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ABOVE Endings Guide: How to Unlock Every Finale

Updated 2026-06-14

ABOVE Endings Guide: How to Unlock Every Finale

Overview of ABOVE Endings

ABOVE offers multiple distinct endings based on your decisions as the shelter manager of a 1960s alpine resort. Your choices in rescuing climbers, upgrading facilities, and forging relationships shape the final outcome. Unlike many simulation games, ABOVE invests heavily in narrative consequences — each playthrough can lead to dramatically different conclusions.

This guide covers every known ending, the prerequisites for each, and tips to unlock them efficiently. If you are new to the game, check our Beginner Guide for core mechanics first.

ABOVE does not feature a manual save system for branching paths. Your ending is determined by cumulative choices across the entire campaign. Reaching a specific finale often requires a fresh playthrough.

Ending 1: The Summit Legacy

The Summit Legacy is considered the "true" ending and requires the highest level of investment. You must achieve maximum reputation with all major climber groups and fully upgrade every shelter facility.

Requirements:

  • Rescue all 12 unique named climbers
  • Fully upgrade the Main Lodge, Medical Wing, and Supply Depot
  • Complete every story event tied to climber backstories
  • Never refuse a rescue request during a blizzard

This ending culminates in a grand ceremony where the mountain community dedicates a permanent monument to your efforts. The epilogue shows the resort thriving for decades.

Summit Legacy Rewards

Unlocks the "Mountain Legend" achievement. Grants access to New Game+ mode with retained upgrades. Best ending for lore completionists.

Common Mistakes

Skipping climber side stories or neglecting Medical Wing upgrades often locks you out. Prioritize wood and metal resource stockpiles early.

Ending 2: The Silent Winter

The Silent Winter ending occurs when you focus purely on survival and business efficiency while ignoring climber relationships. You maintain a functional resort but lose the human connection that defines ABOVE's narrative.

How to trigger:

  • Complete the main campaign goals (rescue 6 climbers, upgrade to Tier 3 facilities)
  • Decline all optional dialogue events and personal requests
  • Never build the Recreation Hall or Chapel facilities
  • Prioritize profit over climber well-being in resource allocation

This ending can happen accidentally if you rush through the game without engaging with character stories. If you want a different outcome, pause to read dialogue and accept side tasks.

The final cutscene shows the resort operating efficiently but empty of warmth. Your character leaves at the end of the season without a farewell party. It is a bittersweet but valid conclusion that highlights the game's thematic depth.

Ending 3: The Avalanche

The Avalanche ending is the failure state, triggered by catastrophic mismanagement. If your shelter's condition drops to zero or you fail to rescue a climber during a critical storm, the mountain claims everything.

Triggers:

  • Allow the Main Lodge to fall below 20% condition during a blizzard event
  • Ignore three consecutive rescue calls
  • Run out of food supplies for two weeks in-game
  • Fail to repair the heating system before a severe cold snap

This ending shows the resort abandoned, with your character hiking down the mountain in defeat. It is dark but serves as a learning tool. The game offers a restart option that carries over a small percentage of resources.

Avoiding the Avalanche

Maintain at least 50 units of food and 30 units of fuel at all times. Upgrade the heating system before Day 30. Always prioritize rescue missions during clear weather windows.

If You Trigger It

Do not worry — the game autosaves before the final season. You can reload from the start of Winter Chapter 2 and adjust your strategy. Check our Restart Guide for details.

Ending 4: The Wanderer's Path

The Wanderer's Path is a secret ending that requires unique actions hidden throughout the game. It represents your character leaving the resort life behind to climb the mountain themselves.

Unlock conditions:

  • Find and read all 5 hidden journal pages scattered across the mountain
  • Refuse the final upgrade offer from the developer NPC
  • Choose the "look at the summit" dialogue option during the final campfire scene
  • Have exactly 3 climbers rescued (no more, no less)

This ending is short but poetic. Your character walks past the resort gates and begins climbing alone. The screen fades to white as they disappear into the clouds. Many players consider this the most artistic conclusion.

Journal page locations are randomized each playthrough. Build the Lookout Tower early — it often reveals one page's general area on the map. Use our Secrets Guide for exact coordinates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unlock multiple endings in one save file? No. ABOVE's narrative locks you into a single ending per playthrough. You must start a new game to pursue a different conclusion. New Game+ preserves some upgrades but resets story progress.

Which ending is canon? The developers have not declared an official canon ending. The Summit Legacy aligns most closely with the game's themes of community and perseverance, but all endings are considered valid narrative experiences.

Does difficulty affect endings? No. The ending you get depends solely on choices and resource management, not the difficulty slider. However, higher difficulties make survival harder, which can push you toward unintended endings like the Avalanche.

How long does a full playthrough take? A complete run to any ending takes approximately 8-12 hours. Speedrunners can reach the Silent Winter ending in under 4 hours by ignoring optional content.

Can I see all endings without replaying the entire game? You need separate playthroughs for each ending. We recommend saving the Summit Legacy for last, as it requires the most game knowledge.

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