This week not only marks my first time visiting New York City since being a child, but my initiation into “What We’re NOT Playing,” as well.

Being hundreds of miles away from my apartment is a bit of a hurdle to my game playing, but that didn’t stop Jason Cipriano and I from discussing what I wouldn’t have been playing even if I had been home.

Mostly, we discussed why the latest Hironobu Sakaguchi epic, “Lost Odyssey,” isn’t appealing to us because of the time sink involved in actually finishing it.

JasonCipriano: “Lost Odyssey” is probably the biggest name being released this week, why pass on that?
PatrickKlepek: Two reasons. One, it’s an RPG and I’m already playing through “Kingdom Hearts 2.” I don’t know how I found the time to play 70 hours of “Final Fantasy VII” when I was in high school, but never again. Two, everything I’ve read says it involves lots of reading. Reading is for books, not games
JasonCipriano: Yeah. You’d think on four discs they would encourage them to have less text
PatrickKlepek: Is it four? Jeez. At that point, I don’t even know where I’d put the box. I live in San Francisco, for crying out loud! Maybe I’ll play the demo. I’m curiously interested in Hironobu Sakaguchi’s work, I just don’t have the time

Readers, do you find that to be a problem, too? Would you like to play an RPG, but can’t justify the $60 price tag knowing that you’ll never actually finish the adventure? Is the need for a new “Final Fantasy” that important to you?

Oh, and for once, Multiplayer doesn’t bring up “Endless Ocean.” Read on for more.

[Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox]

JasonCipriano: I think I have my sacrificial lamb
PatrickKlepek: Clearly, “Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue” is the game you’re ignoring this week
PatrickKlepek: It’s difficult to explain what I’m not playing, given that I’m actually away from home and, thus, have no access to what I would be playing
JasonCipriano: Now would be the time to introduce our newest addition to the “What We’re NOT Playing” (WWNP) lineup – Patrick - as he ponders the question that has plagued everyone else that’s contributed to the blog since we started these
JasonCipriano: Pretend you’re home, and had time to actually play (like before Totilo became your boss) What would you not be playing?
PatrickKlepek: I’ll use some magic
JasonCipriano: It’s your first, so you better make it good
[long pause]
PatrickKlepek: Sorry, Hulk Hogan was in the newsroom. I didn’t believe Stephen when he said he was there, so I had to check. In any case, this week I’m definitely not playing is “Jumper,” based on the latest Samuel L. Jackson movie (when isn’t he in a movie, actually?)
PatrickKlepek: “Jumper” makes me wonder, though. Has there ever been a good Samuel L. Jackson game?
JasonCipriano: Has there ever been a good Samuel L. Jackson movie?
JasonCipriano: WAIT
JasonCipriano: I rescind that
JasonCipriano: The should have made a “Pulp Fiction” game
PatrickKlepek: Yes, because we’ve all been waiting for the inevitable explicit sex mini-game to follow-up “Grand Theft Auto”
JasonCipriano: But Rockstar has assured us that won’t be coming from them
PatrickKlepek: Obviously. At least everyone at Multiplayer has copies of “WipEout Pulse,” even though I get the impression that’s one game where I’m the only one playing
PatrickKlepek: Of course, that also requires my PSP to be charged. Which it isn’t
JasonCipriano: You need to be more prepared, Patrick!
PatrickKlepek: That wasn’t in my signing papers!
JasonCipriano: If you hide it well from our Fearless Leader you should be fine
JasonCipriano: And not true, I’ll give “WipEout Pulse” a spin
JasonCipriano: Anywho, are there any particular reasons you wont be playing “Jumper”? Or are you basing that entirely on your lack of faith in Samuel L’s videogame performances?
PatrickKlepek: Or lack thereof, actually. I’m not sure he’s even in the “Jumper” game. But, I know the game was developed in less than a year and it’s a licensed game. Given that, I’m far less likely to even consider playing “Jumper,” even if I probably won’t be playing “Lost Odyssey,” either
JasonCipriano: I fear “Jumper” could very similar to the Nightcrawler levels from the last “X-Men” game that was based on the movie.
JasonCipriano: “Lost Odyssey” is probably the biggest name being released this week, why pass on that?
PatrickKlepek: Two reasons. One, it’s an RPG and I’m already playing through “Kingdom Hearts 2.” I don’t know how I found the time to play 70 hours of “Final Fantasy VII” when I was in high school, but never again. Two, everything I’ve read says it involves lots of reading. Reading is for books, not games
JasonCipriano: Yeah. You’d think on four discs they would encourage them to have less text
PatrickKlepek: Is it four? Jeez. At that point, I don’t even know where I’d put the box. I live in San Francisco, for crying out loud! Maybe I’ll play the demo. I’m curiously interested in Hironobu Sakaguchi’s work, I just don’t have the time
JasonCipriano: Well, I’m hoping someday to be able to give “Lost Odyssey” a shot
JasonCipriano: But I don’t think that’ll happen too soon due to time constrains
JasonCipriano: However, my official pick for the week will be the new “Sam & Max” episode
PatrickKlepek: I really need to start playing those. Those are games that I could include on WWNP, but not because I feel good about it. I just own a Mac
JasonCipriano: Ooh, technical constraints
JasonCipriano: I’m not a huge fan of the point and click genre (except for a few “King’s Quest” games)
JasonCipriano: Maybe someday those chains will fall, and I’ll open up my mind and give it a shot, but probably only if they get around to releasing it on a console
PatrickKlepek: Did you play the original “Sam & Max“?
JasonCipriano: I passed on it back then, too. It’s kind of a deep seeded thing
JasonCipriano: I like games with a little more action
PatrickKlepek: Well, at least the new ones have driving segments for you.
JasonCipriano: I do like driving games
JasonCipriano: There’s also the Game Tap hurdle to get over, and the fact that I’m behind on the series (much less the current season)
PatrickKlepek: True. And they do have Game Tap for Macs, so maybe I’m one step closer to finally playing “Sam & Max” again. It’s kind of a slow week, though, so I don’t feel bad not playing much. Also, the whole being away from my apartment thing.
JasonCipriano: But that’s what portables are for!
JasonCipriano: and I think that about wraps things up for this week’s wwnp
PatrickKlepek: /exit