Mass Effect 2: How to Save Normandy Crew from Collectors

Mass Effect 2 features a very intricate choice system, as it’ll task players with making decisions that’ll have a long-lasting effect on future events. There are multiple points in the game where Shepard’s choices will be the deciding factor on whether their friends live or die. Here is everything you need to know about how to save the Normandy crew from the Collectors in Mass Effect 2.

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How to Save Normandy Crew from Collectors in Mass Effect 2

Once you reach the ending stages of Mass Effect 2, there will come a point where the Collectors ambush the Normandy and kidnap its crew. To be exact, this happens once the Reaper IFF is installed, signaling the point of no return for the game’s final act.

As such, it is recommended that you do not begin the Reaper IFF mission until you’ve completed all other assignments, especially loyalty missions and ship upgrades. You’ll need to complete these to guarantee the opportunity to save both all of your squadmates as well as the kidnapped crew.

Starting the Reaper IFF mission before these are completed will put you in a bad situation, as crew members will die if you decide you have to finish up the assignments or loyalty missions that should have been finished before starting this mission. Which exact ones will die depending on how many missions you do while the countdown timer – which comes on after the crew is captured – is active.

If you do one to three assignments, you will lose half the crew, including Kelly Chambers. If you do 4 or more assignments, you will lose the entire crew except for Doctor Chakwas.

If you did everything right, you’ll find all of the crew at the Collectors base. Simply send them back with a loyal teammate, and they’ll all be saved.

Time needed: 20 hours

How to Save Normandy Crew from Collectors in Mass Effect 2

  1. Complete all loyalty missions.

  2. Fully Upgrade the Normandy.

  3. Initiate the Reaper IFF mission.

  4. Head through the Omega-4 Relay immediately when presented the choice between preparing and leaving.

    If you do one to three assignments, you will lose half the crew, including Kelly Chambers. If you do 4 or more assignments, you will lose the entire crew except for Doctor Chakwas.

  5. Send the crew back with a loyal squad member.

That is everything you need to know about how to save the Normandy crew from the collectors in Mass Effect 2. For more tips, tricks, and FAQs answered, be sure to check out our Mass Effect LE wiki guide for more helpful info.


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Andrew McMahon
Andrew was Twinfinite's Features Editor from 2020 through until March 2023 and wrote for the site from 2018. He has wandered around with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications sitting in his back pocket for a while now, all the while wondering what he is going to do for a career. Luckily, video games have always been there, especially as his writing career progresses.