Weeping Bat

Weeping Bat is a monster in Silent Hill: Downpour. It is often very quiet and attaches itself to walls and ceilings, dropping down nimbly behind its prey before attacking.

Appearance
This creature has grayish-toned skin, with sunken and deformed areas of flesh on its face. It has a massive mouth with what seems to be a huge cleft in its upper lip, and tiny eyes sunken deep into its flesh. Similar to many bat species, its face overall appears to be "pinched," or tight. The upper torso is heavily defined with muscle, while its appendages remain very thin. Weeping Bats are massive creatures with their legs reaching Murphy Pendleton's shoulders. They attack with their three-clawed hands, with similar ones on their feet which they use to cling to rock. Some Weeping Bats have pinkish skin mottled with deep red vein-like patterns.

Character
Weeping Bats are fairly tough on the ground, but they're most effective when attacking from above. On both ground and ceiling they are very swift, and when grounded will stomp towards the protagonist in a quite humanoid manner. These creatures can cling to overhead surfaces, which allows them to move in and out of melee range very quickly. If a ceiling is low enough, a Weeping Bat can strike without touching the ground. If the ceiling is too high for a quick strike, the creature will attempt to pounce on Murphy. When ranged attacks aren't an option, Murphy must lure the creature to the ground before he can attack. He can achieve this by running around the area until the Weeping Bat drops down from the ceiling, giving Murphy the opportunity to land some strikes before the creature can retreat. A well-timed hit should interrupt most of this beast's melee attacks, but Murphy still must be especially cautious for its double-fist attack. When a Weeping Bat raises both arms above its head, Murphy should block the incoming strike, then resume attacking.

Symbolism
The Weeping Bats are named after animals of the same name that inhabited the caves of Devil's Pit. A sign says that they cower in the darkness and are very afraid of lights. It also says that they sometimes attack humans, though there have been no reported casualties.

It has been speculated that this monster represents Murphy's wish to hide from the authorities or to escape from his fate in jail, as observed by the creature being very quick and stealthy. It has also been thought that this monster represents the authority of law enforcement and government officials.

An inmate's time spent in prison contributes to a perceived lack of personal safety and a need to constantly watch their back. At any moment and without warning, they can be attacked on the whim of another inmate. The Weeping Bat may be the embodiment of this mentality; never able to let one's guard down even for a second, never knowing where a threat may come from. This is supported by their behavior; when found they are often huddled up, but if threatened they stretch up to their full intimidating height to fend for themselves. When standing idle, a lone Weeping Bat tends to look over its shoulders repeatedly as if always expecting someone to sneak up on it.

Part of the Weeping Bat's symbolism is solitary confinement. These are conditions that Murphy might have experienced during his time in prison. It is likely for this reason that they were made to be reclusive, bat-inspired creatures that do their best to stay in the dark and under cover (in Devil's Pit caves, under bridges, etc.), whose sickly translucent skin suggests that they never see much sunlight.

They also seem to represent prison gangs to an extent, as they are quite persistent when it comes to guarding Monocle Man during the train ride almost as if Monocle Man was their gang leader.

Alternatively as some creatures, such as the Bogeyman, represent more than one person's psyche then the Weeping Bats may represent the parents of the children killed in the Devil's Pit Train crash. The Bats only attack Murphy after he knows the truth about John Sater, and appear most frequently on the train ride. Given how Monocle Man seems to be in constant pain, being splayed out on meat hooks for all to see, they may represent the guilt and torment that binds him to Silent Hill.

It is hinted that the "mysterious creatures" that forced the Gillespie Coal & Iron Company to suspend mining operations in Superstition Caverns were Weeping Bats, given the timing of the train's automated tour guide dialogue and the appearance of a Weeping Bat that suddenly attacks Murphy.

Trivia

 * A damaged portrait of a Weeping Bat can be found in both the Thrift Shop and the Hardware Store in Chastain Heights.
 * Killing or incapacitating 10 Weeping Bats unlocks the Achievement/Trophy "Piñata Party".
 * They are named after the Weeping Bats that reside in Bat's Lament Falls, the waterfall beside Devil's Pit. On the sign before the bridge it states that Weeping Bats were named by the natives. They have a special fluid that leaks from their eyes in order to prevent parasitic infection in their ocular cavities. The natives believed the bats were crying, due to being imprisoned in the deep cave.
 * Killing the Weeping Bat in the Centennial Building library via the appropriate methods (execution) doesn't count towards the kill count. This may cause issues for the "Piñata Party" achievement for some players. This is only confirmed in the PlayStation 3 version.
 * There is a bridge that crosses Mirror Cove where a possible glitch can occur. Entering the area will spawn a Weeping Bat under the bridge every time, but continuously leaving and entering the area will cause the number of Weeping Bats to multiply. There can be so many Weeping Bats under the bridge at one time, that it can cause the game to lag.