Layers of Fear Guide | How To Unlock All Painter's Story Endings

In the world of Layers Of Fear, your actions decide how the Painter finishes his work. The game watches what you do and tracks two scores in secret. One score leads to the Family ending, while the other leads to the Art ending. If you do not reach a high enough score for either, you will find yourself in the Loop ending.

To get a specific conclusion, you should do everything related to that path and skip everything else.

Decision Points

Throughout your journey, you will find rooms where you must make a choice. You can often spot these by looking for a hidden drawing of a scale nearby. Usually, the color Green means the choice is for Family, while Red means the choice is for Art.

In the first chapter, you will find a split hallway where you can take a Red Painting for Art or a Green Painting for Family. Later, you can place a Liquor Bottle on a tray for Art or a Floral Bottle for Family. When you reach the infinite hallway in the second chapter, taking the Right Exit helps the Art score, while the Left Exit helps the Family score.

In the third chapter, if you want Family, turn around when the hall loops and answer the Phone on the table; if you want Art, just keep walking until the phone breaks.

By the fourth chapter, you must choose a dream path. Walk down the hallway with Red Paint for Art, or choose the one with Green Crayon drawings of a house for Family. In chapter five, after taking the elevator, burn the Echoes on the Left for Art or on the Right for Family.

In the final chapter, you will find Babyface in a winch room. If you want the Family ending, destroy it with fire; for the Art ending, pull the lever and leave it alone. You will also see a Wheelchair. Pushing it to the very end of the hall helps with Family, while ignoring it helps with Art.

What to Collect

Items you pick up will change your final score. If you want the Art ending, look for Rat Sketches, Notes with red edges, Liquor, Dog Accessories, and Rat Traps. If you want the Family ending, search for Green Diary Pages, Photos, Toys, Instruments, and Beauty Products.

Some important items will show up in your Studio after you find them. Family items appear on the left, and Art items appear on the right. If you pick up an item you do not want, you can quickly return to the menu and reload your game to try again. Keep in mind that some items needed for Art must be picked up to finish the story, so you have to be extra careful if you want the Family ending.

Special Actions

There are a few extra things you can do to tip the scales. To help with the Family ending, go to the bedroom upstairs after the first chapter and find the pieces of the Mirror to put them back together. Also, if the Ghost of the Musician falls down and starts crying, walk over to her. It will count as being caught, but she will thank you, and it helps your Family score.

If you are trying for the Family ending, avoid looking at paintings that show the face of the Rat Queen. If you see her face in a frame, reload your save and look away. However, you cannot avoid the large painting of her that appears deep underground late in the story. Every choice you make counts toward the final tally when you finish the painting at the end of the sixth chapter.

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