Yeah, my thumb of rule for all multiplayers is to only play with friends, or at least with people I know. If I can, that is.
That's always the best way to ensure quality of your experience. Because, you know, it doesn't matter what the game is, there are always those who drop out and just makes everything less fun. Also it's a language thing for me. Easier to communicate.
The only real problems I had with the multiplayer was game hosting and that kind of stuff. But Epic is entirely overhauling the whole system. So that has basicly become a none issue.
Edit:
Lets guess who is going to die! I'm pretty sure somebody is going to die in Gears 2. Could be even more than just one person. You know, it's war after all.
So we have…
Marcus
Dom
Baird
Cole
Carmine
Tai
Dizzy
Maria
Anya
Hoffman
Prescott
I could easily see Dom dying. Then again that might be too obvious. We don't really know if Maria is even alive anymore. Carmine sharing the same fate with his brother would be pretty cruel. We know Dizzy will face Skorge are some point. But I kinda hope he doesn't drop dead. We don't know much about this Prescott fellow yet. But he is a big shot. So that sorta makes him a good canditate.