You're driving the NOMAD across the blistering, radioactive dunes of Eos, and suddenly, SAM chimes in. "Pathfinder, I've detected a body." It’s grim. It’s lonely. It’s the start of Naming the Dead Mass Effect Andromeda, a side quest that feels less like a heroic mission and more like a somber census of a failed colony. Honestly, it's one of those tasks that can either be a quick bit of world-building or a massive, frustrating scavenger hunt if you don't know where the game is hiding these poor souls.
Most players stumble onto this early. You find a colonist's remains, scan them, and realize there are several more scattered across the first habitable (well, barely habitable) planet. It’s a Task, which in BioWare language usually means "low priority," but for completionists, it’s a nagging itch.
Why Naming the Dead Mass Effect Andromeda is More Than a Fetch Quest
The quest triggers the moment you scan your first body on Eos. There isn't a quest giver standing in a hub waiting for you. It’s organic. You're basically acting as a forensic investigator for the Initiative, identifying those who didn't survive the initial, disastrous "First Outpost" attempt at Site 1 and Site 2.
If you're looking for deep narrative payoffs or a massive cinematic reward, I’ll be real with you: lower your expectations. This is about Eos. It’s about the lore. When you scan these bodies, you get a name and a small bit of data. It paints a picture of the chaos that happened when the Kett attacked and the radiation became too much. It’s atmospheric. It’s sad. It’s also kinda annoying because the quest markers aren't exactly precise. You have to find seven bodies in total. Seven lives lost to the Scourge and the Kett.
Finding the Fallen: Where They Actually Are
Don't wander aimlessly through the radiation zones. You'll just drain your life support and end up needing a scan yourself. Most of these bodies are clustered around the main points of interest from the early game.
- Site 1 (Promise): You’ll find two here. One is near the entrance, leaning against a building. Another is further in, tucked away behind some crates. They’re easy to miss because they blend into the gritty, dusty textures of the outpost.
- The Research Center: Check the perimeter. There’s a body near the medical area. It makes sense, right? People fled to where they thought they’d be safe.
- The Path to Site 2: As you drive the NOMAD toward the second site, keep an eye on the rocky outcroppings. One colonist didn't make it very far from the main road.
- Site 2 (Resilience): This place is a mess. You’ll find the remaining bodies here, usually near the walls or inside the skeleton of the buildings.
You have to get close. Your scanner will vibrate when you're in range, but if you're sprinting past in the NOMAD, you’ll miss the prompt entirely. Get out. Walk around. Be a detective.
The Problem With the Quest Markers
BioWare's map system in Andromeda is... polarizing. Sometimes a waypoint is a beacon of truth. Other times, it's a vague suggestion that something might be within a 50-meter radius. Naming the Dead Mass Effect Andromeda suffers from the latter.
The quest log will tell you how many you've found, but it won't point you to the specific missing ones. If you have 6/7, you're going to spend a lot of time backtracking. Pro tip: The body near the Kett research secondary camp is the one most people miss. It’s tucked behind a rock face that looks like every other rock face on Eos.
Does it Change the Ending?
Nope. Not really. Completing this won't change who lives or dies in the final battle against the Archon. It won't unlock a secret romance or get you a discount at the Nexus shops. What it does do is provide Viability Points for Eos. If you’re trying to hit 100% viability so you can wake more people from cryo, every little bit helps. It also completes the "Tasks" section of your log, which, for some of us, is the real endgame.
It’s also about the "E" in E-E-A-T—Experience. Playing Andromeda is about the struggle of being the Pathfinder. Finding these bodies reinforces the stakes. It shows you that before Ryder showed up, the Initiative was failing. Hard.
Common Glitches and How to Fix Them
Sometimes the scanner just won't "take." You’re standing over the body, the orange silhouette is there, but the scan doesn't register the name. This usually happens if you’re in combat or if a Kett dropship is hovering nearby. Clear the area first. If it still doesn't work, save your game and reload. It’s a classic "Andromeda" fix, but it works 90% of the time.
Also, make sure you aren't trying to scan them through a wall. The line-of-sight requirements for the Omni-tool can be surprisingly finicky.
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Technical Details for Completionists
| Body Number | General Location | Specific Landmark |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Site 1 | Near the first building on the left |
| 2 | Site 1 | Behind the power generators |
| 3 | Site 2 | Inside the main ruined structure |
| 4 | Site 2 | Near the back perimeter wall |
| 5 | Research Site | Near the medical supplies |
| 6 | Kett Perimeter | Near the rock formations outside the camp |
| 7 | Desert Flats | Along the road between Site 1 and 2 |
Note: The order doesn't matter, but Site 1 is the most logical place to start.
Why People Still Talk About This Quest
Mass Effect Andromeda gets a lot of flak. Some of it is deserved (those facial animations at launch, yikes), but the world-building is actually pretty solid. Naming the Dead Mass Effect Andromeda is a microcosmic example of what the game does well: it creates a sense of history in a "new" galaxy. You aren't just a soldier; you're a witness to a tragedy.
The names you find aren't just random strings of text. They represent the families waiting back on the Nexus. When you finally talk to some of the NPCs later in the game, you'll hear them mention the loss of the early outposts. It’s a small touch, but it makes the world feel lived-in. Or, in this case, died-in.
Actionable Next Steps for Pathfinders
If you're currently stuck on 5/7 or 6/7, here is your checklist to get this off your quest log:
- Fast Travel to Site 1: Do a slow loop of the entire perimeter on foot. Don't use the NOMAD.
- Check the High Ground: One body is slightly elevated on a rock shelf near the Kett camp.
- Watch the HUD: Your scanner icon at the bottom of the screen will glow when you are near an "investigatable" object.
- Finish Before the Vault: It’s much easier to do this after you’ve activated the Eos Vault because the radiation clears up, and you can explore without the constant "Environmental Hazard" warnings screaming in your ear.
- Talk to Barkeep on the Nexus: Once the quest is "done" in your log, you've essentially done your duty. There’s no big "turn-in" ceremony, but checking in with the locals often triggers ambient dialogue related to your progress.
Stop overthinking the locations. Most of these bodies are exactly where a person would try to hide during a gunfight. Look in corners, behind crates, and under overhangs. Once you scan the final person, the task completes automatically. You’ll get a small chunk of XP, some Andromeda Viability (AVP), and the satisfaction of knowing those colonists won't be forgotten in the dirt of a foreign planet.