Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Walkthrough Part 15: Location: Reactor

Reactor is another large multiplayer map. This one basically forms a large oval, meaning that it might be easier to navigate in some ways than something like Giant was. If you get lost, simply circle around the map to get back to where you were before. That means that enemies will be able to do the same thing, though, so in later waves you will have to watch out for enemies attacking you from behind as well as in front and around the sides. This area is also quite dark, meaning that cloaked enemies like the Geth Hunters will be right at home here. They will be much harder to fight in the dark than they will be on other, lighter maps, like White. For this reason, when you choose your foe, you should ideally choose the Reapers, as they do not have any cloaked enemies to worry about. If you remember the N7 mission in which you had to activate the several reactors, and you could save the General by sending one of your own squad members after her, this map will seem familiar. You will know, then, that although this map is large and flush with cover, it can still be incredibly dangerous if your squad splits up. There also isn’t much in the way of places to hole up and survive, meaning that it can be beneficial for your squad to move in circles around the map as a group.

As usual, you will begin your battle in the landing bay. This will be located on the bottom center of this map, with two stairways to the left and right leading down to lower platforms. These platforms lead out to the far left and right hallways of Reactor, meaning that the landing bay can be accessed and easily flanked by both sides. For this reason, coupled with the fact that there are no ammo crates nearby, it is best not to try and mount a defensive from the landing bay. Even during wave 11, when you must reach and defend the landing bay in a certain time limit, it is wisest not to stay in this area for long. Instead, start out somewhere more defensible and start sprinting towards the landing bay when the timer reaches around one minute or forty-five seconds, depending on how far away you are.

The right-hand stairs from the landing bay will lead you to the overlook area. As the name implies, this area is slightly higher than some of the other levels and thus grants you overwatch on some of the lower levels directly across from it. Hacking or uploading objectives are frequently located here, so it’s important to have a good defensive strategy when coming into this area. Watch out for the large wall in the middle of this area, as enemies can creep around it without you even noticing. Have one player stand behind the large wall, but not in cover, just a few yards back from the wall so that it offers protection from gunfire but doesn’t obscure you’re their view too much. Have another player take cover against the right side of the wall and a third player take cover behind the crate on the left side. In this way, you can provide as much support as possible for the fourth player, who will be tasked with hacking or uploading.

Above the overlook area is the reactor sector B1 area. This is a series of slightly raised catwalks with stairs leading to a lower level. The reactors in this area make for decent cover, although the holes in the tops of the reactors can be penetrated by enemy fire. Watch out for that as the waves start to wear on. The back right-hand wall of this area is home to an ammo crate, but otherwise this is far from the best spot to hold out on the map. If you are following the “run around the map instead of hole up” strategy, though, this can be a useful pit stop because it is the only area on the right side of the map that has an ammo crate.

Going down the ladder in sector B1 or the ladder at the far northern end of the area will lead you to sector C1. You can use this area to quickly reach the core of the reactor. This area sadly has very little in the way of cover, meaning that you will be easy pickings for snipers above. When traveling through this area, it is best to sprint straight through the C1 sector to reach the core. This goes for the enemies, too, though. If you are standing in the overlook area with a Sniper Rifle, you can easily pick enemies off if they are down here.

On the far northwestern side of the map you will find sector D1. This is a large corner room that melds with sector E1, which takes up the same area on the map. You can set up a Turret in D1 to mow down any enemies dumb enough to try and make the trek through C1, as you can get a good view of the lower level from here. Be sure to go for the ammo crate in the corner while you’re here. Once you reach E1, you will find that your line of sight to many of the other sectors has been cut off. This makes it the best place on the entire map to hole up and mount a defensive, if that’s how you prefer to play. It is also a lighter area than most of the other spots of Reactor, meaning that if you have to fight the Geth, you should do so here. You can also access the reactor’s core from here, meaning that this makes a good way to escape during the final wave.

You can enter the reactor core by going to the south from sector E1. This is sort of like the main hub of the level. You can enter or leave this area from A1, C1, or E1, meaning that there are multiple escape routes in case things get hot. In a desperate situation, your squad can split into three groups and escape through each of the exits, confusing the enemy and buying precious seconds. You can defend this area easily enough by positioning one squad member at each entryway, while the fourth squad member helps whoever needs it most. This strategy can last during the early waves, but later on there are just too many entry points to reasonably defend.

The southern exit of the reactor core leads into sector A1, which merges to the left with sector H1. There is an ammo crate in the lower left corner of H1, and the small layout of this area means that players won’t have to watch their backs quite as much as they would in other sections of this map. A1, on the other hand, is probably the most open place on the map, with the exception of C1. Fighting enemies like Atlas mechs and Brutes is easiest here, as it has the open space and maneuverability of C1 with all of the cover of E1. The wide open space and multiple angles of attack don’t make for the best spot to hold out after the big guns are dealt with, though.