EXACT ENDING REQUIREMENTS (for In Water, Leave, and Maria)

The original Silent Hill 2 had a very well hidden way of tracking which ending the player would get through a clever point system. The remake uses a similar system, but it is greatly overhauled and some changes are more obvious than the original. This guide hopes to give you the EXACT tracked requires and go into detail for some of the less obvious ones.

This information was gathered using UE4SS and Cheat Engine. Special thanks to Hntd for finding the original Ending Factors and TheDementedSalad for the Cheat Table.

Ending Factors

As mentioned previously, the game uses a point system that will either add or subtract to one of the three main endings. The ending with the highest value is the ending chosen. In the event of a tie, preference is given to endings you haven't seen before. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure preference is Leave>Maria>In Water. The three endings also have starting points that makes it harder to achieve certain endings. The initial ending values are as follows:
Leave= 5
Maria= 3
In Water= 2

Here is a comprehensive and complete list of the Ending Factors tracked. Anything else is not counted, so please stop asking if I missed anything:

• WoodsideCoinPuzzle
  
• CityOWNeelysBarMessage
  
• MaryItemsInvestigation
  
• AngelasKnifeInvestigation
  
• PrisonGallowPuzzle
  
• HotelOWMirrorPuzzle
  
• HotelFWPyramidHeadBossAftermath
  
• HotelFWListenedSickbedConversation
  
• WestCityFWInteractedAllAtHeavensNight
  
• WestCityFWMariaRedirectionsComments
  
• WestCityFWMariaInteractions
  
• HospitalFWLyingMariaInteractions
  
• LabyrinthMariaRooms
  
• PyramidHeadBossFightOutcome
  
• HotelFWKilledAllDefenselessEnemies
  
• PlaythroughKilledEnemies
  
• PlaythroughStompedDeadEnemies
  
• PlaythroughMariaReceivedDamage
  
• PlaythroughHealingExcess
  
• PlaythroughBadHealth
  
• AlreadySeenEndings
  
• UFOEnding
  
• BlissEnding

BlissEnding and UFOEnding are self explanatory and covered in other guides. AlreadySeenEndings while I have not figured out exactly how this works, I assume that it functions similarly to the original game so I won't talk about it either. I assume it adds an extra point to unseen endings and will give preference to them in the event of a tie. The rest of the values I will be covering in this guide.

PlaythroughHealingExcess

If >=600 then Leave +1

If you heal in excess of 600 points, then add a point to Leave. For reference, James's max HP is 100 on Hard, 200 on normal, and one health drink heals 30HP on hard.

PlaythroughBadHealth

If > 100.00 then In Water +1

I suspect this works similarly to how it does in the original. This is actually a calculated score that starts increasing when HP is low (cross appears in vignette) and increases faster the lower your HP is. Being 1 hit away from death has this score increasing practically 1.0 point/sec.

PlaythroughKilledEnemies

If <= 150 then Leave +1
If > 350 then In Water +1

Killing less than or equal to 150 enemies adds a point to Leave. Killing more than 350 enemies adds a point to In Water.

PlaythroughStompedDeadEnemies

If > 30 then In Water +1

If you stomp dead enemies a total of more than 30 times, it adds a point to In Water.

This only goes up ONCE per dead enemy. You have to stomp 31 separate dead enemies for the point to register and it NEEDS to be the stomp animation.

MaryItemsInvestigation

If >= 3 then Leave +1, In Water +1

Investigating the letter from Mary and/or Mary's photograph three times or more adds +1 point to Leave AND In Water. Contrary to popular belief, the handkerchief does not affect any of the endings at all.

AngelasKnifeInvestigation

If >2 then In Water +1

Checking Angela's knife more than 2 times adds a point to In Water. The game giving you the knife counts as investigating it once, so checking it 2 more times is enough to trigger this point.

WoodsideCoinPuzzle

Man=In Water +1
Woman=Maria +1
Snake=Leave +1

One of the most obvious of all the Ending Factors. A point is awarded to one of the endings based on which coin you choose for the final component of the Coin Puzzle.

PyramidHeadBossFightOutcome

Denied=Leave +1
Forced=In Water+1
Default=No Change

This one is a little vague. This value is specifically triggered during the first Pyramid Head boss fight in Blue Creek. The fight has two phases and both are actually on a timer.
Phase 1=60 sec
Phase 2=120 sec

If you choose to not damage Pyramid Head AT ALL, the game will register the fight as Denied and add a point to Leave. If you actively engage with Pyramid Head, you decrease the timer quicker and the value gets registered as Forced. However, if you attack Pyramid Head, but do so little damage that he is mostly timed out, the game registers the fight as a Default judgement, where no point is added to any ending. If you fight Pyramid Head normally, you will basically always get Forced.

WestCityFWMariaInteractions

True=Maria +1

This is one of the most obscure values, as there are a TON of moments where you are able to interact with Maria before you reach Heaven's Night. However, the game interestingly only tracks 4 flags for this value and one of them is required to progress the game. The 4 interactions required are:

• Having Maria enter the Auto-Shop Garage (Requires the Garage Jack Lever from the gas station)
  
• Passing through the Locked Gate at Jack's Inn (Required to progress)
  
• Responding to Maria's question about the original outfit
  
• Talking to Maria in front of the Baldwin Mansion

WestCityFWMariaRedirectionsComments

If >=7 then In Water -1, Leave -1

During the time to spend with Maria, there are several points where she directs you where to go. If she makes a comment that you are going the wrong direction, this value increases. If you stand around and wait for a long time she will also comment that you are wasting time, which also increases this value. If she does this 7 or more times, it will subtract a point from both the In Water and Leave endings. No, this is not a mistake and other guides telling you to follow Maria's directions for the Maria ending are wrong.

WestCityFWInteractedAllAtHeavensNight

True=Maria +1

There are 7 interact-able objects in Heaven's Night. Investigating them all adds a point to the Maria Ending. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to trigger all of Maria's lines and the conversation you have with her when leaving is determined on time spent in the club and does NOT affect this value. The seven objects are:

• 4 Posters
  
• Sexy Nurse Outfit
  
• Whiskey Bottle
  
• Lost and Found Bin

PlaythroughMariaReceivedDamage

If >50 then Maria -1

If Maria receives more than 50 points of damage, this subtracts a point away from the Maria ending.

You will most likely NEVER experience this value going up, even if Maria is grabbed. Allow me to explain.

During the scripted sequence where Maria is grabbed, not intervening causes her to die, so I assumed that failing to intervene in any of the non-scripted attacks resulted in game over. However, user Dymfuuu brought to my attention that Maria will, in fact, survive a grapple attack outside of the scripted interaction.

Basically, if Maria is grabbed, you have a generous amount of time before the "attack" is complete. Maria will call out for your help twice before she escapes the attack herself. If this happens, the game adds 50 points to this value, instantly causing you to lose the point. After the attack, Maria will hold her arm in pain and will comment that she won't survive another attack. True to her word, not helping her again during this "damaged" state will kill her resulting in game over. If you intervene at any point during a monster's assault on Maria, she won't receive ANY damage, which is why I assumed this value was bugged.

Otherwise, Maria can't receive damage any other way, so don't sweat protecting her too much. The game is EXTREMELY lenient with this.

HospitalFWLyingMariaInteractions

True=Maria +1

This one is rather straightforward. During the events of the game, Maria becomes tired and rests in a hospital room. There are 4 events that, once triggered, add a point to the Maria ending. They are as follows:

• Interact with Maria 3 times before obtaining the first patient bracelet (congratulations, you've completed 3/4 events. Maria is sick of you and turns away from your annoying ass.)
  
• Interact with Maria one more time after obtaining a patient bracelet but BEFORE getting the roof key. Maria thanks you for checking up on her.

Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT have to return to Maria's room after getting the roof key which plays a cutscene where James discovers Maria is missing. (How would she know anyway? She's not there. Duh.)

CityOWNeelysBarMessage

True=In Water +1

When you return to Neely's Bar during the nighttime segment after the hospital, a message appears above the jukebox in Neely's Bar. Inspecting the message adds +1 point to In Water.

PrisonGallowPuzzle

If Eddie or Angela Representation=Leave +1, In Water +1
James Representation=Maria +1

The Gallows puzzle actually has two possible correct answers. Depending of which correct answer you choose, you'll either add a point to Leave AND In Water or add a point to Maria. The poems with correct answers reflect the stories of Eddie, James, and Angela, so once you find the correct answers, figuring out which character they represent will allow you to choose which you prefer. It goes without saying that there is never a scenario where the game chooses Angela and Eddie to be correct in the same run, because that would make it impossible to gain a point for Maria.

Because of the random nature of the puzzle, I can't exactly obtain much data on which poem represents which character at the moment. I may edit this section with more information in the future.

One variation I tested was that sinner I represents James (the arsonist) and the man that murdered his mother represents Angela.

The Official Playstation Replay Guide[www.playstation.com] states that the James representation requires you to pick a guilty prisoner. This does not mean picking an incorrect answer. Falling into the enemy pit does not change this value. Based off of my testing, any sinner that is justified, but causes harm to an innocent person represents James.

LabyrinthMariaRooms

True=Maria +1

In order to get this to trigger, you need to check on Maria in the Labyrinth:

• Before entering the Rotten Area (Get her to start humming)
  
• After completing the Rotten Area (Ditto)
  
• After completing the Desolate Area (Ditto)
  
• Once you regain control after Maria's death, leave the room and re-enter

HotelOWMirrorPuzzle

Fresh=Maria +1
Rotten=In Water +1, Leave +1

In the hotel, you have to place an apple on a table in order to get the Snow White music box to appear in the adjacent room. Choosing The Ripe Apple adds a point to Maria, and choosing the Rotten Apple adds a point to both In Water and Leave.

HotelFWKilledAllDefenselessEnemies

True=In Water+1

After realizing the truth, the hotel begins to deteriorate to reflect James's mental state. On your way to confront the final boss, you encounter 3 enemies that are weakened and in a defenseless state in the basement of the hotel.

• A Lying Figure curled up in a ball
  
• A Bubblehead Nurse that collapses to the floor
  
• A crawling Mannequin that attempts to crawl away from you

Killing all three adds a point to In Water.

HotelFWPyramidHeadBossAftermath

RustEgg=In Water +1, Leave +1
ScarletEgg= Maria +1

Unlike the original game, the door you leave the Twin Pyramid Head boss fight actually does affect the ending. Choosing the Rusted Egg door adds a point to both In Water and Leave. Choosing the Scarlet Egg adds a point to Maria. You have to take a decent step into the room before the game registers your choice, so if you accidentally nudge the door open without entering, it doesn't count yet.

HotelFWListenedSickbedConversation

True=In Water +1, Leave +1

Listening to the entirety of the sickbed conversation during the long hallway to the final boss adds a point to both In Water and Leave.

You need to wait for her to stop crying completely after she says "Help me."

[Slava Ukraini]

I go for water ending.... I get it... load a older save and use scarlet apple in end after pyramid head fight and heal myself a bit sometimes in last fight... I get leave ending!

Its strange this....

[Jar0Mayo]

I used this to get the Maria ending, thanks man

[Death is Coming]

Healing over your Max HP.

[Grant us eyes]

What does "healing in excess mean" like over the not flashing cross?

[kookyklavicle]

Based on this great guide + research, I have written another guide for folks that needs some step-by-step instructions on how to use UE4SS to switch up their save file to see all three endings from the same playthrough: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3389010073

Thanks again for doing the hard work!

[Xathian]

Thank you so much, it worked. I ran twice trying to get Maria and still got Leave both times and I was going crazy trying to get the three primary endings, now I can actually ensure it using this

[Death is Coming]

Yes, there are several entries for the same factor. Find the one labeled Player Controllable: Yes and that is the one you can edit/monitor as the value changes.

[Xathian]

Yeah I did that, I can now search "EndingFactor" in the second window but it doesn't tell me the current values, it just shows me these classes exist. Did I misunderstand your earlier post? Can we actually see the current value of these like how many enemies we've killed out of 350 to get +1 Water

[Death is Coming]

In UE4SS-settings you have to set the majorversion to 5 and minorversion to 1.

[Xathian]

I installed UE4SS like you said and searched endingfactor in the window and it show nothing