'Mass Effect: Legendary Edition' Endings Guide—Decisions Players Must Make To Get The Best Overall Ending

Each of the games in "Mass Effect: Legendary Edition" has various endings, with the most diverse set found in "Mass Effect 3." Players' choices all through the trilogy have a massive effect on the game's overall ending. Here are some of the decisions players need to get right to get the best overall ending in "Mass Effect: Legendary Edition."

'Mass Effect" 1 Best Ending

"Mass Effect 1" has both a Good and Bad ending, which is essentially based on whether players would choose to save the Council, let them die, or concentrate on Sovereign in the "Race Against Time: Final Battle" final mission. If players choose to save the Council, a human representative will join the group and will thank Shepard for their assistance. Players will have to choose between Udina or Anderson as the representative, which correspond to the Renegade and Paragon choices. If players choose to let the Council die, humans will receive different treatment in "Mass Effect 2" and various War Assets will be available in "Mass Effect 3."

"Mass Effect 2" Endings

Unlike in the first game, ending changes are based on how well-prepared players are for the suicide mission. These changes depend on players' ability to earn the loyalty of various crewmates, obtaining various upgrades for the Normandy SR-2 and the kind of roles they would assign various teammates during the suicide mission.

If players lose a crew member in "Mass Effect 2," they will get the Normal Ending. Also, not completing loyalty missions and failing to acquire upgrades will result in all of the crew including Shepard dying, with Joker left alone. Players also need to destroy the Collector Base or disable it using Pulse Radiation. Destroying the base will grant players the War Asset called the Reaper Heart in "Mass Effect 3." Using the Radiation Pulse will net players the War Asset called Reaper Brain and increase the probability of getting the Control Ending.

"Mass Effect 3" Endings

"Mass Effect 3" has four endings: Destroy, Control, Synthesis and Refusal. In the Destroy Ending, Reapers and all synthetic life get destroyed while in the Control Ending, Shepard gets to control the Reapers. Meanwhile, the Synthesis Ending features organic and synthetic life forms combined, while the Refusal Ending sees Shepard not activating the Crucible.

In "Mass Effect 3," players' Effective Military Strength (EMS) determines the ending. If players' EMS is very high, the Earth, as well as much of the Normandy's crew, survive. There is also a great possibility that Shepard could be alive.

Lower EMS sees the Earth in ruins with a lot of crew members dying. For more choices that affect the game's overall ending, players can refer to the video below.