Should You Play the Assassin‘s Creed Games in Release Order or Chronological Order?

As an avid Assassin‘s Creed gamer and fan who has completed both release order and chronological order playthroughs, I firmly believe playing the mainline titles in release order is ultimately the best way to experience the series, especially for first-time players. Release order allows you to properly follow the broader modern day storyline and witness the evolution of gameplay across titles.

However, playing the titles chronologically can also be incredibly rewarding in providing a refreshed historical-focused experience and cohesive origin journey for the Assassin Brotherhood after already completing release order. So each order has significant merits.

Diving Into the Animus: A Primer on Assassin‘s Creed‘s Dual Narratives

The Assassin‘s Creed franchise features immersive historical fiction settings from the Third Crusade to Ancient Greece, but also a substantive present-day narrative involving reliving genetic "memories" using a machine called the Animus.

You play as historic assassins with ties back to the modern protagonists Desmond Miles or Layla Hassan. This unique dual storyline setup, combined with the ancestor linkages between games, means playing in release order connects and builds both narratives most effectively.

Why Release Order is the Ideal Path for New Players

Having played all the mainline Assassin‘s Creed games in release order first on my initial playthrough, I believe this sequencing provides the most cohesive and rewarding experience:

1. Allows the Full Modern Storyline to Properly Unfold

Desmond and Layla‘s arcs subtly build and progress throughout the games when played sequentially. Seeing how their modern journey unfolds while also exploring different historic time periods provides powerful narrative parallels.

As gamer Matthew Kato analyzes, "When I reminisce about my favorite moments with the Assassin’s Creed series, Desmond’s story remains at the top".

2. Builds to Major Plot Twists More Effectively

Jumping into later ancestors and historical periods without context ruins huge narrative surprises, like >!Desmond being forced to kill Lucy!< or >!Layla becoming Kassandra reborn!<. Playing chronologically severely dampens these shocks.

3. Allows You to See the Gameplay and Graphics Evolve

Part of the magic of playing in release order is witnessing first-hand how the parkour, stealth, combat and open worlds incrementally improve across titles. Revelations refining Brotherhood‘s systems offers just one great example.

According to gaming site PowerUp!, [Assassin’s Creed has seen] "staggering improvements made to traversal, stealth and combat over the years”.

4. Provides a More Consistent Quality Experience

Modern titles undoubtedly offer more refined gameplay than early entries. By playing in release order, you minimize dealing with repetitive missions or dated mechanics that might frustrate those playing older titles post-Origins.

Why Revisiting Chronological Order Offers Fresh Merits

However, while release order may be the ideal path for new franchsie explorers, replaying or revisiting the games chronologically can also be hugely rewarding by offering an entirely different perspective.

1. Allows a More Cohesive Origin Journey

Seeing how the Brotherhood starts with Bayek and evolves up through the decades all the way to Vikings offers brilliant historical connectivity that release order interrupts at times.

2. Logical Progession of Settings and Backdrops

Moving seamlessly from early Ptolemaic Egypt to Ancient Greece and then through key eras like the Renaissance keeps you deeply immersed in certain historical periods versus jumping across centuries.

3. Avoids Some Repetitive Mechanics

Playing the most refined recent RPG titles like Odyssey and Valhalla first means you avoid wrestling with dated mission design or simplistic combat. Quality of life improvements enhance the experience.

4. Provides Intriguing Retrospective Insights

Revisiting the later Ezio titles after learning the early Assassin origins offers cool insights, like recognizing the leap of faith‘s origins or appreciating the brotherhood pillars when they are formally established.

The Assassin‘s Creed Timelines in Order

Below you can view the full sequencing of mainline titles in both release date order and chronological order. This helps visualize the dual track timelines:

In Summary: Play Release Order, Then Refresh with Chronological

So in conclusion, I highly recommend playing the mainline Assassin‘s Creed games in release order to properly experience the dual narratives and evolving gameplay for first-time players. But then revisiting the titles in chronological order offers a totally reinvigorated historical-focused playthrough that long-time fans should definitely explore!

Between reliving Connor‘s American Revolution after Ezio‘s Renaissance exploits or reuniting with Leonardo da Vinci in Brotherhood after first meeting him in Revelations‘ Constantinople, chronological order almost remixes the franchise delightfully once you already know the core arcs and twists.

So try release order first and foremost to truly appreciate all the games‘ interconnectivity—but don‘t sleep on refreshing your timeline with a chronological replay down the road!