bonus to all experience received.

How To Get: This is identical to the Mass Effect 1 achievement. Simply beat the game twice and you'll receive it. However, if you import a Mass Effect 1 character, you only have to play through ME2 once and it'll still unlock.

Insanity
Gamerscore: 75 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: YBeat the game on Insanity. Make sure you change the difficulty before you start and DO NOT change it or it will not unlock.

Exploration is a little less prominent in Mass Effect 2 as compared to Mass Effect 1, but it's still an integral part. A lot of these achievements require you to break away from the main storyline for a bit and explore the galaxy.

Scholar
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus:Shepard gains an additional 10% to health.

How To Get: You earn this achievement by gaining 15 new Mass Effect 2 codex entries. Things like new species such as the Vorcha and mercenary groups like the Blue Suns will count towards this achievement. It will unlock over the course of the game.

Highly Trained
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: Shepard gains an additional 10% to shields.

How To Get: You earn this achievement by watching all of the combat tutorials on your private terminal. Shepard's private terminal is located either in his or her quarters or next to the Galaxy Map

Power Full
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: The "Marksman" ability lasts 25% longer when used.

How To Get: You earn this achievement by leveling one of your powers to its highest level. This requires 10 squad points.

Prospector
Gamerscore: 5 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: If you go to a planet and select the "Scan" option and use a probe to gather resources, you'll gain this achievement.

Operative
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Scanning planets will occasionally reveal an Anomaly on its surface. If you're able to scan and find it, you'll receive a little side mission to accomplish. Completing one of these will earn you this achievement.

Agent
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Scanning planets will occasionally reveal an Anomaly on its surface. If you're able to scan and find it, you'll receive a little side mission to accomplish. Completing five of these will earn you this achievement.

Explorer
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: If you go to a system (by guiding the Normandy past the yellow border around the current system) that doesn't have a Mass Relay in it and scan every planet in it, you'll receive this achievement. (You don't have to launch probes, simply visiting the planet and seeing its description counts.)

Scientist
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: After recruiting Mordin, use the terminal in the Tech Lab to research any projects you've found during your missions. Completing any of these will net you this achievement.

Technician
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Simply obtaining 10 technology upgrades earns you this achievement. You don't need to actually research them to receive it.

Weapon Specialist
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Fully upgrade a weapon to receive this achievement. Each weapon has 5 damage upgrades and one optional on to be researched.

In addition to recruitment, every squad member has a loyalty mission that you complete to ensure their loyalty and full focus on the Suicide Mission. If you want full details on any variables they contain, check out our SUICIDE MISSION ARTICLE as well.

The Prodigal
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Slam" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Miranda Lawson's loyalty on Illium.

Ghost of the Father
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Barrier" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Jacob Taylor's loyalty in the Alpha Draconis system.

The Cure
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Neural Shock" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Mordin Solus' loyalty on Tuchanka.

Catharsis
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Warp Ammo" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Jack's loyalty on Pragia.

Fade Away
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Armor Piercing Ammo" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Garrus Vakarian's loyalty on the Citadel.

Battlemaster
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Fortification" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Grunt's loyalty on Tuchanka.

Cat's in the Cradle
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Shredder Ammo" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Thane Krios' loyalty on the Citadel.

Treason
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Energy Drain" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Tali'Zorah vas Normandy's loyalty on the Migrant Fleet.

Doppelganger
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Reave" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Samara's loyalty on Omega. If you choose Morinth instead, you'll gain her loyalty and the Dominate bonus power.

A House Divided
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: You gain "Geth Shield Boost" as a bonus talent for your Shepard.

How To Get: Secure Legion's loyalty on the Heretic Geth platform.

All of the following achievements have something to do with combat scenarios. Fortunately, you can use combinations of your squad mates to accomplish most of these so they should all be attainable in one run.

Big Game Hunter
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Defeat the Thresher Maw during Grunt's loyalty mission. You have to kill the Thresher Maw, not just survive its onslaught.

Brawler
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You have to knock back 20 people with a punch and then shoot them. This is easily accomplished on lower difficulties. Using a shotgun seems to register the achievement better also.

Head Hunter
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this for performing 30 headshots on “humanoid” targets. Mechs, Collectors, and Husks all count towards this achievement.

Merciless
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this for making 20 enemies scream. This is easily accomplished by combining things such as Lift and Incendiary Ammo. Just play around with it and it'll unlock pretty quickly.

Incineration Specialist
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this for using the power "Incinerate" on enemies ARMOR 25 times. It must deplete the bar, not just be used on an armored target. Ordering a squadmate to use his/her power on an enemy also counts towards this. Note: This is cumulative; it's not just restricted to one playthrough.

Overload Specialist
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this for using the power "Overload" on enemies SHIELDS 25 times. It must deplete the bar, not just be used on a shielded target. Ordering a squadmate to use his/her power on an enemy also counts towards this. Note: This is cumulative; it's not just restricted to one playthrough.

Warp Specialist
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this for using the power "Warp" on enemies BARRIERS 25 times. It must deplete the bar, not just be used on a target with a barrier. Ordering a squadmate to use his/her power on an enemy also counts towards this. Note: This is cumulative; it's not just restricted to one playthrough.

Tactician
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You get this achievement by combining 2 different biotic powers on one enemy 20 times. You can mix and match between different squad mates and your Shepard. For example, if you hit an enemy with Pull and then order to Jack to hit them with a Shockwave, which counts as 1 towards the achievement.

Master at Arms
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement for killing enemies with 5 different Heavy Weapons throughout the game. DLC weapons count towards this also.

The following achievements are only attainable through Downloadable Content. "Zaeed: The Price of Revenge" is free with every new copy of Mass Effect 2 through the Cerberus Network. "Kasumi: Stolen Memory" costs 560 Microsoft/BioWare points (7 dollars). "Overlord" costs 560 Microsoft/BioWare points (7 dollars). The Lair of the Shadow Broker costs 800 Microsoft/BioWare points (10 dollars).

Revenge!
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Secure Zaeed Messani's loyalty on the planet Zorya.

Broke, Blind, and Bedlam
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Secure Kasumi Goto's loyalty on the planet Bekenstein.

Data Hound
Gamerscore: 10 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this for securing all six data packets that are scattered across the surface of Aite in the Overlord DLC pack. Video here.

Digital Exorcist
Gamerscore: 15 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement by shutting down the rogue VI in the Overlord DLC pack.

Most Dangerous Game
Gamerscore: 35 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement by killing the Shadow Broker's assassin in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack.

Heart of Darkness
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement as soon as you enter the Shadow Broker's office in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack.

Detail Oriented
Gamerscore: 40 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement by investigating every terminal in the Shadow Broker’s office after you have completed the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack.

Catching Up
Gamerscore: 25 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: After you complete the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack, your former teammate Liara T'Soni will join you in your quarters on the Normandy. Regardless of whether you romanced her in the first game, you will earn this achievement just by completing the scene.

The Hard Way
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this achievement by completing the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack on either Hardcore or Insanity. Make sure the difficulty is set BEFORE you talk to Liara on her office in Illium and do not change it or the achievement won't unlock. This achievement is known to not unlock sometimes when the game automatically switches you to the "Casual" difficulty for an unknown reason. It's random, but if it happens you won't be able to earn the achievement. To be safe, make sure you have a save where the DLC isn't completed so you can go back and try it if it glitches for you.

Covert Action
Gamerscore: 25 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: Simply don't shoot any Batarians at the beginning of the Arrival DLC. This is easily accomplished as the alternate route is almost always in plain sight. Killing the varrens is fine, as is killing the Batarians after you've met up with Dr. Kenson.

Last Stand
Gamerscore: 25 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: You earn this by surviving all five waves in the battle for "Object Rho." This is basically an endurance round as you must fight until the meter in the corner fills all the way up. The safest way to do this is to immediately run to your left and into the back corner. Once you take out the initial wave, all other waves will come from behind you, allowing you to sit safely in cover as you pick them off.

The Ultimate Sacrifice
Gamerscore: 50 G
Bonus: N/A

How To Get: This is awarded simply by completing the Arrival DLC pack.