In the fourth installment of “What We’re NOT Playing,” we talk about new releases we’re avoiding for whatever reasons. Our usual moderator Stephen Totilo bows out and all hell breaks loose.

The rest of the gang gets a little hostile discussing the new PSP Slim, the overall line of PSP titles, playing games on the subway and sports games.

Here’s an excerpt from what went down:

JasonCipriano: has there ever been a sports game you’ve enjoyed?
JasonMitchell: i feel stupid digitally kicking a ball when i can just go outside and kick a real one
JasonCipriano: but you don’t
TraceyJohn: That’s how I feel about FPS… why shoot fake people when I can shoot real ones?
JasonCipriano: i can go outside and rob a bank as well, but it’s much more fun to not get arrested for it

Photo Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

TraceyJohn: So, another week of NOT playing. Totilo’s busy writing stories and junk so here we go. What is everyone NOT touching with a ten-foot pole this week?
GeraldFlannory: well guys, the new PSP is available, but guess what… i’m not playing it!
TraceyJohn: Why, G? You don’t even own the original PSP
JasonCipriano: it’s so slim … like someone shortly after leaving gastro intestinal bypass surgery
TraceyJohn: But G, you have a chance to start fresh with a skinny one.
GeraldFlannory : ha, i guess, but I’m just not really interested in the games too much
GeraldFlannory: i’d figured by now this late in the game…
JasonCipriano: it’s never too late
JasonCipriano: there’s a handful of really good games though
TraceyJohn: What about all the “Final Fantasy” stuff?
JasonCipriano: trace - you just hit on what I’m not playing this week
GeraldFlannory: i’d be interested in getting one
TraceyJohn: But…?
GeraldFlannory: the “FF” stuff i got on ds and gameboy
GeraldFlannory: and now the new remakes of my favorite “FF” games will be hitting the DS
TraceyJohn: right, right
GeraldFlannory: more reasons to keep me away from psp
GeraldFlannory: don’t get me started on the “Dragon Quest” games coming to DS as well
TraceyJohn: And you already have like 7 DS’s
GeraldFlannory: shhhhhhhhhh…. i really don’t have seven
JasonCipriano: 8
JasonMitchell: 9
GeraldFlannory: but i do have a nice red DS phat signed by shiggy himself
GeraldFlannory: WOOT WOOT!
TraceyJohn: Show off.
JasonCipriano: yeah … and I though that was mitch’s job
GeraldFlannory: i definitely won’t be playing on that thing!
GeraldFlannory: don’t want to rub of his signature
JasonCipriano: I actually licked that before it got back to you
GeraldFlannory: WHAT!!!!
JasonMitchell: eww
TraceyJohn: Sooo what could the PSP do to make you buy it?
TraceyJohn: I kinda want the white Darth Vader one because I’m a dork

GeraldFlannory: I don’t know what the PSP can do… maybe make some games I can get in and get out of really quick.
GeraldFlannory: although i would like to try that “Crush” game
GeraldFlannory: that looks interesting
TraceyJohn: Definitely. PSP is not for NYC subway folk
JasonCipriano: what are you talking about
TraceyJohn: Oh here we go
JasonCipriano: it’s the most densely psp population in the world
JasonCipriano: according to a recent article by Totilo
JasonCipriano: followed closely by Bakersfield
GeraldFlannory: yeah ’cause everyone wants to show off!
GeraldFlannory: and look cool
GeraldFlannory: new yorkers care about how they look in public more than anybody else!
TraceyJohn: And are they playing anything besides sports games and listening to mp3s?
TraceyJohn: I’m saying that I typically don’t like playing PSP games on my 20-minute subway ride
GeraldFlannory: you’re right trace
GeraldFlannory: most people aren’t playing games when i see them in the subway
GeraldFlannory: but i guess it’s kinda of a good thing since the psp is a multimedia system
JasonCipriano: you’d be amazed how quickly that ride feels when you got a good game of “Lumines” going
GeraldFlannory: we going back to “Lumines”
TraceyJohn: But what if you don’t like “Lumines,” Mizaguchi fanboy?

JasonMitchell: “Lumines” is over-rated… oops!
JasonMitchell: when is the last time you played it?
GeraldFlannory: OH SNAP!
JasonCipriano: wow
JasonCipriano: just cuz you can’t figure out the simple awesomeness of it … doesn’t mean you need to make fun of people operating at a higher mental level than you
GeraldFlannory: ha
TraceyJohn: I wonder if this would be happening if Totilo was here…
TraceyJohn: What are good PSP games for the subway besides “Lumines.” I know there’s “Hot Pxl” and “WTF“…
GeraldFlannory: oh that poor man’s wario game
TraceyJohn: ha, yeah
JasonCipriano: and the girl goes right to the mini game collections …
TraceyJohn: I am about to hurt you, Cip.
JasonCipriano: there’s “Daxter and Jak,” “Every Extend Extra,” “Ratchet and Clank,” all those retro game collections
GeraldFlannory: cool…cool…
TraceyJohn: Okay, so you wanna buy a PSP now G?
GeraldFlannory: i think I’m all “Daxter” and “Ratchet and Clank”-ed out!
GeraldFlannory: played ‘em too much on PS2
TraceyJohn: We should probably move on… WWSTD… He’d move on and ask Mitch what he’s not playing.
TraceyJohn: And also ask if Mitch was still here.
JasonMitchell: I’m going to buy a new psp to keep the other one company since it never leaves my desk
GeraldFlannory: what you ain’t playing holmes?
JasonCipriano: mitchell….where are you?
GeraldFlannory: heh heh heh
JasonMitchell: i’m not playing “FIFA 08” because i hate all sports games
JasonCipriano: wow thats quite the blanket statement
JasonMitchell: there are you happy
TraceyJohn: haha
JasonCipriano: can you elaborate on that a little
JasonCipriano: has there ever been a sports game you’ve enjoyed?

JasonMitchell: i feel stupid digitally kicking a ball when i can just go outside and kick a real one
JasonCipriano: but you don’t
TraceyJohn: That’s how I feel about FPS… why shoot fake people when I can shoot real ones?
JasonCipriano: i can go outside and rob a bank as well, but it’s much more fun to not get arrested for it
TraceyJohn: ANYWAY
TraceyJohn: What are you not playing, Cip?
TraceyJohn: Didn’t I remind you of something at some point?
JasonCipriano: i wont be playing the “Final Fantasy Tactics” game for the psp
TraceyJohn: Oh really, Mister I-just-spent-15-minutes-advocating-the-PSP
JasonCipriano: “The War of the Lions”
JasonCipriano: are there even lions in “FF” games?
JasonCipriano: I never said I advocated every game on the systems
JasonCipriano: particularly tactics games
JasonCipriano: basically, i just don’t get them
TraceyJohn: I like those. Sooo clearly you can be, and are, wrong.
TraceyJohn: And that I would play on the PSP. Give me.
GeraldFlannory: too much thinking Cip
JasonCipriano: so will you be playing it this week?
TraceyJohn: Um, if I get a copy of it. Like I said before, I kinda want the Star Wars PSP
TraceyJohn: So I’d play the packed-in “Star Wars” game too
GeraldFlannory: is that the “Battlefront” joint?
TraceyJohn: Because I am not as discriminatory as G
TraceyJohn: Yeah “Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron”
JasonCipriano: and tracey, this is what we are NOT playing
TraceyJohn: Yeah man, I missed all the hostility the last two times
GeraldFlannory: i never got into the “Battlefront” games
JasonCipriano: me neither
GeraldFlannory: although the space battles seem cool
GeraldFlannory: but not enough for me to buy the game

GeraldFlannory: i tend to not have any fun running around shooting people all day
JasonCipriano: apparently tracey does
TraceyJohn: Yes I do! And sometimes in games, too.
JasonMitchell: i love the “Battlefront” series but the psp is reason enough for me not to play it. how you do you redesign it and not put in a second analog?
GeraldFlannory: mitch you just pretty much hit it on the head as to why I think I don’t mess with PSP games
TraceyJohn: second analog? Yeah I was pretty surprised when they didn’t add it
JasonCipriano: not every game needs a second analog
GeraldFlannory: it’s just bad when it’s the same exact game, but now you’re playing it with limited control from what you’re used to
JasonMitchell: i can’t be a jedi in real life so i look to video games to fill that void. it’s like the reverse of the sports games argument
JasonCipriano: sure you can
JasonCipriano: http://nyjedi.com/
JasonCipriano: what about that sweet “Castlevania” game coming out
GeraldFlannory: “Castlevania” looks tight, but i’ll borrow someone’s PSP to play it.
TraceyJohn: ok let’s wrap this up… G - no PSP games for now, Mitch - no sports games like “FIFA 08,” Cip – “Final Fantasy Tactics,” and me — also, “FIFA 08.” This week doesn’t have a lot of stuff to choose from…
TraceyJohn: (I don’t particularly care for sports games either)
JasonCiprian: you just didnt look hard enough
JasonCipriano: now mitch is making fun of me with his verbal words
GeraldFlannory: the verbal beatdown son!
TraceyJohn: Sometimes the voice is mightier than the keyboard
TraceyJohn: Any parting words?
GeraldFlannory: well hopefully PSP might drop again in price this holiday, so i might just give in
JasonMitchell: I have a higher score in “Pac-Man” than cip