* “We have creatures that make the Brumak look like a baby panda bear.” -Cliff Bleszinski
* “We hear hints of all sorts of new multiplayer features, from dramatically expanded co-op modes to multiplayer content that takes advantage of Unreal’s new ability to deliver huge numbers of the Locust horde at one time, but confirmed details will have to wait until a later date.”
* Different difficulty settings for each player in co-op. One person can play on Hardcore, one on Casual.
* COG Centaur Tank (Monster Truck + Tank) There’s a dedicated level where you get to pilot one.
* Drop in/drop out co-op, with a fourth, easier, difficulty.
* Forced walking scenes replaced with a dynamic conversation camera system (which is skippable).
* Hundreds of Locust troops, all acting independently.
* “Gorgon burst pistol and poison grenades, both of which can become part of your arsenal if you play your cards right”

Tai Kaliso: While Cole and Baird are still a big part of the story, they won?t be attached to Delta Squad as the new game opens. The reunion with those popular characters will have some lead up first, and until then, you?ll be meeting some new personalities. The most memorable of these new additions may be Tai, a spiritual and meditative warrior from a tradition of honor-bound fighters. This familiar archetype should add a fun and perhaps mystical dynamic to the squad.

Chairman Prescott: Lots of gamers found themselves wondering if Marcus? domineering superior officer was the head of the human government. It turns out that Hoffman is only second in command. Above him stands the Chairman, an almost dictatorial military leader who nonetheless has made the hard choices necessary to keep humanity alive through decades of warfare. As Gears 2 opens, this leader of the COG forces will deliver a speech to the troops before sending them reeling into the suicidal mission ahead.

Dizzy: In the seemingly unending struggle with the Locust Horde, the military forces of the COG have taken massive casualties. Somewhere along the way, Operation Lifeboat was enacted to bring in some fresh blood. Under this new act, the Coalition government will rescue a Stranded family and bring them into the relative story of a COG-protected zone. In return, the able-bodied men of that family join up and contribute their skills to the war effort. Such is the case with hardened soldier Dizzy, a new character who drives the massive Derrick on which Delta Squad ascends into the mountains. With a trademark drawl and an insistence on calling his truck “Betty”, he’s a colorful new addition to the cast.

Maria Santiago: When Emergence Day struck, Dom’s wife Maria became a victim as surely as if she had died in that first attack. On that day, her children were killed. Unable to deal with the shock and loss, Maria lost herself in the ruins of civilization. For Dominic, who joined the COG to protect his family, no priority is higher than to retrieve his lost love – his very personal quest to find her is a major part of the story that unfolds in Gears 2.