What I liked:
Graphics - God Lord Gears 2 looks fantastic. From the vast vistas, to the crumbling city scapes, this game is probably the best looking game I've ever played.
Bots - I never checked out to see if Gears 1 had bots for it's offline multiplayer, but being able to play multiplayer with the bots here is terrific. (I'm not going onto XBLive till it's free)
What I didn't like:
Vehicles - Just like last time, the wheeled vehicle segment in this game feels cheesy and kinda tacked on. Though I did enjoy the non-wheeled vehicle segments.
Noise - As you play along you get your orders. Problem is with all the yelling, screaming, bullets flying to and fro, explosions, and chainsaws, you can't really hear what their saying.
Length - They say Gears 2 is longer than Gears 1, but it sure didn't seem like it. To me it still could've used another 2-4 hrs of gameplay.
Jogging - There are two ways of getting around on foot. One involves slowly walking, the other involves hunched over running at top speed. I would really like to see something in the middle. Maybe the ability to lightly jog.
Cover - Yes I know that the cover system in Gears is the back bone of this game, but, IMO, it gets a little old after a while.
Summary:
Gears of War 2 is nothing short of spectacular. Epic knows what makes a gaming experience fun and they nail it here.
If you liked Gears 1, "roadie-run" your ass to your local gaming outlet and buy this game. You will not be disappointed.
Overall I give Gears of War 2 (XB360) a 4.5 out of 5.