Different year, same problems.
Good--The character models look fantastic. Very lifelike. The varying amount of matches is fantastic as well. There are a ton! The story mode is great too and the amount of customization in this game is unparalleled in this series. That being said...
Bad--The only new physics is that wrestlers react better to outside objects. That's pretty much it. You still run through people; you still can't break up moves between two other wrestlers. You have to wait until their animation is done before you stop swinging through their bodies. Getting a Smackdown (special move) takes forever and you don't even need them anymore to win. You can pin someone after a few minutes without ever earning a finisher and win the match. Very anticlimactic. The energy meter sucks. It's understandable in a solo player match, but when you're in a rumble or whatnot and you are just lying on the ground for 2 to 3 minutes mashing on X to get up and you are just writhing in pain on the mat, that gets really annoying, really quickly. Last year, you could reverse everything, this year they toned down the reversals, but they did it too much where it's to the point where it's hard to reverse anything. They need balancing. And seriously, THQ, can we please make them move like humans! This is the same character animations for at least 5 years running. Oh, did I mention the commentary STILL sucks? And the crowd is STILL nonexistent (and ugly). Oh, and did I also mention that the targeting system is STILL annoyingly frustrating?!
Bottom line--I love wresting and I buy this stupid game every year. This year, I didn't. I waited and played my brother's copy instead. Glad I did. Outside of the new wrestlers, there's nothing to be seen here that wasn't in the previous 5 versions. THQ promised a lot, but delivered on mostly none of it. Pretty game, lots of flash, but look past that and you will find the same problems, the same issues dogging this game that we have been complaining about for the last several years. Disappointing.