The Omega 4 Relay

That is totally the best "I got fucked last night" song.

Look, listen to it, you'll agree with me:

All right, let's finish this shit heap before someone gets a space STD.

The IFF is installed, meaning we can approach the Omega 4 Mass Relay, pretend that we are TOTALLY a reaper, and then zip on in to the collector base.

Huh, that mass relay's red. What is this, the ending to Mass Effect 3? RIMSHOT.

Anyway, once the Normandy passes through:

... the ... collectors live in a bright orange debris field, apparently.

The Normandy's attached pretty much on entry. I guess the IFF tells the mass relay that we're yes indeed a reaper, but forgot to tell the area's defenses that we're a reaper? Seems like a big glitchy oversight, but hey.

I totally neglected to mention this. There's a meta game where you can drill for minerals to upgrade the Normandy. I didn't mention it because it is fucking boring. You didn't miss a thing, trust me. I've considered doing a Saturday post on it, but don't get too sad when I don't do it.

Why upgrade the Normandy? We've entered the final end sequence to Mass Effect 2, where the game will start permakilling your characters for you, Fire Emblem style. If your shiz isn't upgraded, the game will kill people right here.

The game has a few weights, measures and other mechanics to determine who lives and who dies. (For example, right here, Jack is the only character that can die.) It's not that hard to get out of the Omega 4 Relay with everyone alive, you just have to think through stuff and not make stupid decisions.

Hey, by the way, answer me in the comments: how much do you want me to talk about the game's killing process here? I have no idea if I should just sort of skim it or go Prima Strategy Guide on y'all, so you help me out.

It's worth a disclaimer: from here on out, the way my game plays out might be totally different from how yours plays out.

All right, off to the cargo hold!

Meet the Occulus, the little robot who just broke into the Normandy's cargo bay. I don't have any other information past that, sorry. You never see another one again. I'm not even sure if he's reaper made or what.

In the middle of the fight, the game will show a cut scene with a character looking at the drive core. If you don't have your awesome multicore shielding upgraded, the game will kill the character. There's a few who can die here, but the game will prioritize Kasumi.

I like to think Kasumi's chilling at the drive core because she's going to steal it. Hey, how's that Occulus coming?

Once the fight's over, if you brought Miranda, there's a cool glitch:

Miranda will come over the loudspeaker while she's in the cargo bay! I'm kind of surprised Bioware let that one slide, they're really good at programming for stuff like that.

Eventually:

Hey! That's a space turd!

Wait, wait, I think that's the Collector Base!

... is the Collector Base shitting a turd ship at us?

This game.

The game will kill someone here too if you don't have those canons up and running.

All right, the mini ship is out of the way! Hey EDI, land us on the base so we can get inside, we've got a crew to rescue!

... well hell.

Am I going to be painting a totally different game next time? I've considered Persona 3, I think that would be a good MSPixel candidate.