Short Attention Span Review: The Road is Jericho (2015)

Hello, my name is Jimmy and I'm a Jerichoholic.  I enjoy wrasslin' and there are many superstars past and present who I have cheered for, but Jericho is the bee's knees.  Thus, I was pretty damn excited when I scored The Road is Jericho on Blu-ray.  First off, be sure to pick up the Blu-ray if that's an option for you.  7 hours of material on DVD is cool, but 8 and a half hours on Blu-ray is better.  Secondly, while it is true that most of Jericho's most celebrated matches were contained in the first set, dude has epic matches to spare.  This is a nifty collection that spans much of Jericho's career and features several of his finest rivals, to include the Rock, Shawn Michaels, Rey, and HHH.  His most recent rivalries with CM Punk and Bray Wyatt also made the cut by virtue of a Chicago Street Fight and a good old-fashioned cage match, and the best match in the set may be a no-frills but lengthy bout against RVD on RAW that is an absolute showstopper.  Understandably, there's no mention of Chris Benoit and none of Jericho's legendary matches with him are included, but Jericho's legacy is strong enough to survive despite the absence of what may have been his strongest rival.  My favorite Jericho match, a "Last Man Standing" showdown with HHH from Fully Loaded in 2000, is still missing in action, but lo and behold, the match with HHH that is included in this collection actually sees Chris emerge victorious.  Despite the presence of so many notable superstars and so many incredible matches, the real highlight of The Road is Jericho has to be the segments where Jericho discusses his career and the various matches included in the set.  Chris is very candid, funny as always, and dishes out lots of cool tidbits about himself, his opponents, and the wrestling business.  The Road is Jericho will definitely thrill any Jerichoholic, and any true wrasslin' fan should find something to love in this terrific set.

Final Grade: A

The "best there is at what he does" may be absent from the WWE at present,
but his second collection of matches is sure to break the walls down.

Robot Combat League!

Sometimes I get pissed off at science.  I was really hoping for a flying car or one of those hoverboards that Marty McFly rocked in Back to the Future III, but it just isn't happening.  Some of the movies are cooler and video games have never been better, but flying cars and hoverboards are where it's at.  Of course, I could settle for giant robots warring with one another on television, but let's be real: science just can't seem to win the big one.

Oh, wait a minute, this isn't such a lost cause after all.

Chris Jericho has come to Syfy, ladies and gentlemen, and he has come with badass robots in tow.  Yes, these robots are flipping awesome, and yes, they throw down.  The first episode was great and I'm eager for the second outing later tonight.

I was midway through the first episode when Alaina hit the scene, and it didn't take long for her to start begging me to start it over.  We both thought the show was wicked, and the big fight at the end was a real winner.

Anyway, I could break the premise down in greater detail, or I could assure you that it's gnarly and hook you up with a link for the show's homepage.  Check the page out, and if you haven't completely forgotten about your childhood, go ahead and watch the show too.

WWE 13 Part II

So, let it be known: everything I said about WWE 13 last week when I was just getting started is completely true.  I'm tempted to say that I feel the same way about this title as Chris Jericho feels about the championship belt.
Truth: this game is even better than I initially thought it was.  I can't stop playing it, and my children are having a blast with it too.  It's not just that they want to play either.  When I'm doing the Attitude Era tasks and trying to unlock various characters, belts, venues, and matches, they might as well be watching a live show.
Taryn is 4, and she keeps coming up to me and saying "Daddy, why don't you play the wrestling game?"  Alaina is 6 and she can't wait to play another Royal Rumble.  She thinks it's the greatest thing ever.  I shouldn't be too surprised; the Royal Rumble has always been my favorite event to watch, and it has also always been my favorite event to play on a video game.  The Elimination Chamber earns a close second on both of those counts.  Ash isn't even 2 yet and he's getting in on the fun as well.  We are having a great time with WWE 13.
I don't mean to gush, but this game is utterly fantastic.  Reliving some of my favorite storylines from the last twenty years is incredible.  You get vintage video packages to build up the event, you're given a list of achievements (it is necessary to complete these to unlock content) which basically rewards you for playing out the match as it was scripted, and many of these segments come complete with highlight reels from the actual match.  Now, that's cool enough, but THQ has gone even further in their pursuit of a stellar wrestling game.  When you pick up your controller and jump into these matches, segments of the actual commentary play.  This includes spots from guest commentators like Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock.  It's super cool, and it makes you wonder when this same approach will be applied to some of the sports titles on the market. 
I wasn't a big fan of the last WWE game, and I know that many of you weren't either.  All I can say is this: believe the hype.  If you were waiting for the verdict on WWE 13 before you snagged a copy, don't wait any longer.  All of the good things you're hearing are true.  I could also go on and on about the gameplay and the graphics, which are superb, but the thought and the ingenuity that went into the presentation are what make WWE 13 a title worth raving about.  Get in the ring! 

Alaina Rachel trying to eliminate her opponent in the Royal Rumble