Ending Guides and Explanations

Here are all the Silent Hill 2 endings explained, and a list of spoiler-free guides to get all original and new endings in the remake. We'll also teach you how to speedrun the endings as quickly as possible as well as explain the best ending.

All Silent Hill 2 Remake Ending Guides

Endings in the Silent Hill 2 Remake follow a hidden point system within the game that tracks how close you are to achieving any of the 8 endings. Following these requirements will set you on a path to unlocking a desired ending!

Original Endings Requirements

Ending	Requirements
Leave	Always keep health up. Examine Mary's Photo and Letter a lot. Avoid inspecting Angela's Knife. Don't check on Maria in the Hospital or Labyrinth. Avoid triggers for other endings.
Maria	Don't examine Mary's Photo and Letter. Don't inspect Angela's Knife. Avoid hitting Maria at all costs. Stay close to Maria at all times. If Maria calls for you, approach her. Follow all Maria's wants. Check on Maria in the Hospital or Labyrinth.
In Water	Don't examine Mary's Photo and Letter. Always investigate Angela's Knife. Keep your health red at extended times. Don't check on Maria in the Hospital or the Labyrinth.
Rebirth	Unlock New Game Plus. Get the Crimson Ceremony book in the cemetery at the start of the game. Look for the tomb with an eye on it located at the banks of Toluca Lake. Get the White Chrism on a table in Baldwin Mansion in West South Vale after unlocking Jacks Inn gate. Get the Obsidian Goblet inside the Historical Society, on an indented space on the wall. Get the Lost Memories book found in the Lost & Found room in Lakeview Hotel Clear the game after getting the four items from different locations in Silent Hill.
Dog	Unlock New Game Plus. Get the Broken Key Part (Paw) at the Pet Center beside Big Jay's in Eastern South Vale. Get the Broken Key Part (Bone) near a house with a bone gate at the corner of Katz and Lindsey Streets in Western South Vale. Combine the broken key parts to get a Dog Key. Open the door to the Observation Room in Lakeview Hotel instead of Room 312.
UFO	Unlock New Game Plus. Get the Blue Gem from the Jeweller's Store north of Big Jay's in Eastern South Vale. Use the gem at Saul Apartments' rooftop in Eastern South Vale. Use the gem at the pier facing Toluca Lake where you meet Maria. Use the gem at the dock in the Lakeview Hotel where you first arrived on a boat. Go inside Room 312 of Lakeview Hotel and use the Blue Gem again before watching the tapes.

There are 6 endings derived from the original Silent Hill 2 game, three of which can be obtained while playing through a New Game, while the latter half can only be unlocked in a New Game Plus save file.

New Endings Requirements

Ending	Requirements
Stillness	Unlock New Game Plus. Get the In Water ending at least once. Get the Key of Sorrow from a green car near Wiltse Road corner Nathan Avenue, just past the tunnel. Unlock the Safe in Lakeview Hotel Otherworld with the Key of Sorrow and Safe Code: 314. Get the Toluca Postcard and end the game normally. Check on Maria in the Hospital or Labyrinth.
Bliss	Unlock New Game Plus. Get a Rusted Key from the Bowl-o-Rama Safe in Western South Vale. The code is 1887. Obtain White Claudia inside a Small Chest in the Brookhaven Hospital Garden and open it with the Rusted Key. Go to Room 312 and drink the White Claudia before watching the tapes.

One of the biggest differences between the remake and the original game is the addition of two new endings. You can only get these endings in New Game Plus, after you've completed the game at least once.

All Silent Hill 2 Remake Endings Explained

This section explains and summarizes all of the 8 endings in Silent Hill 2 Remake. Be warned that there are spoilers ahead, so reader discretion is advised!

Leave Ending Explained

In the Leave ending, James overcomes his feelings of guilt and gets forgiveness through a letter from Maria. He leaves Silent Hill with Laura, in a possible attempt to start a new life.

Full Leave Ending Guide

Maria Ending Explained

This ending concludes with James and Maria leaving Silent Hill together. The game implies that James is doomed to repeat history when Maria starts showing symptoms of the same sickness that affected his late wife.

In this ending, James uses Maria as a means to shrug off the guilt surrounding Mary's death instead of facing the consequences of his actions. He has learned nothing.

Full Maria Ending Guide

In Water Ending Explained

In this ending, James drives his car straight into Toluca Lake, taking his own life. The overwhelming guilt over Mary's death is too much for James, and he chooses to be with Mary in the afterlife.

Full In Water Ending Guide

Stillness Ending Explained

The Stillness ending is an iteration of the "In Water" ending, where James instead converses with Mary in his car before ultimately driving into the lake.

In the cutscene, James deals with his guilt by apologizing to Mary and telling her how much he misses her. Mary consoles James by telling him that it's okay and that she has always been waiting for him. Afterwards, Mary's letter shows up in the passenger seat.

The letter's reappearance in this ending alludes that James realizes Silent Hill's grasp on his life, and that he would have been fated to repeat those nightmarish events. The realization ultimately pushes him to take his own life.

Full Stillness Ending Guide

Bliss Ending Explained

The Bliss ending is another new ending added to the remake. This ending shows James watching a peaceful vacation tape of Mary and himself before the camera pans out to an empty chair.

Before watching the tapes, James drank the White Claudia, which is a known hallucinogen in the Silent Hill universe. With that, we can assume that James hallucinated an alternate version of the tape where he never knew that he killed Mary. Ignorance is bliss indeed.

Full Bliss Ending Guide

Rebirth Ending Explained

In the Rebirth ending, James says that the Old Gods have the power to defy death while calling out Mary's name. This alludes to James rowing to a ritual site that performs revivification to attempt to revive Mary with the items he collected.

Full Rebirth Ending Guide

Dog Ending Explained

The Dog ending reveals the mysteries of Silent Hill. In this ending, James discovers that a dog is behind everything happening in the eerie town, controlling everything from behind a computer screen.

This ending skips the final boss fight and rolls the credits immediately.

Full Dog Ending Guide

UFO Ending Explained

The UFO endings shows the original game's version of James (called "Space James") abducting the remake version of James after revealing that they are the same person. Space James ultimately takes Remake James' place in the latter's own story.

In the original games, the UFO ending was exclusive to the Greatest Hits and HD collection editions of the original game as it required completion of the sub scenario, Born From a Wish.

UFO Ending Guide

Best Ending for Silent Hill 2 Remake

Stillness Ending is the Best

All things considered, we think the Stillness ending is the best. This gives James the best and most believable redemption arc among all eight endings. Also, seeing Mary in the backseat is a great cherry on top, that solidifies the grasp of Silent Hill on James' psyche and that the realization of this as well as the guilt of killing Mary ultimately drove him to his self-inflicted doom.

Stillness Ending Guide

Bliss Ending is Our Least Favorite

The Bliss ending offered James the happiest and most peaceful end among all 8 endings, but it is by far our least favorite. The ending ultimately robs James the opportunity to settle the guilt he is feeling by first acknowledging that he killed Mary. This lack of a redemption arc feels like the past journey across Silent Hill was a huge waste, with James settling for a lie instead of finding out the truth.

Bliss Ending Guide

How to Get All 8 Endings Quickly (Speedrun)

Clear the In Water Ending First

It's possible to get all 8 endings in as few as two full playthroughs. To do so, aim for the "In Water" ending first to unlock the "Stillness" ending in your next playthrough. This method can also be used to get the Party Like It's 2001 trophy.

If you think you won't get the "In Water" ending, load a save file anywhere in Lakeview Hotel to get to the two Pyramid Heads. Try to influence the ending with Angela's Knife while going through the location with low health.

Obtain All Other Endings in Second Playthrough

After finishing your first full playthrough with the "In Water ending", be sure to get all the relevant collectibles for the New Game Plus endings. Don't forget the Chainsaw and the Crimson Ceremony at the start of the game, and remember to use the Blue Gem at the required locations. Progress through the game with these collectibles, ideally skipping puzzles and using the chainsaw to speed things up until you make it near the end of the game.

Complete Dog, UFO, and Bliss Endings First

As soon as you reach Lakeview Hotel, do not collect the Lost Memories book yet, not until you're about to enter Room 312. The Rebirth Ending takes priority over the other endings.

Make a save right after solving the Music Box puzzle so you can reload and quickly do the other endings that end at Room 312. Complete the Dog, UFO, and Bliss endings before proceeding.

Complete the Other Endings

The rest of the endings require you to beat the final boss again. Pick up Lost Memories and do the Rebirth ending first but do not overwrite your previous save. After clearing that, reload the save without Lost Memories and make another save at the final save point before the two Pyramid Heads without unlocking the Manager's Office safe.

Return to the Manager's Office and grab the postcard to get the Stillness ending. If you still haven't gotten the Leave and Maria endings, reload from this save without going back to the safe and beat the final boss as normal to get them too.

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