THE CRUNCH
Silent Hill Townfall has received its version 1.4.0 patch, aimed squarely at the sections players have complained about most since the game launched last month. The Weight, a pursuer that usually can't be killed and appears in the middle and end of the game, previously killed the player instantly if it caught them, and its unclear AI left it lingering near hiding spots. The update now makes its grab attacks deal heavy damage rather than instant death on Story and Normal difficulties, and adjusts its searching and hunting behaviour so it stops camping near objectives, repeatedly searching the same spot or tracking the player too aggressively.
Stealth as a whole gets a pass too: enemies are now less sensitive to the sound of firearms, running and the player entering a hiding space. Melee combat has also been tweaked, with enemies less likely to counter-attack quickly, no longer grappling a player who is blocking with a melee weapon, and giving the player more time to react after escaping a grapple.
The other notable player complaint, the final puzzle that involves entering numerous commands into a control console, is addressed with a new collectible manual that players can consult for quick reference while using the console. The changes follow developer Screen Burn telling players last week that it had heard their struggles with The Weight and that balancing was on the way.