What could be better than spending the holidays scared out of your mind? If you answered 'nothing,' then you're in luck -- well, if you own Nintendo's system, anyway. Konami confirmed on Thursday morning that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories will ship for Wii in America on December 8, despite rumors that the game might see a delay to next year.

Over the years, I've developed a serious soft spot for Japanese developer Gust. Though its games' themes are usually a little outside my interests, the consistently creative battle mechanics and ability to tack even the lightest bits of item creation into an impressive number of JRPGs every year often lifts the games out of mediocrity and can actually make for seriously addictive play sessions.

Konami's Silent Hill: Shattered Memories has long been one of our most anticipated games. Thankfully, we've already got an early copy and have been playing it every night -- and yes, just in case, we've donned diapers. You can never be too careful, we always say. For the record, it's just as scary as we could've hoped. Complementing the frights and mood is a unique cast of characters, at least some of which Konami was kind enough to profile alongside a press release announcing the release date. We've provided descriptions verbatim as well as screenshots and artwork for some of the characters.

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Harry Mason


While driving through the spooky streets of Silent Hill, Harry's car skids on a patch of ice and veers off the road into a ditch. Upon waking from the crash, he realizes his daughter Cheryl is missing and sets out into the dark, freezing night to find her.

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Cheryl Mason


Harry's daughter who has mysteriously disappeared, causing him to brave the streets of Silent Hill. She's a cheerful girl who loves her father very much.

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Cybil Bennett


After years on the police force, Cybil has seen a lot of crazy things, but she's not quite sure what to make of Harry Mason. She decides early on to keep an eye on him, and their paths cross repeatedly.

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Dr. K


A friendly, relatable therapist who shows up periodically to evaluate the player. His therapy sessions consist of interactive psychological test which players will actually take part in.

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Michelle


Michelle meets Harry at her High School reunion, however he doesn't remember it. Tired of waiting to meet up with her boyfriend, she decides to aid Harry in finding his daughter.

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Dahlia


A tough, street-wise young girl, Dahlia seems to know quite a bit about Harry. The fact that he can't remember anything about her confuses Dahlia as much as it does Harry.

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Lisa


Lisa is a nurse at Alchemilla Hospital. Although she's young, lines of experience are already evident on her face. Despite her cynicism, Harry finds himself protective of Lisa and offers to lend her a hand.

Author by: Matt Casamassina

FOSTER CITY, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) today announced the release of Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier available exclusively for the PSP (PlayStation Portable), PSP (PlayStation Portable) go and PlayStation 2 systems. Developed by High Impact Games, Jak and Daxter make their PSP system debut in an all-new action adventure that picks up their story where the original trilogy ended. Featuring trademark Jak and Daxter platforming, intense sky battles and new customization features, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier offers action-packed gameplay that both hardcore and casual gamers alike will enjoy this holiday.