Top 10 HARDEST Decisions in Mass Effect!

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)
Whatever your feelings are on the end in relation to your actions in the previous games, this is still one hell of a tough choice to make. Players have been battling the Reapers for the entire series, and at the end, you can choose to destroy them … but doing so would all kill all A.I.’s including EDI, control them and turn them into a slave race, or bond all synthetics and organic life together, without their consent. It’s a decision not based on the outcome of your choices, but on how you’ve played the game, your mentality, and your thought process during the whole ordeal. Don’t want to screw someone over? Everyone dies.

“Mass Effect” (2007)
There’s no denying it, deciding the fate of an alien race is a hard idea to wrap your mind around, despite the nature of the said species. Do you eradicate them, as not to risk them returning as a blight as they once were before in the galaxy? Or do you give them a chance at peace? Shepard is faced with this very option while on the planet Noveria, battling through a horde of bug like Rachni which have infested the station and killed any workers they’ve come across. Alas, the queen states her case, implying they were not entirely responsible for the initial Rachni attack. Their fate is in your hands.

“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
Tali is one of the only party members to be in your squad in all three main Mass Effect titles, which makes any choice directly affecting her that much harder. This particular decision comes after discovering Tali’s late father had been performing illegal experiments on active Geth, in a bid to save the Quarian homeworld. As with most things that begin with ‘illegal’ and end with ‘experiment’, it goes horribly wrong. You will have to decide on whether or not you tell the council the truth, thus destroying her father’s legacy. Tali pleads you not to, even if it means her exile. Fortunatly there are alternatives.

“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
This mission contains a decision towards the end that isn’t particularly hard to make on a moral standpoint, but being the hero here could have undesired consequences at the end of the game, as your party’s loyalty to you increases their chances of survival during the suicide mission. What’s more, if you’re trying to be a goodie two-shoes and always pick the paragon option, this mission puts you in a tight spot. Zaeed has you help him track down and kill Vido, an old acquaintance who’s betrayed him, and in the process, puts innocent lives at risk. It’s up to the player to determine whether or not you should continue on the track to kill Vido, or let him get away while you save the innocent people. If you think Zaeed’s demands are crazy, you can also leave him behind.

“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
It all comes down to this, the moment where all of your squad mates can make it out alive, or all of them can die. It’s up to you on who lives or dies, based on the team’s loyalty to you and how prepared the Normandy is before assaulting the Collector base. During the mission, you will allocate roles you think are best suited to each of your squad mates, and if you assign a role that isn’t in their strengths, someone will end up paying the ultimate price. You’ll have to reflect on all their abilities if you want to make the right choice.

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)
An issue brought up early in the first game, the use of the genophage has been a highly controversial topic; after all we’re talking about sterilizing a biologically aggressive race to the brink of extinction. Shepard hears opinions from both sides, and finally, has a chance to make it all right in the third game, but at an enormous cost. Curing the genophage will stop the Krogan from eventually going extinct, but a valued party member dies as a result, and there’s no guarantee that when the Krogan get their numbers back, they’ll just forget that their entire species was almost wiped out. The Krogan taking revenge on the Galaxy is a very real possibility.

“Mass Effect Series” (2007-12)
Regardless of the gender of your Shepard, you’re going to have a lot of potential love interests. While picking who you romance has no real gameplay changes, it can modify the story quite a bit. Choosing one person may create conflict with another and could have unforeseen consequences in the future. As you progress through the games, you may lose certain party members, with no idea when or if you’ll get them back, which brings us to another decision; do you romance another in the sequel without getting a real chance to break it off with the previous partner? These are the important matters at hand. The Reapers can wait.

“Mass Effect” (2007)
Finally, the council has made you the first human SPECTRE, and they’re starting to show humans some appreciation … Yet the rest of the galaxy still sees humanity as 2nd class citizens. When the Geth and Sovereign attack the Citadel, they’re in dire need of assistance. Shepard can choose to save Council and earn humanity the respect of the galaxy, but doing so will cost of hundreds of human lives by sending alliance ships right into the heart of the battle. Are you willing to sacrifice your species to save others? No big deal right? I mean, it’s only the political course of the entire galaxy we’re talking about here.

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)
Now, there is a chance that if you’ve played all three games and have been the most diplomatic person in the entire universe, this may not even be a decision you have to make, but not everyone has that luxury. The Geth and Quarians have been at war for years, and the awkward part is that you have both a Geth and a Quarian as part of your team, Not to mention both races would be just as helpful in the fight against the Reapers. Condemning one race or the other to extinction can’t be good for morale. Not only that, each corresponding member absolutely can’t forgive you for your choice.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions:
Bring Balak to Justice or Save his Hostages
“Mass Effect” (2007)
Fate of the Geth Heretics
“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
Keep the Genophage Data or Destroy it
“Mass Effect 2” (2010)

“Mass Effect” (2007)
This is one of the hardest choices to make in a video game. After spending hours upon hours of time with these two members, who have both been a major part of the story and squad, a decision has to be made that left players contemplating whether or not they made the right choice for all 3 titles. Ashley and Kaiden are in desperate need of support, and you only have enough time to save one of them. Taking into account their families, cooperation with you, abilities on the battlefield, and overall personality, who do you save? Better hurry, the nuke is ticking.
Do you agree with our list? Which decision in Mass Effect had you kicking yourself the most? For more meticulous Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.