With the Silent Hill 2 Remake just around the corner, we decided to take a look back at the original version of this survival horror classic and reveal some of the secrets hidden throughout the game.
Which version to play?
Different versions of the game contain different secrets and easter eggs. Essentially, it all boils down to the original release of Silent Hill 2 for PlayStation 2, and all the other releases such as the Director’s Cut, Saigo no Uta, Restless Dreams, etc.
These can simply be described as extra content versions, containing the same additional content missing from the original release.
Silent Hill 2 Secret Endings
Let’s start at the end – or rather, the endings – two of which (Dog and UFO) are only available in the Extra Content versions.
Your first playthrough can end with James Sunderland committing suicide or leaving the town with either Laura or Maria.
If you play the game more than once, you can unlock several other endings, some of which are, to put it mildly, absolutely bonkers.
The Resurrection ending can only be unlocked with a New Game Plus. To get it, you need to collect the following items:
- White Chrism;
- Lost Memories book;
- Obsidian Goblet;
- Crimson Ceremony book.
Once James has defeated the final bosses, these items will allow him to attempt to bring Mary back from the dead.
Once you’ve completed all three standard endings or the Resurrection ending, collect a Dog Key from a doghouse in Rosewater Park and use it to open an Observation Room on the third level of the hotel. There, James discovers that a Shiba Inu is the mastermind behind his suffering.
Another equally chaotic ending can be achieved by finding a blue gem in the toilet at the start of the game. You then need to use it in three locations:
- The hospital garden after the Flesh Lips boss fight;
- The dock after you defeat Eddie;
- Room 312, before watching the videotape.
This will end the game and start the UFO ending, in which James meets the protagonist of the first Silent Hill – Harry Mason – and is abducted by aliens.
Silent Hill references in Silent Hill 2
The joke UFO ending is one of the few references to the original game in this sequel. Other than that, you’ll find a few notes mentioning the cult that runs the town. There’s also a Seal of Metatron on the carpet during the two Pyramid Heads fight.
Interestingly, Silent Hill 2 has several references to Walter Sullivan, the main antagonist of Silent Hill 4. A newspaper describing Walter’s death by suicide can be found near the game’s starting location, and his grave is present in the Labirynth section of the game, along with those of James, Eddie and Angela.
Secret messages in Silent Hill 2
One of these messages is written on the wall of Neely’s Bar: “There used to be a HOLE here. It’s gone now”. After you leave Brookhaven Hospital, another message appears in the bar, which reads: “If you really want to SEE Mary, you should just DIE. But you may be going to a different place than Mary, James”. While the second message is fairly straightforward, fans continue to debate the meaning behind the first.
Fun fact: Neely’s Bar and Neely Street are named after Richard Neely, the author of The Plastic Nightmare, a major influence on the series. Similarly, Cafe Mist is named after Stephen King’s novel Mist, and Bachman Road is a reference to his pen name – Richard Bachman.
Other mystery authors with a street in Silent Hill named after them include Dean Koontz, Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby), Jack Finney, Robert Bloch (Psycho), Ray Bradbury (It Came from Outer Space), Thomas Harris (Silence of the Lambs), and many, many more.
(Easter) eggs – literally
While we’re on the subject of easter eggs, let’s talk about some more literal eggs. The rust-coloured egg and the scarlet egg are found near the end of the game, after the climactic battle against two Pyramid Heads, and are used to open the doors leading to the final boss.
The game doesn’t explicitly explain their meaning, but many fans agree that the rusty egg symbolises Mary in her sick state, and the scarlet egg refers to Maria’s vitality and beauty.
Another theory is that they symbolise the fresh blood of the recently killed Eddie and the rusty, congealed blood of Mary. This would explain why James faces two pyramid heads – they represent his guilt for killing both Mary and Eddie.
Whispers
Have you heard the eerie whispers in room 209 of the Blue Creek Apartments? If so, you’re in luck, as there’s a 50/50 chance they play during your playthrough.
Many fans claim the whisper says “See my dead wife, come home to do some laundry…” – whatever that means! A more prosaic explanation is that it’s just a meaningless sample used by the game’s developers because it sounded creepy.
To sum up
This article only scratches the surface of the mysteries of Silent Hill 2. As we replay the original in search of its many secrets, we can’t wait to see what references and easter eggs we’ll come across in the 2024 Silent Hill 2 Remake.