Silent Hill 2’s Special Place

James isn’t your typical hero protagonist. He is flawed. I mean, there is a reason his mind goes through the wringer while he’s in Silent Hill. James has made many mistakes in the past, all of which he is confronted with throughout the entirety of the game. James battles with justifying his wrongdoings and struggling with the reality that he, in fact, murdered Mary. The guilt and shame he feels over that particular event in his life are manifested throughout his journey in Silent Hill.

James’ ending in Silent Hill can change depending on your choices. Constantly healing will give you the “Leave” ending, in which James is able to accept his wrongdoings and leave Silent Hill as a better man. The “In Water” ending happens when you neglect healing and constantly mess with the kitchen knife in your inventory; you’ll end up committing suicide, mirroring his inability to come to terms with his guilt.

Then there’s the “Maria” ending, in which persistently clinging to Maria leads to James not learning his lesson, and denying his reality, where he becomes trapped in Silent Hill, choosing to repeat the cycle over and over again. These endings come about after James finally reaches his and Mary’s “special place,” which happens toward the end of the game.

What is James and Mary’s Special Place?

James and Mary’s “special place” is the Lakeview Hotel located in Silent Hill. This is where James spent the last few happy days he shared with Mary before she died, a place that James seemingly had forgotten about until his eventual arrival. This also marks the end of James’ hellish journey through both the town of Silent Hill itself, as well as his own psyche, which is where he decidedly has to face the consequences of his actions and confront his ever-increasing guilt.

This is where James faces the worst of his inner demons. Though this place represents the happiest memories he has of Mary, this is also the place where he murdered her. It acts as a reminder of his shame and even harbors evidence of what he had done. The hotel is the most important location in the game, as it reveals many of James’ secrets and determines the kind of ending you will get. Silent Hill 2 is a horrifying experience that pulls you in from start to finish, making it one of the greatest horror games.