Developer Screen Burn has released version 1.4.0 of Silent Hill Townfall, a patch aimed at the game's encounters with The Weight, its stealth systems and its final puzzle, Video Games Chronicle reported.
According to VGC, players have complained since the game's release last month about two sections, in the middle and at the end of the game, involving The Weight, a character that usually cannot be killed and whose grab triggers an instant-death animation. VGC said players described those sections as frustrating, citing AI that does not make clear what draws its attention and that lingers near the player while they hide. Last week, Screen Burn told players it had "heard you on struggles with The Weight" and that balancing changes were on the way.
Under the new patch notes, The Weight's grab attacks deal heavy damage instead of causing instant death on Story Mode and Normal difficulties. Its searching behavior has been changed so that it no longer camps in front of the player's objective or keeps searching the same location for long periods, and its hunting behavior has been adjusted so that it tracks the player less aggressively.
The update also changes stealth more broadly, making enemies less sensitive to the sound of firearms, running and the player entering a hiding space. In melee, VGC reported that enemies are less likely to counter-attack quickly after being hit, no longer grapple a player who is blocking with a melee weapon, and give the player more time to react after escaping a grapple.
The final puzzle, which requires entering a series of commands into a control console, now comes with a collectible manual for the console that players can consult while using it. VGC's review of the game had called it "outstanding horror" that was "marred by infuriating stealth," referring specifically to the sections with The Weight.
