do you not have a mic at all? i hate playing with my friends with no mic. i used to be the other way around, but my bud from Ireland started getting me used to online gaming, and it's basically playing alone, with other people around (1 happens to be a friend) when you can't communicate.
others are communicating (in vs modes), and it really adds to the fun when you strategize together (in any mode). i certainly don't mean carry on a conversation while playing (though we have done that, but only when we were really more interested in chatting, and gaming was just something to do while catching up, lol).
i will get it later today, so we'll have to play something (campaign preferably, but unless you're done with it, i doubt you'd want to start over for me). any mode is fine, but i'll try & brush up before we play as this will be the first time i play a gears game for too long.