Today, THQ has laid the Smackdown Vs. Raw series to rest. I’ve had every single one since it started. In it’s place is WWE ’12. Not an exciting name but a whole new exciting experience. IGN got the first scoop on some of the new things they’ve done including a whole new move system, more ring interaction and an overall realistic feel. We shall see but for now, you can read more over at IGN.

Update: Hit the jump for a quick gameplay clip that surfaced today.

That’s all well and good, but there are specific things THQ has peppered in that affect the gameplay. First, there’s limb targeting in WWE ’12. You can attack the head, arms or legs, and while this obviously puts you in a good place for certain finishers, it also really twists the match in whatever direction you want it to go. If you’re up against a lightning quick high flier, you can work the legs so the opponent can’t get around as quickly and can’t zip up the turnbuckles. Work the head, and the opponent is going to be a groggy mess. All this plays into how easy it’ll be to get an opponent to tap in the new “Breaking Point” submission system where players tap buttons in a tug of war mini-game.

WWE ’12 also adds Dynamic Comebacks, which are those tried and true combos you see folks like Cena throw out that take them from the edge of defeat to clearing the ring. If you reach a certain amount of damage, you’ll be able to have a shot to use this one-time combo. Pull it off, and you get two Finishers.

These stored Finishers and Dynamic Comebacks make it seem like my friends and I are going to have some awesome matches, but THQ and Yuke’s want you to have awesome matches with computer-controlled opponents, too. The AI learns this time around. If you spam run attacks like I do (I’m infamous on the Internet for my floatover DDT), the computer opponent is supposed to recognize that and be ready to counter it. For the first time, THQ says that the computer is going to remember what you’ve been doing and what it’s been doing. (i.e. if it picks up a chair, it’s not going to drop it — it’s going to hit you with it.)