Endings Guide

How Endings Work in Gadola

PantyParrot built The Adventures of HILLS as a time-management RPG where story outcomes are not decided by a single finale choice. Instead, Hills accumulates story flags across days: companion loyalty, district access, key items, exposure level, and how much of the underground network she has mapped. The game tracks these quietly while you spend Action Points exploring the city map, triggering events, and fighting turn-based battles.

Most players encounter their first ending between Day 12 and Day 18, depending on whether they rush the main quest or prioritize optional content. The narrative always revolves around the same looming crisis—a conspiracy that threatens women across Gadola's class divide—but the resolution changes based on preparation. Did Hills recruit enough companions with complementary abilities? Did she read every clue in the Slums and Noble Quarter? Did she keep her location hidden from hostile NPCs, as described in How to Protect?

Unlike a visual novel with a single decision tree at the end, HILLS evaluates a requirements matrix when the final countdown begins. Missing one critical flag does not always force a bad ending immediately; often the game offers a diminished "good" ending first. Only players who satisfy the full checklist unlock the true ending, which reveals the deepest layer of Gadola's corruption and ties back to Micoco's history in the franchise.

Ending Categories at a Glance

Community routing groups HILLS endings into four practical tiers. Names below match in-game achievement and gallery terminology where possible; see All Endings for the full list with spoiler tags.

• True Ending — Hills exposes the conspiracy's architects, secures lasting safety for her companions, and averts the crisis with full narrative closure. Requires the highest companion scores, multiple key items, and late-game district access. Walkthrough: True Ending guide.
• Good / Normal Endings — The city is saved or the countdown is beaten, but subplots remain unresolved. Common on a first playthrough that follows the main walkthrough without optional scouting.
• Neutral Endings — Hills survives and leaves Gadola, or the crisis is delayed rather than solved. Often triggered by moderate exposure or skipping companion quests in the Market District.
• Bad Endings — Game over states: capture, exposure, betrayal, or timer failure. Many tie to missable fail conditions documented in Bad Ending and How to Protect.

Steam tracks several endings through achievements such as The Adventures of HILLS (story completion) and route-specific unlocks listed on the achievement table. Planning a 100% run? Start with the Requirements Checklist before Day 3.

Time Management and the Countdown

Every ending is ultimately constrained by the calendar. Hills receives a finite number of Action Points per day; resting, shopping, and combat all consume time. The game warns you when the crisis clock enters its final phase, but by then under-prepared players may be locked out of last-minute requirements that needed three or four earlier days of setup.

Key timing considerations:

• Early Game (Days 1–5) — Tutorial pacing hides how tight the mid-game becomes. Use Day 1–5 to secure baseline companions and avoid early exposure flags in the Market.
• Mid Game — District gates open in a fixed order (Unlock Order). Noble Quarter and hidden areas must be unlocked before Day 14 for true-ending prep.
• Late Game — The late-game walkthrough assumes you are routing toward a specific ending. Backtracking across Gadola is possible but expensive in AP.

Save often. The Save Points guide lists recommended slots before irreversible branching nights and before entering the finale chain.

Recommended First Playthrough Route

New players should aim for a standard good ending before chasing the true route. This reveals the majority of CG content, teaches combat fundamentals on the combat hub, and unlocks New Game+–style gallery replay if available in your build.

1. Follow How to Play for AP budgeting basics.
2. Recruit the core companion trio documented in All Companions by Day 7.
3. Complete main-story beats in Early Game and Mid Game without skipping mandatory night events.
4. Keep exposure low until you understand NPC risk profiles in the NPC Guide.
5. Enter the finale with at least two days of AP reserve for emergency battles and dialogue chains.

On a second run, layer in Hidden Locations, max companion loyalty, and the checklist items for True Ending. Third runs can mop up remaining bad endings for gallery completion and missable achievements.

Related Guides

• True Ending — Full route requirements and day-by-day flags.
• Bad Ending — How failure states trigger and how to see them safely.
• All Endings — Complete list with conditions and gallery notes.
• Requirements Checklist — Printable-style flag tracker for completionists.
• How to Complete — Main story completion without 100% pressure.
• 100% Completion — Tie endings to Steam achievements.