Mass Effect 2 Import Character Utility Revealed
Written by Brett Bates   

Last month I tried to pry some information out of BioWare co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka on how Mass Effect 2 would interact with your Mass Effect 1 game saves. His response, while tantalizing, was short on details. Now that I have a retail copy of the game, I can take you step-by-step how the import process works -- and tell you precisely what bonuses you can expect to receive for completing the first game.

When starting a new game, you're given the option to import your Mass Effect 1 character.

If you select that option, the Import Utility will begin.

All of your Mass Effect "Mission Complete" save files will be displayed, along with details on your level, class, origin, reputation, time played, and last date played. As you can see, it's been awhile since I dipped my toes in Mass Effect...

Once the import has completed, your service history will pop up, detailing your rank, class, Vanguard/Renegade status, and pivotal choices from the first game involving Wrex, Ashley/Kaidan, and the Citadel Council.

The opening text changes according to the choices you made in the first game.

Compare that text to the text that shows up when you start a new character from scratch. BioWare has made certain canonical decisions for new players -- the Citadel Council was lost, and humans now run the Council.

If you don't like the way your imported character looks, you're allowed to change his or her appearance.

You're also allowed to "enhance" (read: change) your class to take advantage of the new classes.

While you don't get to start at the level you attained in Mass Effect 1, your level and stats will net you certain goodies. Compare this screen from a new character...

...and this one...

...to this screen using my imported character...

...and this one. My imported character already has 130,000 credits and ample supplies of palladium, iridium, platinum, and element zero. Additionally, she starts at level 3 (with 4 skill points to assign) and has her paragon meter increased slightly (I played the first game as a badass with a heart, Clint Eastwood in space). Not a bad way to start the game!

Be sure to check out all of Bitmob's Mass Effect 2 coverage at our Mass Effect 2 content hub.

Comments (15)

Level 3 here I come!
Demian Linn , January 26, 2010
awe man... my old data was lost i when recovered my gamer tag to a different 360... anyone have some suggestions?
Evan Campbell , January 26, 2010
Iam pretty sure my level 60 character started @ lvl5 with 100k dollars and a bunch of minerals. It actually turned out to be pretty decent perk. I plated through the first 2/3 of the game this weekend and can say that they really did address player concerns from ME1. For example they really cleaned up the combat. A really good follow up IMO.
Joshua McCluskey , January 26, 2010
@Joshua: Interesting your higher level character started with less money than mine. Perhaps the amount of money you had at the end of ME1 has an effect on what you get in ME2?
Brett Bates , January 26, 2010
If you played Mass Effect more than once with one character you likely reached the maximum money. The first game topped out at 999999, selling anything after that was just giving equipment away for nothing. You could also convert gear into omni-gel but that had a max too, 999 I think, so eventually you end up with a ton of junk that has no value. I'll import a level 59 character later this week who I believe has their money maxed. I suppose it is possible they take into account how much stuff is in your inventory but it's probably more simplistic than that.
Jonathan Sutyak , January 26, 2010
Can you change your name?
Andrew Nunn , January 26, 2010
I think that's incentive enough for me to go through the original again. Thanks for clearing that up, Brett.
Matthew Hunter Mason , January 26, 2010
@Evan: Did you still have the original save games? There will be an autosave right before the final fight. You should be able to load up that save and re-beat the game. This will create a new "end game" save that should be importable into ME2. Note: I don't have the game yet, so I don't know if that actually works.
Nick Bell , January 26, 2010
Hmmm, who is in charge of the council at the start of a new game with a new character?

Kinda turns me off that the last big decision I made at the end of ME1 is now just a default setting for new players, even though I felt I was making a pretty compromising choice that would really personalise the next instalment of the trilogy for me. Meh.. Think I'll go back and save the council.
Robin Squire , January 26, 2010
@Robin: To be fair, they had to make some decisions for new players. I'm glad I chose to save the Council, though -- I feel like it gives me a more singular perspective on the game.
Brett Bates , January 26, 2010
@Andrew - Yes, you can change your name.
Aaron Thomas , January 26, 2010
@Brett True, but I can't help the feeling that it slightly tarnishes the personal mark that I felt I'd made on the game. After all, it was a big decision that I had to take a bit of time to think about. I was under the impression that I was making a tough decision, which may have ramifications in the following chapter.. And I suppose it will, but I can't shake that feeling of "meh, what was the point?" It was a big decision which I found interesting, so I'd quite like something that's unique to my experience - Like, I hope it's Ambassador Udina who is the default human in charge of the council rather than Anderson, who was my choice.

I guess it's not really important, but I just wonder if it'd have been a better idea to let new players determine their past ME1 exploits at the beginning through a series of choices or something similar.

I will be beyond peeved if I have made a set of choices which are identical to what Bioware has provided as default canon! I'd felt that letting the council burn was my one Renegade choice, ultimately well-rounding my ladies man of a Shepard.
Robin Squire , January 27, 2010
@Robin: Kind of like you built up your Shepard character in the first game -- colonist or earth-born, etc. That's a good point. Maybe BioWare felt it would be strange for people with no connection to the characters make a snap decision on whether Character X will live or die, or whether you choose to save the alien-run Council or not.

That said, treat your own game as your own game -- even if it conforms to BioWare's "canon," you still made those choices in the first game. They're yours and yours alone.
Brett Bates , January 27, 2010
Yeah, good point.. I'm just being pedantic anyway! And from the looks of ME2, there'll be a ton of variables to throw into the mix to really shape the end of the trilogy.
Robin Squire , January 28, 2010
I started the game last night and imported my level 59 character. They put me at level 3 so having nine more levels doesn't get anything extra, need that one more level. My starting credits were also 130,000. 30,000 appears to be the standard as there was a note that I got 100,000 for importing a rich character. Maybe the amount of minerals you find in the first game also plays a part in if you get more than 5,000 of each to start ME2.
Jonathan Sutyak , January 29, 2010

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