The amazing, the spectacular, the millennial. For over fifty years Spider-Man has found a way to grace our screens in either a cartoon, movies or video games. While "Marvel's Spider-Man" is not the first interpretation of a struggling Peter Parker, I feel it is the most relatable the webhead has ever been for me. As a modern millennial, life has been a struggle. Millennials are listed as being born sometime in the early eighties to the mid-nineties or the year 2000. So technically I am a millennial, depending who you ask. If you were, to sum up, the modern millennial, they are depressed and anxious beings who are financially unstable due to decisions of the generation prior to them. While Peter Parker may be fictitious, his relatability helps many people combat the struggles of everyday life.
1. Tardiness and music
We've all been late once. Either for a class, an interview or a very important meeting. Maybe we were up late the night before partying or slept through our alarm. And then we wake up and are forced to rush and brush our teeth, find some clean clothes, and figure out the shortest route to get to our destination. In "Marvel Spider-Man's" opening scene, it hooks the player into not only Peter Parker's world but also instantly makes him relatable. While playing and watching the scene for the first time I instantly recalled a memory where this was me.
Millennials are always tired. A lot of my mod mates and I try to go to bed early but are not able to. Resulting in us to fall asleep at 4 a.m., only to wake up for a 9 a.m. class. Some things that keep me up is mostly anxiety. So again, I can relate to an always tired, rushing Peter Parker. And the music in the scene is so catchy and really upbeat, it reminds me of songs like "Panic! At the Disco" or "Blink 182" songs. Both bands have played a huge part in the lives of others. Mention either band to someone and they instantly start singing a popular song. While running late isn't recommended to living a productive life, at least we can relate to rushing into work while jamming to Panic!
2. Financial problems
"Marvel's Spider-Man" showcases the struggle of not affording rent in a comedic way. Early on in the game, Peter has the choice of either arguing with his landlord about extending his payment window on the rent or assisting the police with the capture of Wilson Fisk. He chooses Fisk and the consequence of this decision plays later that night when Peter is evicted.
New York City rent is expensive. I take that back, rent in a lot of major cities in the United States is extremely expensive. Not only are these places expensive, but they aren't very big. I remember in U.S. History sophomore year of high school my teacher was showcasing how Cleveland is an excellent place to live in. A three-bedroom, two bath house in Cleveland cost as much as a small one bedroom one bath apartment in Washington DC. And the older generation will argue that millennials are not working as hard, but that is just not true. There are many real-life examples of young people struggling to meet ends meet. Just recently Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was in the news for being the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. The twenty-nine-year-old was in the headlines for much more than her victory. The website usatoday.com reports that the congresswoman told the Times that she and her partner cannot afford rent in Washington DC until her paycheck comes in January. Relying currently on her savings she obtained while working as a Bartender at a Union Square restaurant. Even though this is an unfortunate situation for Miss Ocasio-Cortez, it Is totally relatable. A lot of the older generation expects us millennials to be able to afford rent, food and other necessities when in actuality we are the generation paying for the mistakes made by the people before us.
3. Texting
Peter Parker has always had girl troubles. He isn't the smoothest guy when it comes to impressing the opposite sex. Something I can very much relate ...a lot. But what makes 'Marvel's Spider-Man' different than his previous incarnations is this one excellent scene. Here is some context for the scene: Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are trying to work together as this new team. However, both individuals have a different idea of how to work as a partner. This creates a rift in their relationship.
The reason I am providing this scene is that it is so common with kids today. We've all had that one person we liked in our lives. And the anxiety we feel with each text we sent. Making sure each word is spelled correctly, never double texting and not adding emojis in conversations, to name a few. The writers of "Marvel's Spider-Man" were able to craft a scene that demonstrates all those emotions.
4. Spidey Twitter
Pizza sounds good right now #PS4share https://t.co/uhUfDguP1W— Batfamily_trivia (@Batfamily_trivia) 1542078572
"Marvel's Spider-Man" takes place during the month of October in the year 2018. Making this interpretation of Peter Parker quite literally being modern-day Spider-Man (at the time of this article at least). You are probably wondering what does having this game set in 2018 have to do with a millennial Spider-Man? Well most of us today own a smartphone. Today smartphones are used for much more than calling and texting. These phones can take pictures, voice record, set reminders, give directions and probably most revolutionary: connect us with the rest of the world with the help of social media.
In the game, Spider-Man has a what is basically the game's version of a twitter account. Throughout the game, both Spider-Man and other New Yorkers can interact and post what is on their mind. More and more every day, social media sites like Twitter and Instagram are becoming the norm. Heck, even the President of the United States still uses his personal twitter account (Even though he shouldn't) to tweet what's on his mind (Which he really shouldn't do). More and more young people use their personal social media to catch up on the news, world events or create a call for action. Ever since the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, I've seen Twitter accounts of individuals like Kyra Parrow- a victim of the Stoneman Douglas tragedy - campaigning for the #MarchForOurLives campaign. The campaign has gained national recognition with marches, walkouts, and rallies all over the nation. Without the assistance of platforms like these, events of this magnitude would not be possible. And by incorporating this element into "Marvel Spider-Man" adds to the authenticity of this world.
5. The modern Manhattan
Manhattan in "Marvel Spider-Man" is more alive than any previous Spider-Man game. The level of detail with the citizens and environments is extraordinary. The game really captures a modern New York City. One example of this is with the taxis. It might seem like a needless detail but the taxis in the game are a rounder shape similar to taxis today and cars in general. The boxed car shape is becoming more and more abandoned for a rounder shape which actually helps with aerodynamics, allowing the car to travel longer distances without much use of fuel. Taxis are not the only environmental details featured in the game.
A lot of the NPCs (Non-playable characters) in the game are designed with hijabs as they walk around NYC. I love this feature as I have personally noticed more and more people with hijabs present in walking around and being incorporated into media. Maybe it's just because I've gotten older and notice things more now. A lot of NPCs also wear timberlands in the game, a small detail but I remember many people on twitter that were from New York really appreciated the detail. "Marvel's Spider-Man" also features Freedom Tower in its game. The skyscraper is not an accurate replica, due to Insomniac Games (Developers of "Marvel's Spider-Man") not being allowed to use the building's likeness in the game. So, the tallest skyscraper in the game is based on the original 2002 Freedom Tower design by Daniel Libeskind. While others may dispute it as being the real Freedom Tower, the player can hear NPCs discussing the rescue efforts of fire responders on 9/11.
While these details might seem minute in scale to others who just want to play a game, but to me, this level of world building makes "Marvel's Spider-Man" a monumental achievement. Each generation has their own version of Spider-Man depending on the times. This is our generation's Spider-Man. A struggling twenty-three-year-old trying to do good every day. Something we should all strive to do.
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