The Talos Principle 2: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ending

The Talos Principle 2 is not only a fantastic puzzle game, but it also boasts an intricate and expansive storyline. As you traverse its world, you'll have numerous chances to interact with various characters, express your viewpoints, and even engage on social media. The game revolves around philosophical discussions regarding the future of humanity and its role in the world, and the choices you make during these debates will influence different aspects of the narrative as you progress.

In The Talos Principle 2, there are three primary endings, along with various additional scenes and variations that can be unlocked under specific circumstances. To provide you with a comprehensive guide without revealing too many spoilers, we have detailed instructions for obtaining each ending and discovering optional content.

Main Endings - The Final Choice

To complete the main story in The Talos Principle, you must solve eight puzzles in each of the 12 areas. This allows you to enter the megastructure a total of four times. Throughout the game, you will interact with Prometheus, Pandora, and the Sphinx, each representing a different philosophical perspective on the future of New Jerusalem.

During your final entry into the megastructure, you will be faced with a decision regarding the fate of the machine. There are three options, each corresponding to one of the three characters, and each unlocks a different main ending. While there may be minor variations based on your actions, these three endings form the core of the epilogue.

Leap of Faith - Choose to use the machine for the betterment of New Jerusalem (Prometheus ending)

Momentum Deferred - Choose to shut the machine down because humanity isn't ready (Sphinx ending)

Certain Fathoms in the Earth - Opt for the eradication of the contraption (Pandora ending)

Variations

Apart from the primary choices determining the ending, the way you handle various aspects of the narrative will impact the consequences for different characters.

The Mayor

Upon completing your fourth expedition within the megastructure, you will awaken to the revelation that an election has transpired during your period of deactivation. This electoral process can yield a variety of outcomes, each of which will have an impact on certain elements of the concluding cutscenes.

Throughout The Talos Principle 2, you will encounter numerous choices that may influence the outcome of the election. It can be challenging to identify which specific choices hold significance. However, one way to shape the attitudes of New Jerusalem is through your interactions on social media and conversations. Similar to the main endings, there are three primary variations.

1. Hermanubis remains mayor - Opt for conservative choices in your conversations and social media interactions. Select options that present the Goal in a positive manner and are opposed to the growth of New Jerusalem. Decide to share the information from the Somnodrome with the people, while withholding it from the rest of New Jerusalem.

Byron, the newly elected mayor, advocates for progressive perspectives in conversations and social media posts. He emphasizes options that support growth and views the Goal as having a negative and stagnant impact on New Jerusalem. Furthermore, when conversing with Hermanubis before boarding the VTOL, mention that you previously believed the Goal to be a detrimental myth for humanity. Lastly, ensure that you share the information obtained from the Somnodrome with the public.

On the other hand, if Rand becomes mayor, it is advisable to adopt a more cautious and moderate approach in conversations and social media posts. When discussing with Hermanubis before boarding the VTOL, express your belief that the Goal was once humanly damaging myth. Be mindful in cautiously divulging the information obtained from the Somnodrome to the public.

The mayor will appear in the different epilogues and you'll sometimes get different dialogue depending on who is in charge and what final choice you make.

Golden Gate Puzzles

In order to access the additional 12 high-level puzzles in The Talos Principle 2, players must first complete all the main puzzles in each area, including the eight required to access the tower, as well as the separate "bonus" puzzles in each area.

Yaqut's Epilogue

Completing the Golden Gate puzzles will allow you to unlock an extra epilogue scene for Yaqut too. Unfortunately, due to a bug in our playthrough, we are not completely certain about the exact requirements to unlock it. However, we have a fairly good understanding.

After completing your fourth exploration of the megastructure, you will return to New Jerusalem before embarking on the final journey to the island for The Talos Principle 2's climax. At this stage, you will engage in discussions with the other members of your expedition to determine if they wish to join you on this ultimate adventure.

Your preference is for Yaqut to accompany you during this final phase. To convince him, it is crucial to consistently provide reassurance throughout the game regarding the hazards of the megastructure and ensure he feels supported in his concerns. If Yaqut decides to join you, there will be an additional scene connected to the Golden Gate puzzle scenes.

Additional Scenes

Another set of additional puzzles involves the statues of Prometheus, Pandora, and the Sphinx, which are scattered throughout the different areas. In each of the 12 areas, you will find two statues, and completing a puzzle associated with one of these statues will reward you with a Star item. By collecting all 24 Stars, you can proceed to a hidden gate located within an Astronomy temple within the megastructure.

At this gate, you have the opportunity to add the Stars and eventually unlock it. Beyond the gate awaits another puzzle to be solved. If you successfully solve this puzzle, you will unlock an additional cutscene that offers potential story implications for The Talos Principle 3. It's important to note that this cutscene, although not technically part of the ending, will be triggered upon completing the final Star puzzle. It serves as an addendum to the overarching narrative of the game.

Star puzzles

Check out our guides for completing the Pandora statue puzzles and Sphinx statue puzzles to assist you in navigating through them.

Trevor's audio logs

Scattered throughout the terminals found in each area, you can discover audio logs from Trevor, one of Alexandra Drennan's colleagues, the scientist behind the simulation that brought these new robotic humans to life. By locating all 12 of Trevor's logs, you will complete his narrative and unlock an additional scene during the credits.

Finding these items should not be too difficult if you are thorough in searching every corner of each area. Utilize the compass located at the top of the screen, which will reveal question mark icons signaling nearby undiscovered objects. Ensure to stay until the end of the credits after completing Trevor's entire story to witness its climax.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I find the Talos Principle 2 to be a thought-provoking game that raises important questions about the future of humanity and our role in the world. The multiple endings and the impact of your choices on the narrative add depth to the game and encourage multiple playthroughs.

I appreciate the way the game explores philosophical themes through the interactions with characters such as Prometheus, Pandora, and the Sphinx. These characters represent different perspectives on the future of New Jerusalem, and the choices you make during these debates influence the direction of the story.

The social media and conversation choices also add a unique layer to the game, as they allow you to shape the attitudes of the citizens of New Jerusalem and influence the outcome of the election. This mechanic reflects the power of social media in our own world and how it can be used to shape public opinion.

Overall, I think the Talos Principle 2 is a well-crafted game that offers a challenging and thought-provoking experience. The multiple endings and the impact of your choices on the narrative make it a game that I will remember for a long time.