Planetside

Planetside is the second primary ops mission in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Two shuttles have crash-landed on Habitat 7 and its passengers are scattered. Pathfinder Ryder survives what could have been a fatal fall, had it not been for SAM. He was able to repair the Jump-Jet malfunction just prior to surface impact, saving Ryder's life. Still, Ryder tumbles down a hill to the ground and quickly fixes a cracked helmet visor using the Omni-Tool. Ryder is alone and stranded. The primary goal is to locate the rest of the team and find a way back to the Hyperion.

Aquisition
Completion of Prologue: Hyperion.

Walkthrough
Liam Kosta locates Ryder. Ryder is unable to communicate with SAM or the shuttle teams and a brief look around determines why. The QEC Communications Relay from the shuttle has been ejected from the shuttle and is permanently damaged. This initial mission is a tutorial that covers multiple combat and gameplay options such as how to use the Jump-Jets and the character's pistol.

Follow the path along the mountain and avoid the electrical strikes. There will be multiple gaps to jump over before the first cutscene. Ryder and Kosta notice a large monolith with a blue cloud billowing to the sky. Nearby they spot crew member Fischer who is pinned down by the kett. Ryder and Kosta kill the kett and save Fischer's life.

Fischer is unable to walk but lets Ryder know that Greer and Kirkland went ahead looking for help. Ryder and Kosta leave Fischer behind. Scan the kett bodies and look for a nearby container to loot (optional). Restock ammo from a nearby supply box if needed. A sniper rifle is also available but no loadout station to swap to it.

Continue to follow the path using the compass on the HUD. Further up ahead Ryder will locate gear from the shuttle, and beyond that, a crew member is killed by the kett. Kill the kett to progress. The tutorial will teach the player how to use cover. Use the scanner to scan a nearby artifact.

After locating the other half of their shuttle, Ryder and Kosta are ambushed by kett. Clear them out and recover loot. Check the debris for more items.

Optional: Locate Greer Optional: Investigate the Flares Optional: Investigate the alien ruins - use the generator inside the building to turn on the lights. A side room has Remnant tech and an Assembler. Several items to scan here.

If Ryder and Kosta go inside the alien building, an ambush will be waiting for them outside. Kill them and Kosta will mention a path down the right. Down the path and inside a cave to the left is Greer, desperate for help. Save him and continue on. Following the path, Ryder will hear broken communication from Cora. She and two other crew members are trapped by kett. Ryder and Kosta will need to help kill the kett.

The team almost has their shuttle repaired. Pathfinder Alec Ryder has left to scout ahead. A kett shuttle drops off another group to eliminate.

Cora joins Ryder and Costa and heads for the Pathfinder's position. Alec Ryder had been attempting to gain readings on the Remnant tower. He had ideas about how to stop the storm that brought down the shuttles and was now keeping the repaired one from flying safely. The group locates the Pathfinder in a tunnel, overlooking the large Remnant tower. He believes the power from the tower is reacting to the Scourge and is causing the storms. His theory is that if the tower is shut down, the storms will stop.

Assist Ryder as he attempts to take out the nearby kett stronghold that is protecting the tower. Once the team makes it to the center, Alec will need to interact with a console to open the tower door. Place the squadmates in the spots marked out on the ground on either side of the platform by using the appropriate control (Z and C for PC). Defend the Pathfinder until the decryption process is complete.

After the tower door is open, the Ryders will go inside during a cutscene. Alec will use SAM as a translator for the Remnant device inside and shut down the tower's power. The Ryder's walk outside and talk, not noticing the fast moving dark cloud coming from the building behind them. Both Ryders are knocked down and off the platform. The visor in the younger Ryder's helmet has been severely damaged. Alec finds her/him and calls for the shuttle. Knowing it won't make it in time, he makes a decision that he hopes will save his child's life, likely at the cost of his own. He transfers Pathfinder authority via SAM to his child before he loses consciousness.

Mission Summary
The team has brought Ryder back to the Hyperion and into emergency care. The transfer of Pathfinder was too much for the young Ryder's implant and it is failing, as is Ryder. They take Ryder to SAM Node and SAM suggests a hardwire connection. Ryder survives and wakes up hours later, only to find out that Alec died and transferred Pathfinder to them. Ideally, the Pathfinder title and abilities would have went to Cora.

The kett archon has arrived on Eos and using a device that shows him shadows of past events, tries to activate the Remnant device as Alec had done. Alec only succeeded with help from SAM. The kett have been trying for years to use the Remnant technology and failed. Now they know there is someone out there who can use it. Finding and capturing them becomes a priority.

Ryder recovers and the Hyperion makes it to the Nexus.