Players may also find anomalies that open side missions in Mass Effect 2, allowing for more XP gain, rewards, and lore. In Mass Effect 2, players scan each individual planet and launch probes to recover rare minerals that can be used to upgrade the Normandy and weapons and armor across the entire squad. Scanning planets for resources, anomalies, and other important items is an essential part of the final two games in the Mass Effecttrilogy, but the mechanics change slightly between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.
