Silent Hill 2 has recently been remade, but that doesn't mean that the story of James and the characters he encounters in Silent Hill has to end there again. Sure, the original game was released in 2001, and the remake doesn't change the core story beats, although it does add two additional endings that weren't part of the original, but that doesn't mean that a sequel is completely out of the question. In fact, a sequel to Silent Hill 2 could be exactly what Konami needs to revitalize the series.

[Warning: Spoilers for Silent Hill 2.]

Bloober Team developed the Silent Hill 2 remake, and the team proved itself to be a good choice by Konami, even when there was outspoken concern about the changes made in character design. After years of struggling to bring new life to the series, especially with the cancelation of Silent Hills, Silent Hill 2 has been a much-needed win for the franchise. However, there's still the potential for James' story to continue in multiple endings, and the direction of a sequel would vary depending on which ending was chosen to be canon, or picked as a hypothetical future.

Two Silent Hill 2 Endings Are Perfect For A Sequel

Even If They Don't Seem Canon

Silent Hill 2 has two new endings, but neither of them are suitable for building a sequel off their content. It would be possible, but the better options are both endings that were included in the original game: the Maria Ending and the Rebirth Ending. The Maria Ending can be achieved on a first playthrough, but the Rebirth Ending is more complicated and has to be done on New Game Plus. Out of all the endings that James can experience to conclude his return to Silent Hill, these two hold the most potential for a sequel.

The Maria, In Water, and Leaving Endings can all be achieved on a first playthrough.

How The Maria Ending Sets Up A Sequel

James' Nightmare Continues

The Maria Ending is the only one where Mary is the final boss instead, and then James decides to start a new life with Maria after his last battle. However, when leaving the town, Maria coughs. It's a small detail that holds a lot of importance, because it implies that she has the same disease that Mary contracted, and that would have killed her if James hadn't killed Mary first. It seems like James is destined to repeat the same ending to his relationship with Maria as he did with Mary.

That leads to the question of how James would handle her illness, and if he would end up killing her and repeating the cycle a second time. However, this also creates the potential for another psychological thriller following James and the fresh wave of torment that comes from watching somebody he loves waste away again. Considering how Silent Hill is a town that reflects the generally negative desires of its inhabitants, and it's where Maria was created, James might be able to find a way to save her there.

The Rebirth Ending Is The Better Sequel Option

James Could Make A Monster

The Rebirth Ending is the perfect set-up for a creepy sequel that's filled with new layers of psychological anguish for James Sunderland. In this ending, James is unable to accept Mary's death, but during his time in Silent Hill, he comes across a ritual meant to bring back the dead. So, James decides that he'll try to use that ritual to bring Mary back to life, although the screen fades to black before revealing if this works or not.

Since rituals tend to have disastrous consequences in Silent Hill, this is the perfect ending to use as the springboard for a sequel. If James' ritual works and brings Mary back to life, there's a high likelihood that she won't be the same, or even entirely human. Of course, Silent Hill can feed off her negativity, which could include resentment towards James, and put James through a new nightmare tailored not by his feelings, but those of the wife he killed.

Silent Hill 2 has a lot to offer, and a lot of possibilities when it comes to how James' journey ends. It wouldn't be the first time that a mainline game was a sequel to another mainline game, since that's the case with the original Silent Hill and Silent Hill 3, but there would be a rather large gap between the original and a sequel. However, with the remake's recent release and how well-received it's been, this might be the best time to make a sequel for Silent Hill 2.