Certainly a major step up. I think the big thing is just the gameplay. It's faster, and it feels like it was made to make awesome matches with your friends. As for the new things they added, there's some major flaws. Gm mode is somewhat fun but it's not the gm mode of old, and it's not something I see myself spending a lot of time with. Universe mode is sadly untouched, which is weird considering it's the mode that many people play the most. Showcase is kinda cool, but at points you just want to get to the gameplay. The best part is all the attires and arenas you get. One mode I wasn't expecting to be great was myrise, the story mode of this game. We finally have more choices, it's not a linear path which is awesome. Story mode is usually something I only play once, but I see myself coming back to this. This game has a ton of flaws that I just don't understand, but the core of this game is good, and that's ultimately what you want. If they build on this and fix the minor flaws, 2K23 could be one of the great wrestling games.