Mass Effect 2 outfitted Commander Shepard with a new squad, save for Garrus and Tali, leaving players to wonder what happened to the rest of the squadmates who took down Saren. Upon visiting Illium, Shepard had a chance to reunite with Liara T'Soni, who had set up shop as an information broker. On the surface, she seemed to be doing well, but underneath her cool exterior, it was obvious she was in over her head.
From the start, the Illusive Man told Shepard that Liara was not to be trusted, as she was probably working for the Shadow Broker. He later provided information to deliver to her to help track the broker and save her friend, Feron -- while also grabbing a seat of power even she never dreamed she'd hold.
Mission: Liara's Apartment
After reuniting with Liara on Illium and presenting her with Cerberus intel that could lead to the Shadow Broker's lair, Shepard offers to meet with Liara to help figure things out. Head down to the car port near the police station and take a cab to Liara's apartment. Upon arrival, there are several Asari police officers investigating a potential shooting. Liara is nowhere to be found, but an Asari Spectre named Tela Vasir dismisses the police to work with Shepard on her own. Conversation with Vasir differs based on whether Shepard's Spectre status was reinstated or not.
According to Vasir, someone attempted to assassinate Liara, who managed to escape, but not before leaving an important clue, which neither Vasir nor the police were able to find. She invites Shepard to search the apartment, which opens multiple interactive items and locations, including the bullet holes in in the glass and Shepard's old N7 armor. In Liara's bedroom is a photograph that changes from the SSV Normandy to a Prothean dig site when Shepard touches it, suggesting it was coded to Shepard's touch.
This leads to the next round of investigation, focusing on the three Prothean relics on display. Interacting with the relics eventually leads to a backup disk at the bottom of the staircase, revealing Liara's last conversation with a Salarian named Sekat. Sekat claims he has narrowed down the location of the Shadow Broker's base to a cluster and possible system, and asks Liara to meet him at his office in the Dracon Trade Center.
Mission: The Dracon Trade Center
After arriving, Vasir tells Shepard that Baria Frontiers is located on the third floor, just before three floors of the building explode in an effort to keep Liara from getting Sekat's intel. Vasir suggests splitting up, with Shepard and squad going through the front doors and working their way up, while Vasir seals off the exit from the roof. In the first area, there's a Baria employee, but Vasir assures Shepard it's unlikely Liara's contact survived. Grab the 3,750 credits from the locker nearby and proceed to the elevator, which isn't working. Head up the stairs instead and grab the med-gel.
The next area contains the Salarian Embassy and Nezo Transportations, both of which are locked. Examine the dead employee to discover they died from gunfire, not the explosion. Grab the PDA on the ground for 2,500 credits and another medical station with medi-gel up the right hand stairs. The next plaza has an ATM to hack for 6,250 credits and some power cells before advancing to inspect the unarmed bomb outside Baria Frontiers.
Shoot out the glass and prepare for a fight with agents of the Shadow Broker. Take cover below the window and take out three of the four enemies from a distance before heading inside to lure out the fourth enemy. While advancing, four more enemies spawn, including a Shadow Broker Vanguard. Take them out and grab the 3,000 credits from the terminal on the left side of the room. Advance slowly, picking off enemies as they appear. Once eliminated, head into the side room to hack the terminal for another 3,000 credits and grab the medi-gel from the cafeteria.
Fire blocks the next stairwell, so head into the left side room to find the maintenance controls to disable it. Grab the crate of Eezo and salvage the machinery for 1,500 credits, then advance to the upper level where more combat. Take out enemies and head in to grab the Heavy Pistol Damage from the research terminal before going into the next room to grab 5,000 credits from the wall safe. Liara's contact is shown being shot before Vasir takes out the shooter. She asks if they found Liara's body, at which point Liara reveals herself and exposes Vasir as the enemy.
Mission: Chasing Vasir
Vasir tries to escape with the data, but Shepard tackles them through a window, and she makes a run for it. Liara pursues her, not even considering Shepard and their team, who are left to battle through Shadow Broker agents. Take them out as quickly as possible to join Liara outside just as Vasir is seen escaping with the data. A highspeed skycar chase ensues with Shepard at the wheel, following the red target on the map through heavy traffic and dangerous tunnels. Follow quickly, as Vasir can disappear without a trace, resetting the chase.
Eventually, Shepard chases Vasir into an accident that crashes her skycar onto the Azure Hotel. With Liara as a squadmate for the remainder of the mission, stop and distribute her points before pursuing Vasir's path. At the top of the stairs, several waves of agents engage, landing at regular intervals around the lot. Take them all out, making sure to get rid of as many as possible before the next wave drops. Once they've all been eliminated, grab the med-kit from the skycar and 1,500 credits from the bank terminal.
Head left and into the glass doors. Bypass the wall safe for 6,000 credits and grab the med-kit before going into the room with an Asari and their patron with a racy background video on the wall screen. Go outside to Vasir's car and grab the power cells and the Damage Protection Upgrade from the broken panel before following Vasir's blood trail into another room with a weapons locker, a med-kit, a medical station and a datapad worth 2,500 credits.
Follow the trail outside and catch up to Vasir, who grabs a nearby civilian and holds a gun to her head to try and dissuade Shepard from pursuing. There are Renegade and Paragon options available here that can keep the hostage from getting killed, but if Shepard's morality is too low, they will have to comply with Vasir's demands and pursue without thermal clips for the next fight.
Finally coming face to face with Vasir, she has heavy barriers that make battling her a challenge. Once her barriers have been knocked down a little, she will hide while rocket drones and agents join the fray. It takes some time to whittle her down enough to kill her, but once she's been incapacitated, grab the data (which Liara forwards to the Normandy) and finish off Vasir. A conversation with Liara follows that offers Renegade/Paragon interrupts to convince her to slow down and offer reassurance to her before the next part of the mission commences.
Mission: Infiltrating the Shadow Broker's Lair
After landing on the ship, head left to navigate the exterior. There are occasional enemies along the pathways, both organic and mechanical. After taking out the first of the mechanic drones, grab the salvage nearby for 3,000 credits and head up to the catwalk. Liara notes that the conductors release electrical blasts if targeted, and those blasts can incapacitate enemies and take out their shields, sometimes outright killing unshielded enemies. Take advantage of this while proceeding across the ship.
Head down to the lower platform again, where LOKI mechs are waiting. Take them out and grab the Capacitor Components for 4,000 credits before proceeding on the righthand path where more mechs wait. Eliminate them and head up the ramp and through the door. Along this path are some power cells and a Palladium crate. Emerge and follow the ramps, grabbing the medi-gel from the station before heading into the next battle at the top of the ramps. After defeating them, hop over the barrier and take out the enemies there before heading back down where three more LOKI mechs are waiting. Battle through waves of enemies to reach the top of the hull and activate the panel controls to open up a pathway.
Fight through enemies to find the control rods and advance toward the door, which Liara will need to hack open. This takes time, and multiple waves of enemies ensue. Protect the door until the hack completes, then head inside the Shadow Broker's lair.
Mission: Defeat the Shadow Broker
Shepard and squad will battle through multiple agents on their way to find Feron. After finding him, they discover that he's connected to the ship, and his brain will be fried if they try to pull him out. They need to cut the power, which means finally facing the Shadow Broker. Battle through any remaining Shadow Broker agents on the path to his lair, then grab the 4,500 credits from the terminal and a med-kit before confronting the Shadow Broker.
Following a cutscene, the Shadow Broker knocks out Shepard's second companion, leaving only Shepward and Liara to battle him. Take cover and begin the first round of combat. The first part of the fight is relatively easy. Simply shoot at the Broker until he brings up a kinetic barrier that deflects bullets and biotics. Run up to him and fight him using melee attacks. Repeat this process, taking note that, after the first time, he will begin charging at Shepard, so be on guard.
After three rounds, you won't have done much damage, but Liara tells Shepard she has a plan. The Shadow Broker needs to be lured into the center, so provide the distraction she needs to draw the electrified liquid downward to destroy him for good. With the Shadow Broker dead, agents begin calling in for instructions, believing something to be wrong. While listening to their harried communications, Liara picks up the comm and assumes the role of Shadow Broker to calm them. With Feron free and Liara taking the reigns as the next Shadow Broker, she gains unlimited access to a galactic-wide network of information that could very well save the Milky Way.