So many games. So many to avoid.

In “What We’re NOT Playing,” we usually discuss the week’s new releases and which of them we’re not picking up to play.

But this time, Jason Cipriano and I delved into the logic behind the titles we do end up playing:

TraceyJohn: …the games are piling up. How do you prioritize the games you play?
JasonCipriano: Honestly, I’m not really sure. If I’m playing something already and I feel compelled to finish it, I work on that.
JasonCipriano: If I’m starting something new, I wanna make sure I have a few hours to really dig into it.
TraceyJohn: I think I’m the same way. But do you try to keep up with newer games? Do you feel obligated to play a newer title that just came out, or an old one you never tried?
JasonCipriano: I’ve pretty much given up on trying to keep up with newer titles

Read on to see which one of us is ignoring “Ninja Gaiden Dragon Swords,” “Viking: Battle For Asgard” and a few new RTS titles out this week…

TraceyJohn: Hey Cip
JasonCipriano: Yeah Trace…
TraceyJohn: So we’re playing stuff, but also… not playing stuff.
TraceyJohn: We’ve been learning what Totilo’s been playing every single day
TraceyJohn: But what are we NOT playing?
JasonCipriano: Maybe we should do a list of what we aren’t playing
JasonCipriano: every
JasonCipriano: single
JasonCipriano: day
JasonCipriano: Actually … Totilo kind of handles that for me. I’m vicariously living playing games through his diary
JasonCipriano: Because, in fact, this week, I’m not play “Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword”
TraceyJohn: Why?
JasonCipriano: I’m still not convinced about the controls
JasonCipriano: And that’s a big deal with a game like that
TraceyJohn: You could TRY it!
JasonCipriano: Right, and that is going to be the deciding factor.
JasonCipriano: But, as of right now, I still have yet to try it.
JasonCipriano: And I don’t know if I wanna run out and buy something I’m not 100% on
TraceyJohn: True
TraceyJohn: is there anything else you’re avoiding for now?
JasonCipriano: “Viking” won’t be making it’s way into my 360.
TraceyJohn: Why? Don’t want to get in touch with your inner Scandinavian?
JasonCipriano: It seems a bit like a lot of other games that I either have or haven’t played
JasonCipriano: I wanted to see how vague a comment I could make… Mission Accomplished
TraceyJohn: That wouldn’t fly with Totilo in the room… how so?
JasonCipriano: Hack this… Slash that…. save some people over here… run over there… magical power … and so on and so forth. I got more than enough of that in “Beowulf” (which was a mistake from the beginning)
TraceyJohn: Oh right. You played “Beowulf” for your everlasting Achievements quest
JasonCipriano: Yeah, and I named it the game that was so bad I couldn’t even finish it for the Achievement points
JasonCipriano: … and I got all 1,000 in “Superman Returns”
TraceyJohn: So you’re scarred… but this isn’t a licensed game. It’s got that at least right?
JasonCipriano: Yeah, that helps a little bit, but the “Dynasty Warriors” franchise isn’t licensed either
JasonCipriano: and it kinda seems a little too much like that … just in a different setting.
JasonCipriano: How about you… what will you be passing on this week?
TraceyJohn: Strategy games get no love from me this week… specifically “Aggression - Reign Over Europe,” “Universe at War: Earth Assault,” “Command & Conquer 3” (”Kane’s Wrath” expansion)
TraceyJohn: Not that I don’t like RTSs, but I rarely play them anymore
JasonCipriano: They usually do tend to be a bit tim-consuming …. and life-sucking … at least from my understanding
TraceyJohn: I feel like I should play “C&C” too, but the games are piling up. How do you prioritize the games you play? (Well, now that your Achievements quest is done.)
JasonCipriano: It’s weird. Last night was the first night in a very long time that I felt no real obligation to play anything in particular, and I was kinda lost
TraceyJohn: Do you play through games like a list of chores to be done?
JasonCipriano: I did when I was working through the Achievements Quest, but now that that’s over, and I’m a bit burnt out on “Smash Bros.” and I wasn’t sure what to play next
JasonCipriano: I couldn’t decide if I wanted to work on some more levels in “Mario Galaxy” or finally start “Heavenly Sword”
TraceyJohn: Why couldn’t you do both?
JasonCipriano: It was kinda late, I didn’t want to get too involved in starting something. I knew if I did, I’d never come back to it.
TraceyJohn: So you didn’t end up playing anything?
JasonCipriano: Got 2 stars in “Mario Galaxy” and then lost in the Forrest of Illusion in “Super Mario World” and played a couple games of “Baseball Stars 2” as well as a couple of levels of “N+”
JasonCipriano: That kinda makes me glad I’m not keeping a diary
TraceyJohn: I’m still trying to stick to my new year’s resolution of playing a few games per platform at a time (which I keep referring to)
TraceyJohn: Though it’s probably a bad idea that I’m playing “Mass Effect” and “Lost Odyssey”
JasonCipriano: Yeah… how are those coming along?
TraceyJohn: I usually leave those to the weekends where I have larger chunks of time. So Easter weekend was a bust. But I got to play some DS and PSP — finished “Professor Layton,” tried “Assassin’s Creed” DS, and more “Patapon”
TraceyJohn: And since our aquatic animals feature, I’ve felt like exploring more in “Endless Ocean,” which is kind of relaxing.
TraceyJohn: (yes, I’m still talking about that game)
JasonCipriano: Let “Endless Ocean” go … really
TraceyJohn: But I just found the giant squid and sperm whale deep in the abyss last night…
JasonCipriano: Enough of that already
TraceyJohn: </Endless Ocean>
TraceyJohn: So we never figured it out
TraceyJohn: How do you decide what games to play?
JasonCipriano: Honestly, I’m not really sure. If I’m playing something already and I feel compelled to finish it, I work on that.
JasonCipriano: If I’m starting something new, I wanna make sure I have a few hours to really dig into it.
TraceyJohn: I think I’m the same way. But do you try to keep up with newer games? Do you feel obligated to play a newer title that just came out, or an old one you never tried?
JasonCipriano: If it’s a game thats designed as shorter and pick up and play kinda thing, like the VC or XBLA games, I just pick those up when I feel like it
JasonCipriano: I’ve pretty much given up on trying to keep up with newer titles
JasonCipriano: For the most part
TraceyJohn: So you just play what you want?
JasonCipriano: Basically… but doesn’t everybody?
TraceyJohn: Well, reviewers have more pressure to play a new game quickly and keep up with new games
JasonCipriano: It is kind of their jobs
TraceyJohn: Right, which is glad why I’m not a reviewer because I’m slow.
JasonCipriano: And how …
TraceyJohn: hey!
JasonCipriano: Pretty sure that about wraps up this week’s WWNP
TraceyJohn: Okay, so “Viking,” “Ninja Gaiden” and RTS … sorry.
JasonCipriano: Our apologies … but maybe we’ll get to you next week
TraceyJohn: or the week after that