So this thread is for anyone who has beaten Mass Effect 2 or is having trouble with the final decisions at the end or even keeping your team alive on the ride to the collector base.

WARNING: MASS EFFECT 2 ENDING SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD

Surviving Normandy ride through the Omega Relay with no casualties:

A lot of people seem to have trouble with surviving this and lose random members of their squad unwillingly. Mass Effect 2 actually relies heavily on every decision you make and all that ship upgrading crap? Yeah; it's very very important. For once in any video game I actually did all this and survived the whole trip with no casualties and barely any damage to my ship. Also, if your Normandy is ill prepared, there is a chance that Shepard may die at the end.

Advice: Get all the ship upgrades available. Also do all the loyalty quests. The loyalty quests boosts the chances of survival. The ship armor and all the other crap will help withstand the crash into debris and landing. Also get the Thanix canon for the ship. It will rape face when you come across the Collector ship and you'll suffer no casualties.

Assigning Roles:

Before you jump off into battle, you're forced to assign a few of your squad members very difficult missions on their own. Make sure ALL your squad members are loyal because they will most likely not survive if they aren't. Now I swear to god, you have to know that who you choose for which role is very critical. So pay attention.

Tech Specialist: You're allowed to choose several people but your top Tech members are Legion and Tali. But you cannot risk Tali dying because you have to bear in mind that she is a very noble Quarian and her death might result in very bad relations with her species in the trilogy. You're going up against an army of Reapers; I think you'll want a whole alien army at your side. So send Legion and if you hurry to all the heat valves, you'll most likely save him. My Legion survived.

2nd Team Leader: Despite Miranda gunning for every damn position, do not assign her squat because she'll most likely die. She may be a fine human but in aspect she is very weak compared to the rest of your team. I've heard of some people choose Thane, Samara, or Jack for this role. DON'T. Garrus has the most likeliest chance of surviving. He's a natural leader and if you don't choose someone with team skills, they will die. Thane, Samara, and Jack usually work alone so assigning them for this will most likely result in death. Miranda and Jacob are normally followers so again, dead. Everyone in my 2nd team survived with Garrus at command.

Escort: Mordin. It's that simple. He's a killer and a medic so he'll logically heal any wounded on the way and on the ship. Either that or Jack. Anyone who is a combat specialist will survive but remember you're escorting defenseless crew members so if you're choosing any combat fighter, Mordin is best with Jack being an OK choice. She has immense biotic defense so she'll fend well but will most likely lose a few crew members. I used Mordin and everyone survived.

Diversion: Garrus again. I used Grunt the first time but he was the only one to die. Took upon the suggestion of using Garrus and voila~! Survival. Again, someone with team leading experience is good.

Biotic Barrier: Samara or Morthin. They're the same person and depending on who you saved earlier, it won't matter which you choose. Again, Miranda offers but you WILL most likely die because her biotic power is not strong enough. So you either choose one of the Asaris or Jack. But since Jack might be your Escort or Diversion, stick to the Asaris.

Final team: My final team and my team from the start of this level was Miranda and Zaeed. You're going to need range so I chose Zaeed for his exceptional sniper skills. Legion (if he survived) or Thane will probably be okay too. As for your alternative; you don't have much choice. Because you'll have most likely assigned Garrus, Jack, and Mordin you won't have much to deal with. Also, you'll never be in close quarters combat, you'll want another ranger or someone who doesn't rely on sheer shotgun power (like Grunt). And since Samara/Morthin is most likely tired, you'll have either Miranda, Jacob and either Zaeed/Legion/Thane (depends on who you chose for your first ranger). I suggest either Miranda or Jacob. Her biotic power is alright but Jacob's is much stronger. He can also create a biotic barrier for himself so his survival rate goes up. But I chose Miranda because the ending will have you talking to the Illusive Man and she says some badass things to him.

Final Decision: Save or Destroy?

At the end you can decide whether to save the collector base so the Illusive Man and Cerberus may use the leftover tech to make something of it, or you can say eff you to his face and destroy the base with Miranda resigning from the group.

I was going to destroy it because I led a pro Paragon game but at the split second I chose to save it. I regretted when the final conversation with the Illusive Man left him smiling very sinister-like. After the credits I chose to continue the game and talked to everyone on board. Most all of them wonder why you didn't blow it up and hope that turning over such tech to Cerberus is dangerous, and that hopefully the decision won't come back to haunt us. I realized saving it was bad so I'm restarting the final mission to save Grunt and to destroy the base.

I figure it'll be a battle against a pissed off Cerberus company with the Alliance and most of the galaxy on my side and then fighting the Reapers. OR, a war against the Reapers with very few on my side seeing as how everyone distrusts Cerberus. The pros outweigh the cons so having a pissed off man with the voice of Charlie Sheen's father is alright. Also, my human council member is Anderson and not Udina. I think him being on your side will be very valuable in the final game as he'll vouch for you when the war begins and you need an army.

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So any other Mass Effect players agree or disagree? Also, what other decisions that seem small might greatly effect the trilogy? I think saving the rachni and wrewriting the geth are one of the many; along with the saving of the Council's lives

Well, I haven't had a chance to play Mass Effect 2 yet, but I find your suggestions highly useful as I also have the Paragon thing going with my Mass Effect character.

I guess my first thing I really need to say is WHY IS SHEPARD WORKING FOR CEREBUS?!

Also... can you reveal more about what all transfers over from the first game and what this elusive bonus is for sticking with your original love interest (if you did that)?

I have a question, is this game similiar to Heavy Rain because the style of the game sounds as if so. I played Heavy Rain and it's a very good game with the same kinda concept behind it, thats why I ask???