The second part of the prologue mission, the name of this mission changes from Prologue: Save Joker to Prologue: Awakening when it begins. Your objective here is to escape the lab, but along the way you’ll find Jacob and learn how to use biotic attacks.

Escaping the Lab¶

After the brief intro, you will regain control of Shepard. Move forward and grab the weapon from the locker in front. Follow Miranda’s instructions and take cover behind the nearby beds. After the door explodes, move through it and pick up the ammo from the floor. Reload your pistol by pressing [Square/X] and the next door will magically open.

Head inside and vault over the low cover and into the room. Turn to your right and take cover behind the nearby crate. On the stairs in front of you a hacked mech will become active. Using your pistol, aim for the head for extra damage and take it down. This is essential if you opted to play on a higher difficulty. Enter the door at the top of the ramp.

Upon entering the room, take cover in the indicated position and the door at the far end of the room will open and a single hacked mech will emerge. Kill the evil robot and four more will enter the room via a door to the far left. Remember to stay in cover until you hear a break in the fighting before jumping up to attack! When they are clear, cruise through the open door the first hacked mech came from. Follow the hallway around to the right and pick up the Grenade Launcher in the next room.

Follow the on-screen prompts to switch to it and look over the balcony and as the door below opens. Launch a grenade or two through to destroy the majority of the group of hacked robots that were about to enter, switch to your pistol and mop up any survivors. Move to the right and use the elevator to reach the level below. Sprint through the flames and follow the next hallway. Enter the door at the end.

Open the door straight in front of your position to check out a pair of Cerberus computer logs with more details on the Lazarus project and a hackable wall safe which, if hacked correctly, will grant you 975 Credits. Exit and continue down the corridor. At the top of the stairs you will find another log; listen to this if you wish, and then head through the door.

In the next room you will meet your first crew member - Jacob. Help him fight off the hacked mechs on the far balcony and once they have all been decommissioned, have a conversation with your new friend. When you are finished, kill any remaining robotic resistance on the opposite platform with the aid of Jacob’s powers to initiate another chat and a short scene. Afterwards, grab the log off the chair and then exit the room and enter the next area at the end of the hallway.

Take cover as you enter the red room and kill the three hacked mechs in here. Continue out the door and up the nearest set of stairs. At the top, look in the room behind and to the left of your position for another Cerberus log and then run out the door to the right. Talk to Wilson then afterwards grab the medi-gel from the medical station on the wall and use the unity power as required. After the ensuing conversation, a door at the end of the room will open and a hacked mech or two will enter.

Use Wilson’s Overload power on the explosive boxes in the middle of the room and kill any bad guys who survive the blast. Tech powers like Overload are especially effective against shields and mechanical enemies. After another quick conversation, make your way through the now opened door and pick up the hackable data pad on the floor. Exit via the door on the right.

Follow the pathway along until you reach the next door; open it then back up and use the door frame as cover. Eliminate the group of hacked mechs below you before moving down the stairs. Head through the corridor on the left and up the ramp.

Hacked mechs will appear from both doors at the left and right of this top area, so retreat back down the ramp and get in cover. Wait for the hacked mechs to come into view and kill them from a distance. If they are a little shy, you can take cover behind the box at the top of the ramp and kill the four hacked mechs in the left room.

Afterwards head inside and take cover as another group of four will enter from the door on the opposite side of the area from this room. When all the robotic hostiles are dead, you should loot the left room for a wall safe, a hackable data pad and yet another Cerberus laptop. Exit and move through the door opposite (where the second group of four mechs emerged from). Use the door here for a quick scene and conversation.

Meet the Illusive Man¶

When you have control of Shepard again, move to the end of the room and down the passage to the right. Step into the ring on the floor to speak with the Illusive Man. After your conversation, you will finish the the prologue. Leave the station and you’ll automatically travel to the location of the next mission - the colony of Freedom’s Progress.