Silent Hill 2 has been capturing audiences with its psychological frights and drastic plot twists, but the secret endings that players can get always bring a bit of light to a dark and often depressing ending. These secret endings are available in New Game Plus for players who have already played the game once, so there aren't quite so many spoilers for those who are just curious about these endings. Throughout the series, there tends to be a focus on the emotional and psychological torment that the main characters go through, but there is always a joke ending hiding behind those walls.

From UFOs to dogs, the secret endings throughout the Silent Hill franchise are hidden in plain sight more often than not, with select doors or corridors being saved for the twist endings. Within the remake of Silent Hill 2, one of the most popular endings of the franchise has not been forgotten. In true devotion to the original, the Silent Hill 2 remake stays true to every ending and gives additional content that players who are long-time fans and brand-new entrants to the eerie city of Silent Hill something more to enjoy.

Silent Hill 2's Two Dog Endings, Explained

A Shiba Inu Pulling The Strings

One of the most popular secret endings in video game history is what is known as the "dog ending." In the original Silent HIll 2, players can find the Dog Key outside the Jacks Inn, inside a doghouse in the yard, which can be used in the Otherworld Lakeview Hotel. James finds a Shiba Inu, Mira, manning an observation deck that includes trackers on James and Maria. This destroys James, and he falls to his knees after accusing the dog of being behind everything. Mira responds to his distress by licking him in the face and wagging her tail.

In the recent remake, the journey to acquire the Dog Key has changed slightly, as players now can find half of the dog key in the previously locked Pet Center and the other half on Katz Street to unlock the same observation room. Mira is once again in an observation room but with upgraded technology. James confronts the dog in this version, aiming his gun at this mysterious desk chair, and she spins slowly around to meet his gaze. As he falls to his knees in disbelief, Mira still ends the game licking his face and looking into James's eyes.

The Differences In The Dog Endings

SH2 Remake Has Slightly More Drama

While both of these dog endings provide the same ambiance as an ending, each Silent Hill 2 version has distinct differences in the ways that these endings can be achieved. The simplicity in the acquisition of the Dog Key was notable in the previous iteration of Silent Hill 2, as it is a great way for speed runners to skip the final two bosses with very little effort. While gathering two parts of the key is not much more difficult, the fact that part of it is now in a pet shop and the other on Katz Street provides an additional bit of humor in a rather dark game.

In of the ending sequence, it seems like too basic an observation to consider their clear technological upgrades, but the way that these updates are utilized makes it an important critique. In the PS2 version, Mira is standing on a stool as she pushes and pulls levers while wearing a headset, but in the remake, she is sitting in a chair pushing buttons. The introduction of the ominous turn here shows just how much personality developers have put into this ending, even if it isn't a primary focus of the overarching story.

Why Secret Endings Are So Important To Silent Hill

They Capitalize On The Series' Trademark Ambiguity

Secret endings in the Silent Hill franchise offer players a chance to gain more ways to interpret complex emotions while occasionally alleviating some of that intensity. Ambiguity is further explored by additional endings, as sometimes they correspond to each main character. Some of the endings, like the Rebirth ending or the Silent Hill 2 remake's new endings, Stillness and Bliss, lengthen the story and provide greater context or an extension of that same heavy emotional toll. These additional endings are all part of the confirmed canon for the games, but they allow higher replayability for dedicated players. Even the UFO ending provides different ways of approaching the story.

Within Silent Hill 2 specifically, the possibility of secret endings is important because they give players something to talk about or methods of achieving goals or story development through alternative means. The dog ending is a joke that has stuck around longer than expected, but the ridiculousness of Mira being behind the events and struggles that James faces provides an incredible source of entertainment for any level of player. To play Silent Hill 2 is to try to revive James's fallen wife, to be abducted by aliens, or to find out a dog is controlling every move, and that is what makes it memorable.

Source: The Easter Egg Hunter/YouTube