Machete:
So far,I completely agree with zoso. If I were to describe the difference between gears 1 and 2 in one word, I would say that gears 2 is "tighter". Sliding into cover and swat turning are now much quicker and can be interrupted. Overall, the cover system is much more polished than in the original and I haven't had one of those frustrating gears 1 moments where you get stuck on cover.
As for the weapons, they all simply feel beefier. I think a huge factor in that feeling is the superb audio that really makes you feel like you're in the action with Delta squad. The biggest difference (other than the Hammerburst) is by far the shotty. I guess you could say that they "nerfed" it, but it feels MUCH better than in the original. It almost always takes 2-4 shots to down someone now, but despite its lack of power, it is much more consistent. It takes more bullets to kill someone, but the bullets that should hit do hit. And Kenai, the torque bow headshot is glorious (btw, you can line people up and get multiple headshots with 1 arrow).
BluePhaze: I got to play some this morning and have to say +100000 to everything Zoso said. Outside of that, a couple of items I noted:
Weapon Feel... The weapons feel a bit different at first, I realized that it is due to the fact that they aim much more smoothly. It through me off at first as I am used to the aim being just a bit more jerky. Once you are used to it, accuracy is crazy! It is very easy to hit the exposed bits of players in cover or through the little gaps in the environment.
This is also helped by the fact that the spread on the lancer and hammer burst are so much tighter than before! Between the tighter spread, and the tracer trails that the bullets leave behind, BLIND FIRE IS BACK as a valid tactic! You can be crazy accurate from blind fire especially with the lancer and hammer burst.
The Hammer Burst is amazing... not just in damage, but in the steadiness and now the extra level of zoom added to it. It is more powerful than the lancer on a per bullet basis and more accurate especially with the zoom. So long distance the hammer is my choice over the Lancer...
The SHOTGUN IS KING! The shotty is not what it always should have been, I have not had one moment of WTF with it so far. It is CONSISTENT! And very tight at close range, you can now better gauge your chances of hitting distant oponents with it much better due to the afore mentioned tracers.
Stopping Power... Stopping power is amazing, I decided to rush a group of Locust who were in cover, and just their blind fire slowed me to the point where I knew I would never make it to them. This will SO CHANGE THE GAME! I had to make sure I was using cover effectively and not count on the fact I could shake off a few shots. Because a few shots slows you enough to where you will take many more shots if you don't find cover quick!
Weapon Damage... It may just be me, but I swear you can take A LOT more damage/shots now from most weapons and keep goin. I think this had to be done to stop people from being juiced to a pulp whenever stopping power kicked in.
So be prepared, just hitting someone with a clip from the lancer may not be enough to take them down unless you are dead on center with it and have an active reload. But that could be just my impression based on playing against bots.
Bots... Bot AI is good, not perfect, but they will try to take the high ground and flank you as well, they also revive each other and provide cover for the flankers. Feels much more like a live match!
I will have more soon. I have finished the first chapter of campaign and played some bot matches on Day One so far.... more to come later....