The premise of the story is to take you back to when everything was started, the principals behind why it came to be and the foundation of which the brotherhood was able to stand on. Was with you until your last bit involving Origins being cartoonish with its take on the Templars. Honestly, it was a little disappointing that "Syndicate" and "Origins" went right back to cartoonishly evil Templars and proto-Templars respectively.
"Rogue", and to a certain extent "Unity", showed us that the conflict between Assassins and Templars hasn't been black and white for hundreds of years, and maybe never has been. And the worst part is that Arno realized the exact same thing, and his push for a unity between Assassins and Templars got him exiled from the order. Switch perspectives around and suddenly the Assassins seem like the bad guys trying to disrupt the Templars' plans, however benevolent they may be in certain cases, out of sheer spite. What Rogue showed us - and what was expanded upon in Unity, to an extent - is that we've only had half the picture, and for hundreds of years the Assassins have been killing Templars for no other reason than because that's what they've always done. Which makes sense, since we, as the Assassins, have been brainwashed to think that way and to assume that anything and everything a Templar might be doing is evil because the Templars are evil. Evil's small council, laughing maniacally about world domination and subjugating the masses. Because let's face it, in most Assassin's Creed games the Templars are portrayed as Dr. "Rogue" was a brilliant game, and most importantly, it provided something that the franchise very desperately needed - perspective. You are kind of that side story of the franchise (like star wars Rogue movie? Coincidence?) A lot of good in depth story that ties in with AC 4 and AC 3. I would recommend this game if you heavily enjoyed Assassins Creed 4 and want to play as the Templars fully for once. It happen it a little too fast in my opinion but it's a really cool take to see the villain side for once. Granted of course kinda cliche because of being influenced to join the Templars, being treated unfairly by the brotherhood than all of a sudden rescued by a family that just so happen to lost a son that was a Templar himself. Like coming from the Creed Bortherhood and being put in as a Templar is just a refreshing side that you don't often see in these games. I played the crap out of ACIV and Origins, but man it's so cool to finally feel like a villain. I picked up the game in a Steam Sale that just ended today and after about maybe 8 or 10 hours in I am hooked. I may be in the minority here so I may get downvoted.