Updated September 28, 2026
If you finished Silent Hill: Townfall and got an ending you weren't expecting, your final kill count may not tell you the whole story.
The three main endings are influenced by Discoveries and qualifying kills, but the ending calculation also appears to account for other actions, including Cannula refills and mistakes during Zoe's Patient sequence.
That means simply comparing your Discoveries with the total number of kills shown after finishing the game can give you a misleading picture of your ending.
Quick Answer: Why Did I Get the Wrong Ending?
If you got Forever or Abandoned when you expected Justice, don't rely only on the final kill number shown by the game.
The current community-tested model for the main endings treats the result as a hidden score:
- Discoveries increase the score.
- Certain Simon kills decrease the score.
- Cannula refills are reported to decrease the score.
- Zoe's mistakes during the Patient sequence are also reported to decrease the score.
The commonly reported values are:
| Action | Reported effect |
|---|---|
| Discovery | +1 |
| Qualifying Simon kill | -2 |
| Cannula refill | -4 |
| Zoe mistake | -3 |
The important part is that the game's final Results screen does not necessarily give you the exact kill number used by the ending calculation.
Kills made during other character sections can appear in the final statistics, while the ending calculation is reported to distinguish Simon's qualifying kills.
So if your visible numbers looked good but you still received the wrong ending, there may be more affecting your ending score than the two numbers shown at the end.
📋 Table of Contents
- Quick Answer: Why Did I Get the Wrong Ending?
- How the Townfall Ending Score Works
- Why Your Final Kill Count Can Be Misleading
- Which Kills Count Toward the Ending?
- Do Cannula Refills Affect the Ending?
- Do Zoe's Mistakes Affect the Ending?
- How Discoveries Affect Your Ending
- Justice, Forever and Abandoned Score Ranges
- How to Improve Your Ending
- What to Track Before Finishing the Game
- Silent Hill: Townfall Ending FAQ
- Final Takeaway
How the Townfall Ending Score Works
The three main endings are Justice, Forever and Abandoned.
The easiest way to understand the reported system is to think of it as a running score.
Discoveries add points, while certain actions subtract points.
The currently reported model is:
Ending Score = Discoveries − qualifying Simon kills − Cannula penalties − Zoe mistake penalties
Using the commonly reported values:
Ending Score = Discoveries − (Simon kills × 2) − (Cannula refills × 4) − (Zoe mistakes × 3)
Example
Imagine a run with:
- 80 Discoveries
- 20 qualifying Simon kills
- 2 Cannula refills
- 1 Zoe mistake
The reported calculation would be:
80 − 40 − 8 − 3 = 29
The important thing is that this is not necessarily the same as:
Discoveries − total kills shown at the end
That distinction is what makes some ending results appear confusing.
The exact internal implementation and every individual enemy's behavior should not be treated as an officially displayed in-game formula. The values above are best used as the current working model for planning your run.
Why Your Final Kill Count Can Be Misleading
This is one of the biggest reasons players can become confused about their ending.
The number displayed at the end of the game is not necessarily the exact number used for the main ending calculation.
In particular, the final Results screen can include kills from sections where you control Richard or Zoe.
Those kills are not necessarily treated as qualifying Simon kills for the main ending score.
Don't use this calculation
Discoveries − final Results-screen kills
That can produce a misleading result.
Track these instead
Pay attention to:
- Your Discoveries
- Simon's qualifying kills
- Cannula refills
- Zoe's mistakes
This becomes especially important if you finish the game and think:
"My Discoveries were higher than my kills. Why didn't I get Justice?"
Your visible kill total may contain kills that aren't interchangeable with the Simon-kill value used by the ending calculation.
Which Kills Count Toward the Ending?
Not every enemy death should automatically be treated as an identical penalty.
The current ending model specifically distinguishes qualifying Simon kills from other kills that can appear in the final statistics.
Certain Simon-controlled enemy encounters are reported to contribute to the negative ending score, while kills during other character sections may not affect the score in the same way.
That's why a simple rule such as:
"Every enemy killed = -2 points"
can lead to an incorrect calculation.
The practical rule
If you're targeting Justice, avoid unnecessary combat whenever possible.
You don't need to turn every enemy encounter into a fight. If an enemy can be safely avoided, moving past it can help keep your qualifying kill count lower.
This is also why the final Results-screen total shouldn't be used as your only guide.
Do Cannula Refills Affect the Ending?
Current ending information indicates that Cannula refills can lower your ending score.
The commonly reported penalty is:
Cannula refill = -4 points
This is easy to overlook because a Cannula refill doesn't look like a conventional combat action.
You can therefore have a run with relatively few qualifying kills and still lose several ending points through repeated Cannula refills.
Why this matters
Suppose you have:
- 70 Discoveries
- 20 qualifying Simon kills
Your reported score would initially be:
70 − 40 = 30
Now suppose you also performed three Cannula refills:
70 − 40 − 12 = 18
That's a substantial difference.
So if you're trying to reproduce a particular ending, counting only Discoveries and kills isn't enough.
For more help with the game's medical mechanics, see our Silent Hill: Townfall Save It For The Patients Guide: Which Healing Items Are Safe?.
Do Zoe's Mistakes Affect the Ending?
Current ending information also indicates that mistakes during Zoe's Patient sequence can reduce the ending score.
The commonly reported value is:
Zoe mistake = -3 points
This means the Patient sequence can matter even if your Simon combat statistics look good.
However, this does not mean that simply participating in the hospital sequence or using medical equipment automatically gives you a penalty.
The important distinction is between successfully completing the sequence and making mistakes that contribute to the reported ending score.
If you're working through the medical puzzle itself, our Silent Hill: Townfall Infusion Pump 7/8/15 Solution: How to Set the Rates covers the pump solution.
How Discoveries Affect Your Ending
Discoveries are the positive side of the main-ending calculation.
For this system, Discoveries refer to the relevant Clues and Documents collected during the playthrough.
The currently reported value is:
Discovery = +1 point
That makes exploration particularly important if you're trying to push your ending toward Justice.
Why collecting Discoveries helps
Every additional Discovery provides another positive point under the reported model.
That means a player trying to improve the ending score should generally:
- Search rooms carefully.
- Pick up relevant Documents.
- Check areas before moving on.
- Avoid rushing through sections where Discoveries can be collected.
- Keep unnecessary Simon kills low.
This also explains why two runs with similar combat behavior can still produce different endings if one player finds substantially more Discoveries.
Justice, Forever and Abandoned Score Ranges
The currently reported score ranges are:
| Ending | Reported score |
|---|---|
| Justice | 20 or higher |
| Forever | 0–19 |
| Abandoned | Below 0 |
Treat these numbers as a working guide rather than an officially published in-game rule.
The safest approach is to use the score direction to plan your run rather than trying to hit one exact number.
Justice
Justice is associated with the higher ending-score range.
For a Justice attempt:
- Collect as many Discoveries as possible.
- Avoid unnecessary qualifying Simon kills.
- Avoid unnecessary Cannula refills.
- Complete Zoe's Patient sequence carefully.
Forever
Forever is associated with the middle score range.
If your reported score remains positive but doesn't reach the higher range, Forever can result.
This is why trying to reproduce another player's exact Discovery-to-kill ratio can be unreliable.
Abandoned
Abandoned is associated with the lower, negative score range.
A run with many qualifying Simon kills, fewer Discoveries, Cannula refills and Zoe mistakes can all push the score downward.
What about the 60-kill rule?
You may see guides claiming that reaching 60 total kills automatically locks you into Abandoned.
Don't treat that as a guaranteed rule.
The visible total-kill number does not necessarily represent the same kill counter used by the ending calculation, and later player results have challenged the idea of a simple 60-kill automatic trigger.
The safer strategy is to focus on the factors that actually appear to influence the ending score.
How to Improve Your Ending
If you're trying to move toward a better main ending, focus on the variables you can control.
1. Collect more Discoveries
Exploration is one of the simplest ways to increase your reported score.
Check rooms before leaving them and look for Clues and Documents.
2. Avoid unnecessary Simon kills
You don't have to defeat every enemy you encounter.
If an enemy can be avoided safely, moving past it can be preferable to adding another qualifying kill to your ending score.
3. Avoid unnecessary Cannula refills
If you're specifically targeting Justice, keep track of Cannula use instead of assuming it has no effect on the ending.
4. Be careful during The Patient
Zoe's mistakes can affect the ending score, so take your time during the medical sequence.
5. Keep an earlier save
If you're experimenting with endings, an earlier save is much more useful than a save made immediately before the final result.
Once you've accumulated kills, missed Discoveries, Cannula refills and Patient mistakes, a late save may be too late to change the outcome.
What to Track Before Finishing the Game
If you're deliberately targeting a specific main ending, keep a simple running record.
Track these four things
Discoveries:
How many relevant Clues and Documents you've collected.
Qualifying Simon kills:
Don't automatically substitute the final Results-screen kill total.
Cannula refills:
Keep track of how many times you've refilled the Cannula.
Zoe mistakes:
Pay attention to mistakes during The Patient.
You can then estimate your position using:
Score = Discoveries − (Simon kills × 2) − (Cannula refills × 4) − (Zoe mistakes × 3)
Example
Suppose your run currently has:
- 75 Discoveries
- 18 qualifying Simon kills
- 1 Cannula refill
- 2 Zoe mistakes
The reported score would be:
75 − 36 − 4 − 6 = 29
That is above the currently reported Justice threshold.
The important part is that you shouldn't replace the 18 qualifying Simon kills with whatever larger number appears on the final Results screen.
Silent Hill: Townfall Ending FAQ
What determines the ending in Silent Hill: Townfall?
The three main endings are associated with a hidden score influenced by Discoveries and negative actions. Current reports identify qualifying Simon kills, Cannula refills and Zoe's Patient mistakes as factors.
Does the final kill count determine the ending?
Not by itself. The final Results screen can include kills that are not necessarily treated as qualifying Simon kills for the main ending calculation.
How many points does a Discovery give?
A Discovery is currently reported to add 1 point to the ending score.
How many points does a Simon kill remove?
A qualifying Simon kill is currently reported to remove 2 points.
Do Cannula refills count against your ending?
Current reports indicate that they do. The commonly reported penalty is 4 points per Cannula refill.
Do Zoe's mistakes affect the ending?
Current reports indicate that mistakes during Zoe's Patient sequence can reduce the ending score. The commonly reported penalty is 3 points per mistake.
Is 60 kills an automatic Abandoned ending?
Don't rely on that as a guaranteed rule. The 60-kill claim is based on an older simplified interpretation of the ending system, while newer results indicate that the visible total-kill number does not tell the whole story.
Can I get Justice by collecting more Discoveries?
More Discoveries increase the reported score, so collecting them can help push a run toward Justice. However, qualifying kills, Cannula refills and Zoe mistakes can reduce that score.
Why did I get Forever when my Discoveries were higher than my kills?
Your final kill total may not represent the exact Simon-kill value used by the ending calculation. Cannula refills and Zoe mistakes can also lower the score.
Do Richard's kills affect the main ending score?
Richard's kills can appear in the final Results-screen total without necessarily being treated as Simon's qualifying kills for the main ending calculation.
What is the safest way to get a better ending?
Collect as many Discoveries as possible, avoid unnecessary qualifying Simon kills, minimize Cannula refills and complete The Patient carefully. Keeping an earlier save also gives you more flexibility if you're experimenting with different endings.
Final Takeaway
If Silent Hill: Townfall gave you the wrong ending, don't judge your run solely by the final kill count.
The more useful way to look at the reported system is:
Discoveries help. Qualifying Simon kills hurt. Cannula refills hurt. Zoe's mistakes hurt.
Because the Results screen can contain kills that don't correspond directly to the ending calculation, a simple Discoveries vs. total kills comparison can be misleading.
For the best chance at Justice, prioritize exploration, avoid unnecessary combat and pay attention to the medical sequences throughout the game.
If you're still optimizing the game on PC, our Silent Hill: Townfall Best PC Settings: FPS, Shader Stutter Fix Guide covers the graphics settings and shader-stutter fixes that can improve the experience.
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