Hope

"Earth has evolved in a way so that it naturally regulates the population of any given species. Humans were once subject to this system regardless of whether or not they knew it. Pandora's Box is opening."

- Caleb Goldman

"Is that all you have to say, Goldman?"

- James Taylor

Synopsis

James and Kate take an elevator to the 49th floor of Goldman Building to find that the corridor is decorated with Japanese ornaments. With five minutes left on the clock, James gets wounded again as Kate carries him up to continue on and eventually reach Goldman's office to deactivate the nuclear missiles with 30 seconds left on the clock using a computer concealed within the desk.

The computer's monitor then shifts to a video package of Goldman congratulating the AMS and that it was not his intention to destroy the world with nuclear missiles merely wishing to "revert humanity to its natural state." However the opening of Pandora's Box is rendered inevitable, as Goldman states "if you were able to make it this far, there is yet still hope" to the AMS agents. The building begins to shake as Goldman's final legacy is revealed: The World.

James and Kate fight The World with little to no success as The World "won't stop growing", but they "must close Pandora's Box, now or never", prompting James to set the PDA to self-destruct mode with the nuclear missiles set to launch in 10 seconds, but not before telling Kate to not give up hope. James finally destroys The World as the cost of his life as Kate is left to wander aimlessly while leaving Goldman Building.

The story continues in House of the Dead 3.

Endings

In the standard ending, the view returns to the computer in Goldman's office, continuing the former president's pre-recorded message. Goldman gives a final statement as he walks away: "Ah yes, there is one thing I forgot. The human race has not been eliminated. Travel north... hope is such a splendid thing."

The bad ending is the same as the above, except when Goldman mentions hope, he takes off his glasses and the camera zooms on his face, showing glowing red eyes and his face suddenly becomes zombie-like.

The good ending shows G in front of the smoking crater where James destroyed the World: "James, it's not over yet. We'll fight this back to the source. It's now time for you to rest now, James." As G walks out of the camera, a zoom is made on Goldman's building. G is based on his The House of the Dead III appearance.

The secret ending involves a mysterious and unidentified man (previously seen in one of The House of the Dead III's endings) sitting at a desk in the corner of an office.

Trivia

• Like in The House of the Dead 2's sixth chapter, a single Eric is guarding the elevator.