Okay, for most people bots are so "insert time period" ago, but I really dig it when developers include them in their splitscreen games. Sometimes I just want to play against my riends without dealing with Live and its nice to fill up the map with something other than two or three avatars. I think Halo would be more fun it you could add bots to forge and just goof around with friends next to you.

I purchased the original Gears and enjoyed it. I can't say its one of my top 10 games but the more I hear about the sequel the larger its blip becomes on my radar. I think the crew at Epic really want to give players a well rounded experience. With little things like the inlusion of meat shields and flags & player controller tanks look to mix things up. If the game is Gears only bigger and actually BETTER, then I could think of worse ways to spend my money.

I was worried about fall/Winter 08 not being able to hold a candle to the Fall of 07 but we've got some good contenders. Between stuff like Gears and Little Big Planet, Mercenaries 2, Resissitance 2, Fall Out 3, GTA IV DLC & SPore it looks like they'll be plney-o-fun o be had

source:http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/gears-of-war-2s-day-one-map-multiplayer-bots-revealed/