Flair Country
07-30-2008, 04:04 PM
7/29 - Christian Cage & Tomko
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I'll admit it, I love Christian Cage. Cage's great on the mic, he's awesome in the ring, and the Unprettier's a simple-but-effective finisher. A native of Tampa -- by way of Toronto -- he's managed to hoist the World Heavyweight belt two times in TNA.
In the previews I've done before, I've mentioned how good TNA iMAPCT! looks, and that's a big part of what makes Christian feel like Christian. There's a ton of detail in his model, and the way he taunts the crowd and his opponent before the match with the wave of a hand is great. When it comes to moves, I'm happy with the selection Midway's given the Instant Classic -- although as with every brawler, I feel the pool is limited. From just a regular grapple, he's got a Death Valley Driver, hip toss, and more. Add some modifiers, and there's a Diamond Cutter as well as German Suplex. The moves are basic but deadly.
I like to think of Christian as fast-paced matches with some technical holds. In my match with AJ Styles, there was a section that was just reversal after reversal -- AJ tried to Irish Whip; I countered with a whip of my own; and Styles counted, pulled me up and dropped Christian on his head. Although I was playing it, it felt as if it was pulled from a broadcast.
Christian's powerful and fast -- just like he should be.
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Tomko scares me. Maybe it's the tattoos, maybe it's the crazy goatee, maybe it's the ripped physique -- but something about this guy makes me want to run in the other direction.
Of course, that's in real life when Tomko's beating in his opponent's skull. In TNA iMPACT!, I wasn't all that impressed with the big bald guy. Here's this hulking, tatted-up dude, and all his regular grapples are atomic drops and hip tosses. Even strong grapples just end with a collar bone-hurting move or toss.
Meh. Not too impressive, Mr. Tomko.
What is cool is his gorilla press finisher, but I don't think it's cool enough to save him from becoming one of the guys you never use.
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7/30 - Booker T
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/895/895170/tna-impact-20080730014540957.jpg
Whether you're looking at the dude when he was part of Harlem Heat, rocking the ring as King Booker, or on his current collision course with Samoa Joe, Booker T's energy and mic skills make him someone you want to watch.
In TNA iMPACT!, Booker seems pretty solid. He's got a sick belly-to-belly suplex and standard hip toss from his normal grapple. Beyond that, he's got a pretty standard German suplex, elbow to the head, and various stock moves. Still, the Book End looks stiff and devastating, while the celebration after the move is pure Booker.
I can dig it, sucka.
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/1913/booker1cr9.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker1cr9.jpg) http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7639/booker2be5.th.jpg (http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker2be5.jpg) http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/3172/booker3nw7.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker3nw7.jpg)
7/31 - Scott Steiner
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I don't know, but at some point Scott Steiner turned a corner and went from normal looking professional wrestler to creepy dude wearing chain mail whose skin looks like that of an over-microwaved hot dog.
But, I digress.
The version of Steiner we find in iMPACT is easily the most powerful fighter I've profiled in the short time TNA-Listers has been going. He's got a full nelson belly-to-back suplex, a wicked powerbomb, and a devastating clothesline. His strikes are stiff punches and kicks. So, basically, he's just what you'd expect -- a frickin' powerhouse whose strength lies in bone-crushing moves.
Whether you like him or not, Steiner's definitely fun to use.
Interestingly, the Steiner Recliner is the first submission finisher I've seen in action. The way TNA deals with the final hold is that it gives the opponent three seconds to wiggle the joystick to fill the on-screen meter and break the hold. If they can't do it, they tap.
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8/1 - Rhino
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/895/895269/tna-impact-20080730035317023.jpg
I miss the real ECW. If you followed last year's coverage of that other wrestling game, you know I adore the ECW of old. Sabu, RVD, Dreamer, Sandman, Paulie, etc. It was awesome, and as that golden age came to a close, a young man called Rhino entered the federation.
It was right around the time he piledrove Sandman's wife off the apron and through a table that the War Machine won me over.
No stranger to the world of professional wrestling videogames, Rhino arrives in iMPACT packing the moves you'd probably expect. There's a German suplex, atomic drop, belly to belly suplex, and kick to the crotch. He's got the power moves we've talked about before, which -- coupled with the fact that there aren't character-specific taunts -- kind of makes him a bit forgettable.
In the end, Rhino tosses his opponent to the ground, lines up, and delivers the gore. The animation doesn't really do the severity of the move justice, but the quality of the finisher is hit or miss even in real life.
http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9063/rhino1wg4.th.jpg (http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino1wg4.jpg) http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8280/rhino2lm6.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino2lm6.jpg) http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8131/rhino3yl9.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino3yl9.jpg)
8/4 - Abyss
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/896/896266/tna-impact-20080804020259997.jpg
No, he's not Mankind … or Kane. If you're just getting on the TNA bandwagon, those comparisons are understandable, but if you've been watching for awhile, you've seen Abyss decimate the federation on his way to world title wins and the tag team championship. He's powerful and intimidating.
For the most part, that doesn't seem to be reflected in TNA iMPACT!. With standard grapple moves such as the body slam and hip toss mixed with the traditional ground attack of elbow to the head or super-clothesline out of a strong grapple, Abyss comes off as a pretty generic, overweight man in leather pants. I never really felt like my time as the big guy was anything other than ordinary.
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/1275/abyss1tq6.th.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=abyss1tq6.jpg) http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/674/abyss2lw5.th.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=abyss2lw5.jpg) http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2113/abyss3nm9.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=abyss3nm9.jpg)
8/5 - The Motor City Machine Guns
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/896/896454/tna-impact-20080804055139008.jpg
You might remember Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin as trailblazers in the X Division, but now they're the Motor City Machine Guns. They rock. There's not much that can be said about this tag team -- you really need to see them in action. Known for fast-paced action and brutal moves, the Motor City Machine Guns are a force to be reckoned with in TNA.
Although Shelley feels good in iMPACT!, it's Sabin that steals the show. Both pack leaping DDTs from the regular grapple and Shelley has a "meh" arm-drag takedown, but Sabin has a bunch of high-flying, high-octane moves that are a ton of fun to pull off. There's a head-scissors takedown, hurricanrana, and a few other lightning-quick maneuvers that aren't unique to his character but really work well when put together like this.
Both of the pair's finishers look tight, too.
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6532/shelley1ia4.th.jpg (http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shelley1ia4.jpg) http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7433/shelley2gl3.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shelley2gl3.jpg) http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4913/sabin3hr5.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sabin3hr5.jpg)
8/6 - Shark Boy
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Shark Boy is hands down my favorite TNA-Lister so far. A major component of professional wrestling is creating a character fans can connect with -- whether that connection is intense hatred or undying love doesn't really matter -- and Shark Boy had me from the first time I saw him pop up in the movie Beyond the Mat. Clad in his trademark shark mask, Shark Boy started tearing up the independents in 1995 before being signed to a short stint in WCW. He'd continue to make the rounds before ending up in TNA. In Orlando, Shark Boy gets beat up a lot but continues to be my boy.
The folks behind iMPACT really seem to get Shark Boy. His entrance has him coming to the ring with his hand at his head, his costume looks great, his finisher is a deadly neckbreaker. For his four grapple moves he's got a Jumping DDT, Diamond Cutter, jawbreaker, and an eye rake (remember, there are tie-up moves only when you hit the grapple button while pressing toward or away from the enemy as well as when you hit the shoulder button and grapple while pressing toward or away from the enemy). We've seen these moves with other competitors, but they fit really well into the Shark Boy persona.
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8/8 - Eric Young
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Although Super-Eric doesn't appear to pop up in TNA iMPACT!, his alter ego Eric Young -- a former tag team champion and a guy who has been in some great feuds with the likes of Robert Roode and James Storm -- plays a huge part in the game. Young's in-game bio sheet lists him as a grappler packing the "Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker" as a finisher, but the truth is he makes up a hefty part of the Story Mode, which I'm also detailing on IGN today.
See, when you create your wrestler and set out to make your name in the world of ring ropes and steel chairs, the TNA powers that be decide you need a tag team partner and give you the timid, awkward Young. He tells your character that you smell like bananas, he creeps out Christy, and he breaks up pins -- what's not to like?
In terms of gameplay, Young's packing a number of moves you should be familiar with if you've been keeping up with TNA-Listers. There's an arm-drag takedown, DDT, jawbreaker, neckbreaker, and so on. They're solid moves and they set up his finisher nicely.
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8/11 - LAX
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It still seems strange to call LAX former tag team champions. A week ago, Hernandez and Homicide were on top of the TNA tag team scene thanks to brutal moves such as the Gringo Killer and a win-at-all-costs attitude. However, Beer Money Inc. stepped up at Hard Justice and put an end to the tag team title reign of LAX.
Sigh, at least the Latin American Xchange can continue to dominate here on TNA-Listers.
In TNA iMPACT!, Hernandez feels like a powerhouse. He's got some of the same videogame moves we've seen before -- backbreaker, chokeslam, hip toss -- but he also makes use of a piledriver, Gorilla Press toss, and the vicious Border Toss. For the big, bulky tank top-wearer, the moves feel good. Meanwhile, Homicide is the speedy balance to Hernandez's power. Sadly, Homicide's moves are pretty much all things other TNA-Listers have pulled off -- Death Valley Driver, head scissors takedown, hurricanrana, etc. -- but the difference between each partner's style actually makes for an enjoyable switch when you tag the illegal player in. Plus, the Gringo Killer is sweet.
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8/13 - Christopher Daniels
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Although he got fired, Chris Daniels is far from forgotten. A former X-Division Champion and tag team titleholder with AJ Styles, the Fallen Angel blazed a trail through TNA that left athlete after athlete crippled on the mat. Forever adorned with his trademark symbol, Daniels left TNA after discovering the briefcase he snatched during a Feast or Fired match contained a pink slip.
Still, that Curry Man sure does look familiar …
This won't earn me any points with the people who think I'm too hard on this game, but in my opinion, Daniels is the most boring videogame wrestler we've had on TNA-Listers. While a lot of the characters in iMPACT! share moves, all of Daniels's grapples -- suplex, jawbreaker, German suplex, backbreaker, etc. -- are things we've seen before, and his finisher isn't anything to write home about. If you're a big fan of the guy, he's a solid character with a proven move set, but if you're just passing through, he's pretty forgettable.
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8/15 - Jay Lethal
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I'm pretty sure it's impossible not to like Jay Lethal. Aside from being fun to watch in the ring, aside from having one of the greatest gimmicks in pro wrestling today, and aside from being a two-time X Division Champion -- Black Machismo is a 23-year-old gamer. Nice.
Luckily, Lethal's character in TNA iMPACT! mimics our Savage clone nicely. The character -- clad in his neon, checkered pattern -- is fast and packs moves such as the suplex and the atomic drop. However, the best parts of Lethal pop up with moves on the run. The dude's got a leaping DDT, a head scissors that turns into a side-Russian leg sweep, and the traditional leaping cross body out of the ring. I would've preferred the elbow drop (which is in there if you can get your opponent to stay down long enough) as his finisher instead of the Dragon Suplex he currently has, but that's just splitting hairs.
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I'll admit it, I love Christian Cage. Cage's great on the mic, he's awesome in the ring, and the Unprettier's a simple-but-effective finisher. A native of Tampa -- by way of Toronto -- he's managed to hoist the World Heavyweight belt two times in TNA.
In the previews I've done before, I've mentioned how good TNA iMAPCT! looks, and that's a big part of what makes Christian feel like Christian. There's a ton of detail in his model, and the way he taunts the crowd and his opponent before the match with the wave of a hand is great. When it comes to moves, I'm happy with the selection Midway's given the Instant Classic -- although as with every brawler, I feel the pool is limited. From just a regular grapple, he's got a Death Valley Driver, hip toss, and more. Add some modifiers, and there's a Diamond Cutter as well as German Suplex. The moves are basic but deadly.
I like to think of Christian as fast-paced matches with some technical holds. In my match with AJ Styles, there was a section that was just reversal after reversal -- AJ tried to Irish Whip; I countered with a whip of my own; and Styles counted, pulled me up and dropped Christian on his head. Although I was playing it, it felt as if it was pulled from a broadcast.
Christian's powerful and fast -- just like he should be.
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Tomko scares me. Maybe it's the tattoos, maybe it's the crazy goatee, maybe it's the ripped physique -- but something about this guy makes me want to run in the other direction.
Of course, that's in real life when Tomko's beating in his opponent's skull. In TNA iMPACT!, I wasn't all that impressed with the big bald guy. Here's this hulking, tatted-up dude, and all his regular grapples are atomic drops and hip tosses. Even strong grapples just end with a collar bone-hurting move or toss.
Meh. Not too impressive, Mr. Tomko.
What is cool is his gorilla press finisher, but I don't think it's cool enough to save him from becoming one of the guys you never use.
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7/30 - Booker T
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/895/895170/tna-impact-20080730014540957.jpg
Whether you're looking at the dude when he was part of Harlem Heat, rocking the ring as King Booker, or on his current collision course with Samoa Joe, Booker T's energy and mic skills make him someone you want to watch.
In TNA iMPACT!, Booker seems pretty solid. He's got a sick belly-to-belly suplex and standard hip toss from his normal grapple. Beyond that, he's got a pretty standard German suplex, elbow to the head, and various stock moves. Still, the Book End looks stiff and devastating, while the celebration after the move is pure Booker.
I can dig it, sucka.
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/1913/booker1cr9.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker1cr9.jpg) http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7639/booker2be5.th.jpg (http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker2be5.jpg) http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/3172/booker3nw7.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booker3nw7.jpg)
7/31 - Scott Steiner
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/895/895219/tna-impact-20080730030655552.jpg
I don't know, but at some point Scott Steiner turned a corner and went from normal looking professional wrestler to creepy dude wearing chain mail whose skin looks like that of an over-microwaved hot dog.
But, I digress.
The version of Steiner we find in iMPACT is easily the most powerful fighter I've profiled in the short time TNA-Listers has been going. He's got a full nelson belly-to-back suplex, a wicked powerbomb, and a devastating clothesline. His strikes are stiff punches and kicks. So, basically, he's just what you'd expect -- a frickin' powerhouse whose strength lies in bone-crushing moves.
Whether you like him or not, Steiner's definitely fun to use.
Interestingly, the Steiner Recliner is the first submission finisher I've seen in action. The way TNA deals with the final hold is that it gives the opponent three seconds to wiggle the joystick to fill the on-screen meter and break the hold. If they can't do it, they tap.
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8/1 - Rhino
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/895/895269/tna-impact-20080730035317023.jpg
I miss the real ECW. If you followed last year's coverage of that other wrestling game, you know I adore the ECW of old. Sabu, RVD, Dreamer, Sandman, Paulie, etc. It was awesome, and as that golden age came to a close, a young man called Rhino entered the federation.
It was right around the time he piledrove Sandman's wife off the apron and through a table that the War Machine won me over.
No stranger to the world of professional wrestling videogames, Rhino arrives in iMPACT packing the moves you'd probably expect. There's a German suplex, atomic drop, belly to belly suplex, and kick to the crotch. He's got the power moves we've talked about before, which -- coupled with the fact that there aren't character-specific taunts -- kind of makes him a bit forgettable.
In the end, Rhino tosses his opponent to the ground, lines up, and delivers the gore. The animation doesn't really do the severity of the move justice, but the quality of the finisher is hit or miss even in real life.
http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9063/rhino1wg4.th.jpg (http://img374.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino1wg4.jpg) http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8280/rhino2lm6.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino2lm6.jpg) http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8131/rhino3yl9.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rhino3yl9.jpg)
8/4 - Abyss
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/896/896266/tna-impact-20080804020259997.jpg
No, he's not Mankind … or Kane. If you're just getting on the TNA bandwagon, those comparisons are understandable, but if you've been watching for awhile, you've seen Abyss decimate the federation on his way to world title wins and the tag team championship. He's powerful and intimidating.
For the most part, that doesn't seem to be reflected in TNA iMPACT!. With standard grapple moves such as the body slam and hip toss mixed with the traditional ground attack of elbow to the head or super-clothesline out of a strong grapple, Abyss comes off as a pretty generic, overweight man in leather pants. I never really felt like my time as the big guy was anything other than ordinary.
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8/5 - The Motor City Machine Guns
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/896/896454/tna-impact-20080804055139008.jpg
You might remember Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin as trailblazers in the X Division, but now they're the Motor City Machine Guns. They rock. There's not much that can be said about this tag team -- you really need to see them in action. Known for fast-paced action and brutal moves, the Motor City Machine Guns are a force to be reckoned with in TNA.
Although Shelley feels good in iMPACT!, it's Sabin that steals the show. Both pack leaping DDTs from the regular grapple and Shelley has a "meh" arm-drag takedown, but Sabin has a bunch of high-flying, high-octane moves that are a ton of fun to pull off. There's a head-scissors takedown, hurricanrana, and a few other lightning-quick maneuvers that aren't unique to his character but really work well when put together like this.
Both of the pair's finishers look tight, too.
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8/6 - Shark Boy
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Shark Boy is hands down my favorite TNA-Lister so far. A major component of professional wrestling is creating a character fans can connect with -- whether that connection is intense hatred or undying love doesn't really matter -- and Shark Boy had me from the first time I saw him pop up in the movie Beyond the Mat. Clad in his trademark shark mask, Shark Boy started tearing up the independents in 1995 before being signed to a short stint in WCW. He'd continue to make the rounds before ending up in TNA. In Orlando, Shark Boy gets beat up a lot but continues to be my boy.
The folks behind iMPACT really seem to get Shark Boy. His entrance has him coming to the ring with his hand at his head, his costume looks great, his finisher is a deadly neckbreaker. For his four grapple moves he's got a Jumping DDT, Diamond Cutter, jawbreaker, and an eye rake (remember, there are tie-up moves only when you hit the grapple button while pressing toward or away from the enemy as well as when you hit the shoulder button and grapple while pressing toward or away from the enemy). We've seen these moves with other competitors, but they fit really well into the Shark Boy persona.
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8/8 - Eric Young
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Although Super-Eric doesn't appear to pop up in TNA iMPACT!, his alter ego Eric Young -- a former tag team champion and a guy who has been in some great feuds with the likes of Robert Roode and James Storm -- plays a huge part in the game. Young's in-game bio sheet lists him as a grappler packing the "Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker" as a finisher, but the truth is he makes up a hefty part of the Story Mode, which I'm also detailing on IGN today.
See, when you create your wrestler and set out to make your name in the world of ring ropes and steel chairs, the TNA powers that be decide you need a tag team partner and give you the timid, awkward Young. He tells your character that you smell like bananas, he creeps out Christy, and he breaks up pins -- what's not to like?
In terms of gameplay, Young's packing a number of moves you should be familiar with if you've been keeping up with TNA-Listers. There's an arm-drag takedown, DDT, jawbreaker, neckbreaker, and so on. They're solid moves and they set up his finisher nicely.
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8/11 - LAX
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It still seems strange to call LAX former tag team champions. A week ago, Hernandez and Homicide were on top of the TNA tag team scene thanks to brutal moves such as the Gringo Killer and a win-at-all-costs attitude. However, Beer Money Inc. stepped up at Hard Justice and put an end to the tag team title reign of LAX.
Sigh, at least the Latin American Xchange can continue to dominate here on TNA-Listers.
In TNA iMPACT!, Hernandez feels like a powerhouse. He's got some of the same videogame moves we've seen before -- backbreaker, chokeslam, hip toss -- but he also makes use of a piledriver, Gorilla Press toss, and the vicious Border Toss. For the big, bulky tank top-wearer, the moves feel good. Meanwhile, Homicide is the speedy balance to Hernandez's power. Sadly, Homicide's moves are pretty much all things other TNA-Listers have pulled off -- Death Valley Driver, head scissors takedown, hurricanrana, etc. -- but the difference between each partner's style actually makes for an enjoyable switch when you tag the illegal player in. Plus, the Gringo Killer is sweet.
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8/13 - Christopher Daniels
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Although he got fired, Chris Daniels is far from forgotten. A former X-Division Champion and tag team titleholder with AJ Styles, the Fallen Angel blazed a trail through TNA that left athlete after athlete crippled on the mat. Forever adorned with his trademark symbol, Daniels left TNA after discovering the briefcase he snatched during a Feast or Fired match contained a pink slip.
Still, that Curry Man sure does look familiar …
This won't earn me any points with the people who think I'm too hard on this game, but in my opinion, Daniels is the most boring videogame wrestler we've had on TNA-Listers. While a lot of the characters in iMPACT! share moves, all of Daniels's grapples -- suplex, jawbreaker, German suplex, backbreaker, etc. -- are things we've seen before, and his finisher isn't anything to write home about. If you're a big fan of the guy, he's a solid character with a proven move set, but if you're just passing through, he's pretty forgettable.
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8/15 - Jay Lethal
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I'm pretty sure it's impossible not to like Jay Lethal. Aside from being fun to watch in the ring, aside from having one of the greatest gimmicks in pro wrestling today, and aside from being a two-time X Division Champion -- Black Machismo is a 23-year-old gamer. Nice.
Luckily, Lethal's character in TNA iMPACT! mimics our Savage clone nicely. The character -- clad in his neon, checkered pattern -- is fast and packs moves such as the suplex and the atomic drop. However, the best parts of Lethal pop up with moves on the run. The dude's got a leaping DDT, a head scissors that turns into a side-Russian leg sweep, and the traditional leaping cross body out of the ring. I would've preferred the elbow drop (which is in there if you can get your opponent to stay down long enough) as his finisher instead of the Dragon Suplex he currently has, but that's just splitting hairs.
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