Can you believe the first Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine... was released back in September 2011? That was 13 freaking years ago. I was fresh out of college living in Miami at the time, and Onlive was still... online. While trying to support emerging tech platforms, I decided to get the game through Onlive and enjoyed every bit of the brutal action adventure starring Captain Demetrian Titus. I tried to get into the online mode, but... the adventure grabbed my attention more so.
The decorated 200+ year Vet represented the Ultramarines Chapter of the Imperium of man well in the first installment and allowed us to take on the invading Orks on the Forge World Graia. I think one thing that got me into that game were the personalities of the Orks, led by the badass... Warboss Grimskull. He isn't the only threat in the game either, you have to take on... traitors & daemons like The Warp.
Even if you jump into Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2... it wouldn't be a bad idea to check out the first installment. Part 2 picks up the story... years later. I won't hit you with spoilers when it comes to the way part 1 left off, but it definitely made me curious about how he would emerge in the next installment. Titus is now a lieutenant, and returns to the battlefield to face new threats with loyalty, duty, and freaking politics that don't make the fight against the forces of Chaos any easier.
I won't spoil it for ya, but it's once heck of an adventure that's worth playing. Here's a dose of gameplay via the first 30:
Game Modes and Features
Campaign: Follow the story of Lieutenant Titus as he battles the Tyranid threat across various planets. The campaign can be played solo or in co-op with up to two other players.
Operations (PvE): Engage in endlessly replayable PvE missions with up to three players. Complete auxiliary missions on six different maps with unique objectives and threats.
Eternal War (PvP): Participate in 6 vs. 6 PvP matches in three different game modes: Annihilation (Team Deathmatch), Seize Ground (Domination), and Capture & Control (King of the Hill).
Hear ye... hear ye, thank you for checking out this 2022 Wishmas Guide for Younglings. Come right this way. While it won't exactly be a finger directly pointed at all products, the goal is to point you in the right direction regarding a gift that keeps on giving to your Youngling (well beyond the first week)!
There are parents curious about how to make the gifts last for the long haul, but at times... one of the biggest solutions is to back away from the quantity and consider the quality.
How often do you see your child actually using a select gift?
Is it an upgrade to something they didn't ask for?
Did they put the effort into figuring out what they wanted and why it would make a great gift? This is a question to put out there if you just don't know, and it wouldn't hurt to have them either right it out or explain it to you.
If they need assistance in tackling a list, consider this:
Martial Arts - Are they currently in martial arts or would desire to join? As a martial artist, I think this is one of those experiences that would go the distance for a youngling when you consider the discipline alone. Factor in the ability of your youngling to defend themselves, and this is a gift that keeps on giving.
While there are online courses and videos, I don't know if I'd recommend that. Nothing beats the dojo and the in-person experience, plus classmates become honorary brothers and sisters in some cases.
I only recommend online training and videos if you aren't close enough to a reputable dojo.
Education - Is there something you would like to help your Youngling learn via an online course? The various things you see here likely have courses that you can tap into so that your youngling can become even better with their gift. I mention this category because if it's a passion, it could ultimately blossom into a future career.
Shout out to the Ingbelle team for sending over this product for review. My opinions are my own.
So I've spent about a week with the Ingbelle Digital Drum set, and I'd have to say that it's a solid + useful + fun product. What makes it solid + useful + fun? Glad you asked, let's jump in!
Quality:The durable rubber base is solid enough to take on more than a few jam sessions, but... with a high sensitivity level for the sound plates they don't require you to lay in on them. Once you find a designated spot for this digital drum, the chances of even affecting the brain of the product drop's down to over 90%... because it's not falling or slipping off a base unless the table flips over or something. Even then the system is sturdy enough to take a light drop (a 2 or 3-story drop might be a different story but why would... anyway).
In terms of the buttons, they give you a nice clicking sound so that you know the button press was made, and as far as the OFF/ON switch + the MP3, Phones, Pedal, and USB/DC5V ports go... there are no loose ports. I mention all this because it's a solid design that doesn't give off a cheap flimsy feel.
Then we come to the foot pedal add-on which are super light and feel like a cheap addition to give the complete drum kit feel. Don't get me wrong, they work, but... with them being light... on our wood floors, they slide also. Perhaps a tougher grip would work (may buy some and place below them), or... just use them on a carpet or a rubber mat. On that note, I believe that foot pedals of better quality can be connected to this device as long as they can connect to the port.
Sound:In terms of sound, the built-in speakers get the job done. I know the company says the speakers are high-quality, and they don't sound bad... but... without the specs of the speakers... I can't give you the specifics.
As far as the sounds go, the onboard sounds are clean. These sounds include snare, 3 toms, crash, ride, hi-hat, and a bass drum. If you press the Kit button, the instruments also switch up. One thing I noticed while using headphones is that the sound is even richer, I can't say that for all headphones, but the ones I used... made me appreciate this product even more.
In the box + Features:In the box, you get the Digital Drum (duh of the day), storage bag, drumsticks, line-in cable, foot pedals, and USB/DC5V cable.
Features include dual speakers, a metronome function to help you find your rhythm, portability so you or your little musician can rock out on the go, and includes a rechargeable 2400 mAh battery so you can play up to 10 hours per charge.
Going back to the line-in cable, if you want to record your drum session, connect your digital drum to the line-in port. If you aren't familiar with what it looks like, here's info from HearthStats:
Port for connecting a line
External audio equipment like CD players, musical instruments, and microphones are connected to the Line-in port. Any of the following symbols may be used to represent a line-in port:
If you need to enable line-in, just follow these instructions.
A plus would've been some sort of software that allows the user to customize the sounds or place custom ones in the product.
As a digital drumset, you won't get the various sounds from the same bass drum based on where you hit it (i.e. hitting the drum closer to the sign gives a different sound than towards the middle), as long as you understand that... you should be good with the product.
Before I forget, this type of drumset is a plus for parents who want to get their children a drumset... but don't want to hear it. Just get some volume-limiting headphones and let them rock out.
Price:Pricewise, the Ingbelle Digital Drum comes in at $54.99, which... is actually a solid price. It's portable (you don't need anything connected to it), it's fun, can allow for a variety of uses (parties, group activities, etc) and it's actually useful for recordings. I like the price because when comparing it to some of the toys out there in a similar price range, they don't have a feature that also makes them useful in terms of recording sessions and things of that nature. Motivating your little musician to form a band wouldn't be a bad idea if this product.
An all-new great Mazinger for an all-new era. Overseen by designer Takayuki Yanase, this metal build edition is the definitive portrayal of the character, rendered in three dimensions for fans to enjoy. Incredible possibilities and a huge amount of accessories make this a must-have for Mazinger fans.
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