How to Get The Dog Ending in "Silent Hill 2"

The "Silent Hill" franchise is known for surreal, often horrific imagery and situations. Sometimes, as in the Dog ending in "Silent Hill 2," it leaves horrific behind and dives head-first into pure weirdness. The Dog ending is one of two nonsensical gag endings to the game, fitting into the story about as comfortably as Godzilla would. Unlocking the Dog ending requires one of two methods: completing the game three times with the Leave, In Water and Maria endings, or completing the game once with the Rebirth ending. The Leave ending is essentially the default ending, and likely the first you'll unlock during your initial playthrough.

In Water Ending

Heal yourself as little as possible throughout the course of the game. When you must heal, wait as long as possible to do so and never heal yourself immediately. The In Water ending requires that James have significant periods of low health.

Examine Angela’s Knife in your inventory at least once during the game after you receive it. You can examine it at any time, but getting it done as soon as possible is the best way to ensure you don't forget.

Read the diary on the roof of the hospital. This diary entry is essential, missing it will cause you to get the Leave ending.

Listen to the audio recording in the hotel. Like the hospital roof diary entry, failing to listen to this entry will cause the Leave ending instead.

Wait in the hallway before the final boss fight. There's a conversation you can overhear, and you must listen to the entire conversation to earn the In Water ending.

Maria Ending

Never examine the letter or the photograph in your ending. Examining either of these items will make getting the Maria ending impossible, no matter when or for how long you examine them.

Never lead Maria astray while she's following you. You must be on-track at all times or you'll fail to get the Maria ending, so if you hear Maria ever ask "Where are you going?" or something similar, reload a previous save. Save frequently to prevent yourself from having to repeat long sections of the game due to navigational error.

Never let Maria take damage from enemies and never hurt her yourself. The Maria ending requires protectiveness and attentiveness to Maria, so letting her take damage will render the ending impossible.

Check on Maria several times when she becomes sick in the hospital. Checking on her whenever possible is the best way to ensure this criteria is met. Also, when she disappears after Silent Hill shifts to the Other World, visit the room anyway and examine the empty pill bottles.

Enter the room for the final boss fight before the conversation in the hallway concludes. Staying to listen is part of the In Water ending, and listening to it in its entirety may trigger that ending instead.

Rebirth Ending

Complete the game once. It doesn't matter which ending you receive beforehand, but you have to have completed the game at least once to unlock the Rebirth ending.

Go to apartment 105 at the Blue Creek (West) Apartments. In the kitchen, you'll find the White Chrism.

Head to the Texxon Gas Station. At the newspaper stand next to a nearby building, you'll find the Book of Lost memories. You'll know you're getting close, because the camera will shift focus.

Go to the Silent Hill Historical Society. Look for a shattered display case in one of the first rooms, it should contain the Obsidian Goblet.

Go to the Other World version of the Lakeview Hotel. Head up to the second floor Reading Room and look for the Book of Crimson Ceremony.

Complete the game as usual. The Rebirth ending only requires that you gather the items to trigger it, so any other choices made during gameplay won't change the outcome after the final boss battle.

Dog Ending

Complete the Leave, In Water and Maria endings, or complete the Rebirth ending. Completing these endings will unlock the Dog Key, needed for the Dog ending.

Find the dog house in the empty area across the street from Rosewater Park. It should be west of Jack's Inn, and contains the Dog Key.

Go to the Lakeview Hotel and head to the third floor Observation Room. To open the door with the key, switch Silent Hill to the Other World using the video tape. The key will now open the door, leading to the Dog ending in all its oddness.