What Is the Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Real Ending, & What Does It Mean?

Silent Hill 2’s 2024 remake has been one of the most talked about games since it was first announced in 2022. Bloober Team needed to hit this remake out of the park and, fortunately, the game has done so well, that some critics have claimed it surpasses the original. The remake took great care to modernize Silent Hill 2 while keeping all the core elements that made the original a horror masterpiece intact.

Like the original, the Silent Hill 2 remake features multiple endings that depend on how the player plays the game. Players must meet certain criteria to unlock all eight endings. The game features an easy-to-get “good” ending and “bad” ending. There are a couple of meme endings and a couple of secret endings too, but which ending is the “true” ending?

Silent Hill 2 Has No Canonical “True” Ending

Team Silent Left the Original Up for Interpretation & Bloober Team Did the Same

Many players may feel compelled after completing the game to look up Silent Hill 2’s other endings. As mentioned, there are eight endings in total, so players have to put in a lot of effort to achieve every ending on their own. YouTuber Rubhen925 has a phenomenal video that depicts all eight endings with appropriate labels.

When researching all of Silent Hill 2’s endings, fans might be curious to look into which ending is the canon or “true” ending. Sadly, there is no confirmed answer to this question. Technically speaking, Team Silent never answered this question in the original Silent Hill 2 (2001). Team Silent wanted the players to form their own conclusions about which ending fit the best. Some players claim that every ending is technically canon since Team Silent never named one the “real” ending.

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Bloober Team has followed in Team Silent’s footsteps for the remake. Not only did they recreate the Hellish nightmare of the original game in all its glory, but they also kept the true ending ambiguous. Technically speaking, gamers could argue that any ending is the “right” or “true” ending, even if it is a joke ending. That said, there are two endings that most fans agree fit the theme of the game the best; the In Water ending and the Leave ending.

The In Water Ending & the Leave Ending, Explained

Both Fit the Game’s Overall Narrative & Theme Well

Fans have debated since 2001 about which Silent Hill 2 ending is the real ending. Although there are many opinions about this topic, many fans agree that the In Water ending is the most likely ending to be canon. Many also feel strongly about the Leave ending being the real ending. Both of these endings made it into the remake and most fans still feel strongly about one of them being the real ending to the game. Since both have so much support behind them, let’s break them down.

The In Water Ending

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After James faces the two Pyramid Heads, he’ll fight the final boss. The final boss could either be Mary or Maria disguised as Mary. Once James defeats Silent Hill’s monstrous Mary (or Maria), players will see which ending they achieved. The In Water ending is one of the easiest endings to get. It is considered a “bad” ending because it depicts James killing himself. After everything he endures in Silent Hill, he realizes that he can’t live without Mary, and he can’t forgive himself for killing her.

James returns to his car, which is still parked on the outskirts of Silent Hill. While sitting in the car, he explains his decision. He speaks as if he’s talking to Mary, but he knows Mary isn’t there. James says:

“I miss you so much. I tried. I really did, but I can’t… I just… can’t go on without you. I can’t forgive myself for what I’ve done. I know this isn’t what you’d want. But I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. You… You’re not here. Are you?”

After his final words, James looks over his shoulder into the backseat of his car. Although it doesn’t show any details, players can assume that they’re looking at Mary’s body wrapped up in a sheet lying across the seats. James starts the car and drives into Toluca Lake. As the car sinks into the lake, the game zooms in on Mary’s letter to James, sinking in the water as well. Mary’s voice recites the letter, which ultimately begs James to keep living.

In the end, James has learned what Silent Hill wanted him to learn. He remembers killing Mary when she was on her deathbed. The trauma he endures in Silent Hill helps him remember that horrible memory that he repressed. He can’t live with his guilt. Even though he survived Silent Hill, he can’t survive himself, so he decides to kill himself. While this ending does make sense, many fans believe it’s too depressing to be the true ending. Why would the game allow James to survive something so horrible just for him to give up in the end?

The Leave Ending

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The Leave ending is considered by most to be the best ending a player can get, but it’s also one of the more difficult endings to achieve. While the Leave ending isn’t happy, per se, it is the most uplifting ending because it opens the door for James’ redemption. In this ending, James sits down with his late wife, Mary, and speaks with her face-to-face.

James:
I’m sorry.

Mary:
Don’t be. I told you… I wanted the pain to end.

James:
Yeah… You did. But that’s not why I did it. The truth is, I hated you. I wanted you out of the way. I wanted my life back.

Mary:
If that’s true… Then why do you look so sad?

James, on the verge of tears:
Mary…

Mary:
It’s okay, James. Here.

James:
What is this?

Mary:
It’s what you’ve been looking for.

Mary hands James a letter that she wrote to him before she died. James takes the letter and then the scene shifts to James back in Silent Hill. He finds Laura, the young girl who befriended Mary in the hospital. For most of the game, Laura has tormented James, claiming to hate him because of what happened to Mary. James shares the letter with Laura and, after reading it, they leave Silent Hill together. Both James and Laura survive and live to see another day.

This ending saves James. He confronts his confused feelings about Mary and her death. His guilt keeps telling him that he killed Mary for the wrong reasons, but Mary was also suffering. By the time James killed her, she was already lying on her deathbed, unable to move without writhing in pain. Killing her wasn’t the right thing to do, but he ended both of their suffering, not just for selfish reasons, but to free her from her painful existence.

Mary’s letter changed Laura’s mind about James. It finally makes Laura see how much James loved Mary and how much he did for her before she died. Laura’s acceptance of James and willingly leaving Silent Hill with him is a huge clue about the nature of this ending. This ending is about James’ redemption and hope for the future. It’s the most optimistic ending of Silent Hill 2 and for that reason, many fans believe it is supposed to be the true ending. After everything James suffered in Silent Hill, he confronted his past, his demons, and himself, and still came out with a will to keep living his life.

While Both Endings Make Sense, the Leave Ending is Better

The In Water ending delivers a depressing and devastating end to Silent Hill 2. It makes sense that so many players agree it’s likely the real ending. In the end, James was summoned to Silent Hill because of his guilt. Silent Hill punished him and made him live his worst memories in a distorted, nightmarish reality. After everything he goes through and everything he’s forced to learn about himself, it makes too much sense that he would decide to kill himself. By that point, suicide seemed like the only way out.

In terms of the story and meaning behind the story, the Leave ending is a much more satisfying conclusion to the game. Not only does it give James enough peace to keep living, but it also gives Laura the chance to put her demons and unresolved feelings over Mary’s death behind her. They both escape Silent Hill and James has a chance at redemption. He may never truly forgive himself for what he’s done, but he knows that, in the end, Mary’s suffering needed to stop. James may still carry guilt with him, but he is no longer susceptible to Silent Hill’s control. He still has a chance at life.

Investigating a letter from his late wife, James returns to where they made so many memories – Silent Hill.

Survival Horror

Horror

Adventure

Action

Systems

Released

October 8, 2024

Developer(s)

Bloober Team

Publisher(s)

Konami

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

PS Plus Availability

N/A

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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