Overview
This is a guide showing two ways to obtain the oh-so-elusive Ending Y in Red Haze. Spoilers ahead.
Route #1 (Cross Key Route)
WHY IS THE CROSS KEY USEFUL? The Cross Key does open a few doors in the SW apartments and having the key means you will eventually get another item: The Destiny Code. Without spoiling much, that code can be used to correctly choose the order in the 3-Door room on the second floor of the Lighthouse.
The basics of this ending involve building up enough “good points” along your way in Red Haze. For every act deemed “good”, you will receive a point. The total amount of points needed is up for debate, but I reckon it’s around 4-5 points. This way also involves getting the Cross Key along your journey, which can seem a bit trickier and more arduous. Just keep in mind you will be checking and interacting with nearly everything in your environment, and this will involve more steps than the second route. Be curious, and thorough.
At the beginning of the game, take some time to check out everything in the room you start in. Check the window, trash and pills on the floor. Read the note on the table. Check the locked door. Then, leave the room go to room 202. Read the note on the table, then leave. Go to room 204, read the note, check the trash piles on the floor and then enter with the Hobo Hole. After doing so, enter room 201. Interact with the key on the table, but when given the choice you must leave the key on the table. Exit the room and continue onward down the hall. You will find the door now unlocked for you, and have earned your first good point!
Go downstairs to the first floor. Head all the way over to the right, through the unlocked door marked Custodian’s Closet. Read the note there. Pick up the Janitor’s Key. Then go back into the hallway.
Unlock room 105. Read the marker in the middle of the room, and check the Grandfather clock. Solve the puzzle (which involves placing the lantern and yourself at the center point in the room so that you form the hands of a clock in the 12:45 position. Hold that position without moving or pressing any buttons for five seconds. Check the opened box for a small hammer. This doesn’t earn you any point but you will need this hammer later.)
Unlock the ICE room. Read the note on the table. Walk up to the fridge and interact with it, but do not open it. You will then be tossed out into the cold. Make your way through the freezer and up to the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Pick up the Cook’s key and immediately make your way back out of the room. Exit into the Sitting room, check the clock and tables, and pick up your clothes/get dressed. Doing all of this will earn you another good point.
(note: I am personally unsure if you get separate points for not opening the fridge and getting dressed, or if it all counts as one)
Head down to exit the SW apartment hallway and head through the basement, stopping in the room between the basement and first floor hallway. In the Basement Stairway Access room, unlock the door which leads to the parking lot.
You will have used up all your Janitor Key uses by now, but that’s alright. Quickly head over to the baby carriage and interact with it. You will automatically refuse to touch it, giving you another good point. Sprint up toward the hole in the wire fence and make your way up to the Custodian’s cabin. Go inside, read the note and check things in the room, but do not interact with the corpse in the bed. This more than likely will give yet another point. Leave, and make your way completely out of the parking lot. A good way to avoid getting caught is to move in a zig-zag fashion, using the cones to help keep the shadowy figure at bay.
By now you should be able to get that Cross key. Exit the Basement Stairway Access room, taking the stairs down to the basement. Head through the basement and take the stairs up, heading toward that area you found yourself in previously (when you got the Cook key). Walk up that hallway to the entrance of the SW apartments. Enter, avoid the Janitor, and keep moving upward to room 001. Enter, and you should find the Cross key waiting for you.
Exit the room and head over to the room directly across from it, room 003. Unlock it with the Cross key. Check the bathtub…looks like we have some cleaning to do!
Let’s make our way over to room 005 to find something to clean with. Along the way, be sure to pick up the rubber gloves.
Enter room 005, and make your way over to the upper right-hand corner of the screen to grab the rag. Exit, and head back to the bathroom (room 003). Using the gloves and rag, clean the bathtub til it’s all shiny! Another good point for you.
Head out of the SW apartments completely, through the basement and walk all the way back toward the first floor hallway.
Remember that hammer we picked up earlier? Let’s go put it to use. Head upstairs, to where the girl’s and boy’s bathrooms are located. Use the hammer on the boards covering the boy’s bathroom door. Walk all the way over to the last stall, it will be open for you. Walk inside and be sure to let whomever is asking know you have been very good!
Route #2 (Fast Route)
This is a simpler and much faster way to ending Y, without the hassle of the Cross key involved. It’s all about just building up those points with your “good” deeds.
At the beginning: Make sure you interact with the Hobo Hole so the key will appear in Room 201. Interact with the key but choose not to pick it up. Doing so gives you your first good point, after all! Make your way down to the first floor hallway. Pick up the Janitor’s keys. There’s a few things we can do in this hallway:
Go up to room 104, and read the warning on the door. Heed it, and choose not to unlock the door. This will earn you a good point.
Unlock room 105 and obtain the hammer by solving the puzzle.
Unlock the ICE room and walk up to the fridge but choose not to open it. You’ll be tossed into the freezer. Avoid the Janitor to get the Cook key in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Leave, and get dressed. This sequence earns you another point or so.
Make your way back toward the first floor hallway, stopping the Basement Stairway Access room. Unlock the door to the parking lot using your third and final Janitor key use. Sprint over to the baby carriage, interact with it to get a point, then run back out without getting caught by the shadowy figure. Use those traffic cones to slow it down a bit.
OPTIONAL: You do not need to go to the cabin this time, unless you really want to.
Head back to the first floor hallway, and go upstairs. Use the hammer to take all those pesky boards off of the boy’s bathroom door. Go in and walk over to the last stall, which should be open and ready for you. Be sure to let them know how good you’ve been!
WHAT ABOUT STARRY? Noticed how both of these routes don’t mention Starry at all? At first, I used to think treating Starry nicely would help earn a point towards Ending Y…however, having Starry with you will only cause complications. You won’t be able to leave the basement the way you came (since she is deathly afraid of mice), and having her with you will eventually lock you into a route in which you cannot leave the SW apartment area.